May 16th – Athlete Arrival
Through
May 23rd – Athlete Departure

Please confirm bed space availability by contacting Coach Steve Caufman before making airline reservations.

Opening Ceremonies

Because the event is attended by nearly all the members of the JDT,  the competition is fierce.  The atmosphere was serious and quiet.  The athletes know they are competing against the best, and because they are all serious competitors, each archer also knows they had better have their game on if they expect to do well. The event is a real pressure cooker.  Added to the intense competition, the thin air of Colorado Springs also took its toll on more than one athlete. Archers found out they not only had to perform under pressure  but also had to modify their breathing  between ends so as to not become fatigued in the thin air.

On the Line

The pressure is intentional.  Each JDT member wants to be an Olympian.  Nothing builds pressure and tests the nerves as much as shooting for Olympic gold, but for these youthful archers, this tournament was a great way to learn how to manage the pressure of competition.  The tournament provides a venue to practice their game under some very realistic conditions.  Each archer will have to learn to manage their emotions and nerves while under pressure if they expect to advance and be successful on the national and international stage.

The pressure benefits the coaches also.  They get to put each archers technique under a microscope while the archer is experiencing  the pressure of a competition.  The intense competition tends to bring any form faults to the surface.  National Head Coach KiSik Lee and the rest of the JDT coaches roam the shooting line with their notebooks and video cameras, observing what the pressure does to the technique of each archer.  The video is then used by the coaches to customize the training of each archer for the rest of the week.

National Head Coach KiSik Lee Takes Notes

At the end of the day, Miranda Leek broke a STAR FITA record previously held by Michelle Gilbert with a score of 563.  Matt Zumbo missed setting a World FITA record by just 4 points with a score of 580.

A summary of the FITA results are as follows:

The event also exposed the archers to the new Match Play (set) system which has replaced OR rounds.  Each end or set consists of three arrows shot by each archer in a head to head match.  The winner of a set gets two points.  If a set is tied each archer gets 1 point. The first archer to get 6 points wins the match and moves on.  A maximum of five sets (15 arrows) and, if necessary, a one arrow shoot-off are played in a match.

Match Play Results:

Matt Zumbo won gold, while Chris Luman and Nathan Yamaguchi took Silver and Bronze respectively.

Holly Stover won Gold while  Miranda Leek and Michelle Gilbert took Silver and Bronze respectively.

Team Rounds:

Later in the week, archers also shot some fun Team Rounds.  Archers were placed into teams of three based on their performance in the FITA shot earlier in the week.  Many archers have never participated in a team round so this was a valuable opportunity to learn in a safe, fun atmosphere.  The winning team was comprised of  JDT members Daniel McLaughlin, Michelle Gilbert and Hardy Trafford (archer invitee).

Silver, Gold and Bronze Teams

For full FITA results click here: FITA Results
For full girls Match Play results click here: Girls Match Play Results
For full boys Match Play results click here: Boys Match Play Results

We would like to thank our sponsors, including Easton Foundation and TaxMasters for lending financial support helping to cover travel and registration costs, Nike for the apparel, and Easton and Hoyt for their support in providing the Junior Dream Team Program with equipment.

• February 26-28, U.S. National Indoor (Andover, MA, Brockport, NY, College Station, TX, Conyers, GA, Des Moines, IA, Tulare, CA)
• March 5-7, U.S. National Indoor (E. Lansing, MI; Edmond. OK; Rio Rancho, NM; Salt Lake City, UT; Wisconsin Rapids, WI)
• March 12-14, U.S. National Indoor (Harrisonburg, VA)
• April 8-11, Arizona Cup (Phoenix, AZ)
• April 23-25, Texas Shoot Out (College Station, TX)
• May 28-30, Gold Cup (Bloomfield, NJ)
• June 24-27, JOAD Nationals (Des Moines, IA)
• July 2-4, Nor’Easter (Carver, MA)
• July 21-24, U.S. Nationals (Hamilton, OH)
• Aug 13-15, South Dakota Cup (Yankton, SD)
• Oct 8-10, So Cal Shootout (Chula Vista, CA)
• Oct 29-31, Gator Cup (Newberry, FL)

Dear Coach Lee,

In the years before being introduced to the BEST METHOD I was training without direction.  I was very inconsistent in competition and in training.  Then, Coach Angelo Ruiz introduced me to your BEST METHOD.

Finally, I had found a step-by-step METHOD to lead to the podium.  In three training sessions I had already surpassed my old averages.  My training sessions are now focused and detailed.  I now have direction – a path that leads to a ten by using the BEST METHOD.

Mr. Williams Shooting at the OTC

I truly believe that I am already an Olympian.  I’ve already been given the spot on the team because I know, everyday, when I go to train, what I need to focus on and what aspect of the method needs attention.  The BEST METHOD MAKES you (the Athlete) better! It builds confidence and self-esteem because you can see it working for you.  Less focus is placed on the score or the outcome and the concentration is now focused inside of us (the Athlete).  Its calming…I know it has the ability to put me into a Zen like state when everything just starts happening automatically.

Thanks to your 12-step process, and Coach Angelo taking the time to help me tweak some things here and there, I now have direction.  The only supporters I’ve had the last few years have been my family and one close friend.  I was shooting for THEM and not ME.  Now, that’s different…shooting is fun again.  I am turning heads and training more efficiently.  I know what I want to get done in sessions and I can create a plan to do them.

After three practices (less than 11 hours), I walked into a “friendly” head to head competition against one of our top female shooters and former national champion. She only beat me by one point out of a possible 400!  I was confident! I was calm! I had a step-by-step plan of things to do and I was shooting more consistently than I had in over two years and with better scores!

If you allow the shot to control your thoughts, you pull your mind away from you, the shooter…THE ATHLETE.  I find that when I focus on the process, I feel what’s right. You feel in control and poised.  The process gives you direction and it creates a path for you to follow.

There are some sequential things I am playing with to see how my body and the process want to naturally work together.  I am finding that I typically tend to do number three before number two and also do number five, six and then number four.  Along with the process, I am trying to find natural “triggers” to time everything to: breathing, placing head on cheek piece, placing finger on trigger, etc.

I’m sure as I continue to refine the process, I’ll see improved scores.  Keeping my focus on the process and not the outcome will no doubt be the correct path to success.  Thank you, Coach Lee, for creating the KSL Shot Cycle!

Regards,

Evan R. Williams

Developing US Rifle Athlete

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

(F.Y.I.)  Here’s the shot cycle I’ve created for myself using the KSL shot Cycle as a model:

Base

Set feet, shoulder width apart slightly open (not as much as in archery)

1.    LOAD

• Cock action and load pellet. When I close the bolt, that’s when my entire mind set really starts counting and I set a beat like a drum…boom …boom…boom. Each beat is a set 1. 2. 3. 4. …keeping a constant rhythm, maintaining timing and keeping my focus on the process, not the shot.

2.    LOCK BUTT

• Squeeze gluteus muscles, creating hip thrust and, thus, creating the “shelf” for my elbow.

3.    BUTT PLATE POSITION

• Check placement of butt plate in my shoulder.

4.    LEAN BACK

• Open up chest and front, leaning back into my position allowing me to get the rifle into my chest and face.

5.    SET FIST

• The fist is my support structure creating contact between the rifle and my body at the rifles “pivot” or “balance point”.

6.    ALIGN SHOULDERS

• Square shoulders to target

7.    PICK UP & ALIGN RIFLE

• Bring the rifle to me

8.    CRUNCH CHEST DOWN

• This locks the position. It makes me a rock.

9.    TRANSFER

• My trigger is a two-stage trigger, so my “transfer” is taking up the first stage and sitting on the second stage, like being millimeters out of your clicker.

10.   AIM

• Eye focus is on the center of the target.

11.   CONTRACTION

• This is more of a “relaxation”, allowing my finger to squeeze the trigger to release the shot.

12.   FOLLOW THROUGH

• Drive the shot through the center with my eyes while maintaining the squeezing of the trigger all the way through the shot execution.

13.   ANALYZE TECHNIQUE

• Assess the “feel” of the shot and the result at the target, then mentally make note of any adjustments that will be necessary for the next shot, either in equipment or form.

We would like to thank our sponsors, including Easton Foundation and TaxMasters for lending financial support helping to cover travel and registration costs, Nike for the apparel, and Easton and Hoyt for their support in providing the Junior Dream Team Program with equipment.

February 8 – Athlete Arrival
Through
February 14 – Athlete Departure

Please confirm bed space availability by contacting Coach Jim White before making airline reservations.

The records fall into several broad categories, NATIONAL,  STAR FITA, JOAD and State.

National Records include records set at the National Indoor Championship, JOAD National Indoor Championship, JOAD National Outdoor Championship and National Target Championships.  National Records can only be set at the respective tournament (i.e. National Target Championship records can only be set at the National Target Championships). Since all National records are also STAR FITA events (with exception of JOAD tournaments), scores shot at NATIONAL tournaments are also eligible to set STAR FITA records.

U.S. STAR FITA records may be set at any STAR FITA tournament worldwide.  If a tournament is designated as a STAR FITA event, the scores shot can set World as well as U.S. FITA records.  Scores shot at STAR FITA events can’t be applied to National Records unless they are shot a National event.

National JOAD Championship records can be set only at the JOAD Indoor and Outdoor National Championships.

The number of records set by individual JDT members are as follows:

JDT "Wall of Fame"

If you are interested, take a look at the USAA records pages for a more complete explanation of record eligibility and how to claim a record at the following link: USA Archery Records. Thanks goes to USA Archery and Ron Carmichael who has responsibility of keeping the USAA Records webpage up to date.

We would like to thank our sponsors, including Easton Foundation and TaxMasters for lending financial support helping to cover travel and registration costs, Nike for the apparel, and Easton and Hoyt for their support in providing the Junior Dream Team Program with equipment

Miranda Leek

I recently had the opportunity to train alongside the Resident Athletes apart from the Junior Dream Team in order to make up for a JDT camp that I could not attend.  I was able to shoot hundreds of arrows each day and spend hours focused on improving my technique, which is something that I take for granted while there and genuinely miss when I get home.  Coach Lee, Coach Guy, and all of the RA’s were there to help me further understand certain aspects of the BEST Method, and they were all willing to assist me in making improvements.  I learned a lot during my week-long training session and enjoyed it very much.

One of the first things that I realized while I was there was basic fact that now is the time for training and form improvement, not so much a time for accuracy on the target.  It’s the off season; that means that, generally speaking, the target is going to get worse before it can get better.  It is important to accept this fact and move on with training.

With that in mind, the RA’s and I shot around three hundred arrows each day, at blank bale as well as at a distance.  We all had something specific to work on each arrow we shot, and the coaches were there to remind us when we started “slacking.”  We concentrated on our archery when we shot, but we enjoyed the camaraderie and time spent together as a group when we retrieved our arrows.  Life at the Olympic Training Center isn’t all work; there is also time for friends and free time afterwards, which provided for a welcomed balance.

When we weren’t shooting during our training regimen, we did form master exercises, bow release drills, and SPT’s each day.  Although doing these types of training activities isn’t as entertaining as actually shooting is, they are a necessity in the long run.  Being at the OTC helped me to remember the importance of the “boring training” and helped me to complete the exercises and benefit from them.  Training is so much more fun and easier when you’re surrounded by others with the same interests and goals that you have.  The fact that the OTC provides just that, the many RA’s training for the Olympic Games, is one of the main reasons why I love to go out there to train.

Of course, when considering what I like about the OTC, I cannot leave out the coaches.  Coach Lee and Coach Guy know everything there is to know about the technique and if I needed any help, all I had to do was ask.  Once I voiced a concern, they both did everything they could to help me understand a concept and get me to do what I needed to.  I go out to the OTC to train under the schedule they provide and the help they have to offer, and I do not leave for home empty-handed.

Overall, I found my time spent at the OTC with the RA’s very productive.  If given the opportunity to do this again, I would accept it without any hesitation.  My form definitely improved from my stay there; undeniably because of the time I was able to invest in my training and the many helpful people there.  The OTC provides for a perfect trifecta of training, physical exercise, and camaraderie; an atmosphere difficult to achieve anywhere else.

(Editor’s Note:  The following notes were made by Miranda during camp.  Top athletes often keep a journal of each days training to refer back to during later sessions.  Thanks goes to Miranda for sharing this information with us.)

Miranda Leek

Notes

10-19-09 Extended JDT

• Hook: From the beginning, roll the string in from the fingertips inward. Keep this positioning all the way through the shot! Keeping the wrist bent goes with this somewhat – keep the fingers curled around the string the same way and keep the wrist bent. Do not break the wrist and roll out fingers while picking up the bow; maintain the position all the way through the shot!
• Set-up: Get the elbow behind the arrow line. Keeping the wrist bent and the fingers at the same position helps in this effort.
• Breathing: When drawing, breathe in deeply. Then, at anchor or transfer, breathe out a little, to a 70-80% lung capacity. This will help to naturally expand using blood pressure so expansion is not so difficult and muscularly involved. It is important to breathe in and then out, not just breathing in to 70-80% capacity. The outward breath allows holding to be true to its meaning; a decrease in intensity.
• Posture: Keep the hips tucked under and bring the bow to you; don’t go out with the chest to the string while drawing. Keep the vertebrae stacked evenly on each other. Stay compacted.
• Target line: The line to the target needs to be more in front of the feet, not under. The line should be around two inches in front of the lead foot. This keeps the center of gravity in a place where you don’t want to fall backwards once you’ve achieved good posture. This allows for a good ear to toe line also.
• Keep compact. This relates to posture, but concentrates on keeping the body, the foundation of the shot, connected with itself. Don’t stand up. Keep the head positioning the same from set to follow-through.
• Bow arm: Keep the tricep tight. This allows for the pump jack motion, which pushes the bow arm outwards. The pump jack motion is important to achieve a stronger and faster expansion.
• Hook (again): Hold the thumb and pinky in a way that looks like they’re holding a chick. Don’t touch the thumb to the pinky nail; just pull them both back to break the wrist. Keep both fingers pulled back in order to keep the bent wrist position.
• Sit: Sit! Straight down! Not so you’re pointing to the right.

We would like to thank our sponsors, including Easton Foundation and TaxMasters for lending financial support helping to cover travel and registration costs, Nike for the apparel, and Easton and Hoyt for their support in providing the Junior Dream Team Program with equipment

Guy Krueger

November 4, 2009

Junior Dream Team Technical Bulletin

By Guy Krueger

Recently, many of you learned the more intricate details of the set and setup positions. These are two important steps in the mastering the BEST Method. At the past Junior Dream Team Camp it was noticed that there were some misunderstandings of the details and philosophy of these steps.  The following two technical bulletins (one for left handed and one for right handed archers) will provide some insight and visuals to help you gain a more accurate understanding of set and setup position and how to get from one to the other.

Please use the following links for more detail:

A Further Look Into Correct Set to Setup Position – Right Handed Version

A Further Look Into Correct Set to Setup Position – Left Handed Version

October 10 – Arrival
Through
October 17 – Departure

Please confirm bed space availability by contacting Mr. Dee Falks  (ldfalks@gmail.com) before making airline reservations.

Nine Members of the Junior Dream Team traveled to El Salvador to attend the Archery Olympic Festival, a world ranking event. JDT members Matt Zumbo, Aaron Henslin, Daniel McLaughlin and Nathan Yamaguchi competed as Senior Men, while Michelle Gilbert, Miranda Leek, Holly Stover, Heather Trafford and Mackenzie Brown competed as Senior Women. Joe Fanchin and Josh Smith rounded out Team USA. All but one of the competitors for USA was under 18 years old with the two youngest being cubs.  These young archers proved they could more than hold their own against the senior archers shooting this event.  Our young men and women took home 23 of the 36 medals available in the recurve classes.

(Team USA - Left to Right: Matt Zumbo, Miranda Leek, Nathan Yamaguchi, Joe Fanchin, Mackenzie Brown, Aaron Henslin, Heather Trafford, Daniel McLaughlin, Michelle Gilbert, Holly Stover, Coach Terry Laney, Josh Smith, Coach Linda Beck, Coach Dee Falks)

FITA RANKINGS:

Male Recurve
1st place Matt Zumbo 1254 Points
2nd place Joe Fanchin 1238 Points
3rd place Josh Smith 1208 Points
10th place Aaron Henslin 1167 Points
15th place Daniel McLaughlin 1125 Points
18th place Nathan Yamaguchi 1109 Points

Female Recurve
2nd place Miranda Leek 1239 Points (10 points out of 1st)
3rd place Michelle Gilbert 1230 Points
10th place Heather Trafford 1142 Points
11th place Holly Stover 1131 Points
13th place Mackenzie Brown 1075 Points

INDIVIDUAL FITA DISTANCES:
JDT Members won numerous 1st, 2nd and 3rd place medals for scores at individual FITA distances:

Michelle Gilbert: Silver at 60M and Gold at 50M
Miranda Leek: Silver at 50M and Gold at 30M
Matt Zumbo: Gold at 90M,70M and 30M. Silver at 50M.
Joe Franchin: Gold at 50M and Silver at 70M
Josh Smith: Bronze at 50M and Silver at 30M

OR’s
Matt Zumbo: Gold
Aaron Henslin: Bronze
Miranda Leek: Gold

TEAM EVENTS:
Men’s Team (Matt, Aaron and Nathan): Gold
Women’s Team (Miranda, Michelle and Heather): Gold
Mixed Team (Josh and Holly): Silver

For event photos use the following link:
Archery Olympic Festival – El Salvador

For complete relults use the following links:
Recurve Women: Results
Recurve Men: Results

We would like to thank our sponsors, including Easton Foundation and TaxMasters for lending financial support helping to cover travel and registration costs, Nike for the apparel, and Easton and Hoyt for their support in providing the Junior Dream Team Program with equipment