Archery
 |
The shots are designed in a head-to-head, match format in which strategy and decision making by the archers creates tension and drama. Shooting well may not be enough; you have to shoot better than your opponent.
At nearly every target the archer must decide — in a matter of seconds — whether to go for the big points or take the conservative route and shoot safely at an easier target. Of course, much of the strategy will be determined by the tactics used by each competitor's opponent.
All targets have instantaneous scoring so viewers and spectators know, at any given time, the score of each match. Excitement is also generate by everyone creating their own strategy or talking with friends about "what they would have done — play it safe or go for it all."
At the 2002 Great Outdoor Games, the crowd chanted, "Let's go, Randy," as the finalists stepped up with the Archery gold medal on the line. But there was no favoritism being shown.
Competing for the gold were two Randys — 2001 gold medalist Randy Hendrix of Clemons, N.C., and 2001 fourth-place finisher Randy Ulmer of Cave Creek, Ariz. In the end, Hendrix would prevail and take the gold medal back home to North Carolina for the second year in a row.
Qualifying Criteria
Sixteen invitations will be extended as follows:
Archery terms
Armguard
Protects the bow arm from abrasion by the string when the arrow is released.
Back
The side facing the target.
Belly
The side nearest the string (closest to the archer).
End
A group of arrows, usually three, which are shot before going to the target to score and retrieve them.
Fletching
Feathers attached to an arrow, which help stabilize the arrow during flight.
Finger Tab
Flat piece of leather that is worn to protect the string fingers when the arrow is released.
FITA
(1) Federation Internationale de Tir a l'Arc - archery's international governing body. (2) A round of 144 total arrows shot at a target from four different distances. The most common round in archery competition.
Group
(n) The pattern of arrows on the target. (v) To shoot three arrows on the target.
Limb
Part of the bow from the riser (handle) to the tip.
Nock
(n) The attachment on the rear end of an arrow which holds it in place on the bow string. (v) To place the arrow on the string.
Quiver
Case for holding arrows. Usually, a long leather container, worn on a belt at the waist.
Release Aid
Mechanical device used to release the arrow, used by most compound shooters.
Riser
The handle of the bow.
Robin Hood
A Robin Hood is an accomplishment named after the legendary character and the feat he performed in the famous archery contest. It occurs when an archer drives the tip of the shaft of one arrow deep into the end of another arrow already in the target. Archers display their Robin Hoods as golfers display their hole-in-one balls. The arrows stuck end-to-end can be found hung with pride above mantles, next to hunting trophies or in offices alongside letters and diplomas.
Sight
A mechanical device placed on the bow with which the archer can aim directly at the target.
Stabilizer
A weight mounted on a bow, usually extending some distance from the handle, used to minimize undesirable torques of the bowstring upon release
Great Outdoor Games