This is a question I received and thought would make for a good
discussion.

Dan,

I am looking for a coach. Too bad you live so close to the left coast.
I'm on the right....extreme right .....near the border of North
Carolina and South Carolina. There is very little FITA style archery
here. I did some research and found one coach nearby that is involved
in Olympic style. His name is Lenny Schwade. Have you heard of him?
If so, do you know anything about his level of experience etc. Any
info. would be helpful.

Thanks,
Dave

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My Response:

I don't know the person you mentioned. I may have met him at one time,
but I don't recall.

Don't be too discouraged by not having a coach in your area. Progress
can still be made without a coach. One has to be a little more
disciplined I suppose, but many very competitive archers have managed
to get pretty far without a coach. Sounds like I'm talking myself out
of a job, but it's the truth.

In almost every case, I meet people who want advice on one thing or
another or who want to know "what their doing wrong," something I try
not to put too much weight on in the first place. In almost all of
these cases, the issue isn't that technique has to be looked at or
that form has to be tweaked, rather, the answer is simply, "you're not
shooting enough." I always get a funny look when I tell people that
because they are used to, and are expecting, a response that suggests
changes here and there and to tweak this and tweak that. But the truth
is I think coaches tend to over-coach too much sometimes when the
answer partly lies in the volume of the archer's shooting. Weekend
shooters shouldn't expect to achieve much more than the results
stemming from only shooting on the weekends, period. So keep that in
mind. That's rule number 1.

With that said, there is rule 2: which is that I think practice when
in it is done should be commensurate with the archers goals, and
should have a deliberate purpose to it. I guess what I mean is that if
you only plan on shooting for fun, then keep your sessions appropriate
to that goal. If you plan to be competitive, you will also need to
tailor your sessions to that goal, if you want to be internationally
competitive, you need to be more realistic with your goals, and
persistent in your effort to achieve them.

Having a specific purpose for each practice session gives one an area
to focus, illuminates the temptation to try and address other issues
which are not part of a specific plan for that session, and gives more
definitive feedback in terms of progress.

So for example, if you are working on follow through then each
practice session should have as its purpose, addressing follow
through. Other areas which are not directly connected can be set
aside, (even if they warrant attention), this frees you from having to
approach each shot with a mental checklist and can lead to a much more
effective practice session.

Another thing to consider is how to prioritize one aspect of form or
technique over the other. This is obviously difficult considering
every aspect of the shot is interconnected. However, I would suggest,
as other coaches do, to start from the bottom up. Analyze one's stance
first and work your way up. Some areas can be worked on simultaneously
without too much distraction, such as follow through and relaxing the
bow hand. There are other examples where combining areas can work
well. Sometimes coaches are questioned when they choose to focus on
one area when another area seems completely out of concert with what
is acceptable, but a lot of times making changes in one area can
influence and correct behavior in another area without specifically
addressing that issue.

So for example one of the things I suggest to people who are
essentially their own coach, and I'm no expert on this by the way, is
to have a special score card that has written on it the date and
pertinent info, and what your focus area or areas are for that
session. The card should allow you do be able to rate yourself after
each shot, say on a scale from 1-5 (5 being "It felt good," or "good
execution," etc). So after each shot, pull the card out and jot down
how you would rate your performance for that specific skill that you
are working on. Eventually you will start to see a pattern, where your
ratings correspond to scores, and you can use that to evaluate your
progress depending on how many arrows you shoot. Obviously the more
you shoot, the more likely your ratings and corresponding scores will
accurately reflect your progress in that area. So if you have a
positive increase in your scoring average, you know that you have made
progress, and using this method, you'll have a pretty good idea of why.

Another thing to keep in mind is to limit the amount of time you spend
on any one area. So for example, say I decide I want to focus on my
body alignment for a period of 4 to 5 sessions. I focus on that area
for the time I have given it and once I reach the 5th session I move
on to another area regardless of my progress. This keeps sessions
relatively fresh and productive, but also prevents them from being
overbearing, and keeps the archer focused on a larger, more important
goal.

After three or four different areas have been worked on in succession,
go back to the area you were working on three or more focus areas
prior, and devote one or two sessions to that area again. That way
you're making progress in a number of areas, plus you are forcing
yourself to take another look at a previous focus area--it keeps you
sharp.

With all of this understood, it's plausible that a weekend archer can
have more effective practice sessions than an archer who shoots
everyday, but who has no plan or approach, and who doesn't shoot many
arrows with purpose. However, in each case, both archers will reach a
point where further improvement and consistent progress is harder and
harder to come by. That's when upping the volume of arrows shot can
make an impact.

Obviously, if you're Oh Kyo-Moon, you don't need to shoot 600 arrows a
day to stay at a competitive level, but I can guarantee you that at a
point in his development he had to shoot that number of arrows to be
competitive and to improve, especially in a country with as big of a
talent pool as South Korea. In all, the effort you should put in is
greatly dependent on your intended goals within the sport, and there
is no reason why you cannot achieve those goals without a coach. A
good coach just helps you to realize your potential and can sometimes
assist you in attaining your goals, but ultimately the success you
reap as an archer, you reap.

Another suggestion is to visit the coach you mentioned and pay for a
session or two and get a feel for how you think he or she can assist you.

Also don't be afraid of visiting other reputable coaches while working
on an a specific focus area with your primary coach. As long as you're
up front and advise the new coach that you have been working on X, Y,
and Z, most likely that coach is only going to reinforce what your
full-time coach has been saying all along, and that's good. The other
coach may have strengths in that area, or may be better able to
communicate in that area than your full-time coach. A lot of coaches
like to instill a "hands-off" policy between other coaches, and I
think that's simply counterproductive. No archer belongs to me! As
long as you're not going to Joe Archer at the archery shop who goes
bow-hunting every now and then and who's best known for crafting a
cigarette holder for his quiver, then I think seeking out other
coaches can be very productive.

Another thing is that a good coach will know when he/she has taken you
as far as his talents will allow, and will refer you to another coach
who has expertise that can bridge the gap. Always be mindful of the
experience level of your coach and don't assume that Coach A is going
to take you to the world championships. Also, don't assume Coach A is
lousy for not being able to do so. Many coaches focus on different
skill levels (whether they want to admit to it or not), and that's
perfectly Okay. Imagine Phil Jackson or Pat Riley trying to coach a
group of 6 and under kids at basketball. They probably wouldn't feel
very comfortable at all, and I'm sure they wouldn't be as good as a
coach who's focused on that skill level for a number of years.

Also, take advantage of archery training camps held throughout the
year by local and national groups such as your local or state archery
association, and the NAA. These are great opportunities for you to
develop new focus areas, and to hone practice routines. Plus you can
make new and interesting contacts that can help you along they way.

I think what I have written is a good start and there may be better
solutions out there than what I can offer. In any case, my primary
points are to have a a plan, know your goals, practice with purpose,
and seek reinforcement from other reputable sources without distorting
or side-stepping your path.

Good Luck,

Oh, and you can always drop me a line and I can try to help you
through some things.

-Dan Perez