Asher S. May -Parents come to most, if not all, of their tournaments. Sometimes they can be helpful, or sometimes they might lead their archer to feel a lot of pressure. If this has happened to you, here are some ways you can tell your parents, or other family members, how to encourage and help you during a tournament and avoid making you feel stressed or pressured. These are things that could help you feel more confident before a tournament, relaxed during the rounds and even feel good about the competition after it is over.
What are good things for a parent to do before a tournament? Before a tournament, it is good to stay calm and relaxed so you don’t stress out your archer. You should also do something enjoyable with them like a nice conversation or playing a game. This will help your archer to keep a good mindset. Tell your archer you are proud of them for working so hard for this tournament and they will go into the rounds feeling positive.
What should a parent do during a tournament? You should watch quietly. Any loud or moderately audible sound will disturb not only your archer, but every other archer. You should also give your archer encouragement by giving thumbs up and smiling. Any sort of positive sign will give your archer more confidence and make them more encouraged to keep improving, shoot better and be proud of themselves.
What should a parent do after a tournament? You should say you enjoyed watching your archer shoot, no matter how they scored. This will encourage them to work hard and possibly shoot better next time. You should ask them how they felt about their rounds and their scoring. It is also helpful to tell them something good they did and tell them what they improved on from the last tournament. You should also encourage them to talk to their coaches. It’s never to late to ask questions about a certain shooting style or about something they might need to work on during that tournament. Encouraging your archer to keep communication open with their coach will help them learn and develop as an archer but is also a skill they can use in many other parts of their life.
We’ve talked about the things you should do in a tournament. Now, let’s talk about what you should NOT do at a tournament. Don’t put a lot of pressure and intensity on your archer. This can break their concentration and overwhelm them during a tournament. Also, don’t try to coach them during a tournament. They have their coaches there for that. Support and encouragement doesn’t mean you have to try to be their coach.
I hope you use these tools in the next tournament you go to for your archer. They will help them feel supported by you as they continue to grow as an archer.
Asher S. is a 2023 student contributor.
