Novices

November brings the dreaded BUCS qualifying scores.

Novice score of 150? No problem. Unfortunately, according to Captain Will, novice scores are only for people in their first years of shooting. That means I’m classed as ‘experienced,’ though I definitely don’t feel it. ‘Experienced’ makes the score I need 243…

For a   good archer, that would be fine, but you’re looking at a guy whose high score currently stands (and has stood for a while) at 159. With only a few weeks until Christmas upping that by 84 points is going to be nearly impossible.

Maybe then I should surrender, enjoy myself, work on getting better for next year. There’s no point beating myself up because some organisation says I’m not good enough for one competition.

*Of course, her name isn’t really Burkina- She just happens to share an uncanny resemblance to a girl I once gave bad advice to… And who probably ended up in Burkina Faso as a result. Things are quiet today. The usual crowd are conspicuous by their absence. No James, no Will events… Not surprising after yesterday’s dodgeball massacre. No Tom. No Niles. Even Jodie isn’t here… Thank God, as well, for there is no Creepy Harold.

I do see Burkina* arrive. Haven’t seen her for a while.

Otherwise, this is going to be a very chill kind of shoot.

Just the way I like them.

After my first few shots I’ve settled into the mindset that today is not going to be the day where I get even close to my high score. I come back from the crease and lay Rhyddian on his stand, watching the shooting.

Up the other end is a guy I’ve never seen before, dressed in a tracksuit and appearing to be attempting Movember. I think to myself that he could do with some help, that he could do with holding his bow steady for a short while before drawing.

Coach Dan has noticed as well and goes over to get a closer look and do some mentoring. Brea gives him a signal and stamps her foot. Looking down, I see it too. He’s just the wrong side of the crease, so Dan steps forwards to give some pointers.

We were all like that guy at one stage, amateurs playing at Robin Hood, surrounded by a nest of dropped arrows, fumbling to load our shots, forgetting our stance.

Archery is a not a sport that is mastered overnight- It takes years, missed arrow after missed arrow, to get to a level where you can comfortably call yourself good. And watching this newcomer, watching where his arrows strike, even if one does go beyond the target and another hits the side, I think that we’ll make an archer out of him yet. He’s better than I was at that stage.

All that is needed is time.

At the end of the day, as I total up my own score, I realise I’m on exactly 200, a feat that seemed impossible three hours ago. One good day and I might make it to that completion after all, I think.
If not, there’s always next year.

With archery, all you need is time, and there is always time for one more shot.