I am often asked about how to get started in competitive archery. I first want to start out by giving some insight as to why you would want to start shooting archery tournaments. There are different motivations for wanting to compete. For some it is the challenge and excitement of competition. For others it is about learning to get better and being curious. I fall into the later group; I am not a very competitive person for the most part, I am more interested in learning how to do something usually for aesthetic artistic reasons. I think shooting tournaments has something to offer everyone. One of the most important is the social aspect. You’ll meet some of the best human beings and in some cases develop a special bond with them and the sport. When I was travailing around the country shooting tournaments I have developed a special extended archery family. I’ve met archers from all over the world and we all share the same passion. This passion of shooting arrows at targets is a source of human connection and joy The archery tournament environment for the most part is a positive one. This positive environment is what creates the connection we have with the sport and the people we shoot with. So I encourage everyone to give tournament archery a try.
I am going to give you resources and insight on how to get started shooting archery tournaments. We have 4 major sanctioning bodies for competitive field and target archery in the United States: Most of the organizations offer annual memberships. I recommend you join either USA Archery or the NFAA. Things are starting to get complicated with memberships so you need to do some research to see which membership works best. In the past the NFAA and USA Archery honored each other’s memberships. When you sign up for a tournament they will specify membership requirements. Tournaments like the Vegas Shoot or the National Marked 3D tournament don’t require a membership to participate and be eligible for awards. So read the registration forms carefully before signing up. If you are going to spend time effort shooting USA Archery tournaments (JOAD) it would be best to get a USA Archery membership. I personally have a NFAA membership as I enjoy shooting NFAA events like the Vegas Shoot and the Marked 3D National Championships. Below is links to the 4 major bodies for tournament archery in the United States. The IBO and ASA focus on 3D archery.
USA Archery is tied to World Archery or IOC (International Olympic Committee) and the NFAA is tied to IFAA (International Field Archery Association).
Don’t be too confused with all the organizations. Depending on your interest one will fit your needs or interest. I’ve shot both NFAA and USA Archery tournaments. I’ve shot some marked and unmarked 3D events as well. It is all tons of fun. I encourage everyone to become true students of the archery game and learn all aspects of the sport. Knowledge is power!
Youth Archery Programs
Many parents ask me how to get started in tournament archery and I often point them to the Junior Olympic Archery Develop program or J.O.A.D. for short . This program is run by USA Archery. Here is a link to more information about JOAD. Click Here
NASP or The National Archery In Schools Program is another youth grass roots program. This program is limited to schools that have the program. The program is limited in the choices in equipment and also the types of tournaments offered. Click Here for more information.
Ranking and National Teams
For those of you who are already shooting and want to get more into shooting more tournaments I will try to explain the tournament structure and the ranking system. If you are a parent and want to get more experience under your belt you’ll want to start by shooting SAC (State Archers Of California) tournaments. Here is link to their website: Click Here SAC is primarily a target archery organization. Target archery is what you see in the Olympics or indoor events like the Vegas Shoot. You’ll be shooting at fixed known yardages with a shot timer to keep the tournament moving along.
Both SAC and USA Archery have a points or ranking system. The points are based on tournament placing. . The rules and regulations will be the same for both organizations. The difference is national level versus state level competitions. When shooting for a national ranking you are shooting to try and make the national team or United States Archery Team or USAT for short. So whenever you see a tournament listed as a USAT tournament this means you will be shooting for USAT or JOAD points.. JOAD has 3 to 5 member teams based on gender and the type of bow you shoot. Team members are offered support from the USOC/USA Archery and the opportunity to represent the United States in international competitions. I would recommend with focusing on shooting SAC archery tournaments in the beginning. There are basically 3 events and they are all in California. Because all events are in California it’s a bit more cost effective when it come to money, time and travel. Here is more information on the SAC ranking system click here.
If your are interested in shooting national level events or USAT (Untied States Archery Team) Tournaments for a national ranking and a chance to be a national archery team member click here here for more information. Here is a link to detailed information the USAT system for Under 18 and Under 21 archers; click here.