# GTA Compound Coaches



## TRDJer (May 14, 2012)

Hello everyone, 

I would consider myself an intermediate compound shooter and I am thinking that I would like to see a coach to step things up. Who would you recommend in the GTA to approach for lessons?


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## bigbadwoolfe (Jan 1, 2013)

I'm on the same boat, and I've heard the name Bruce (Savage I believe) from "Archers of Caledon" more than once, from different people.

I'd say investing in some books or DVDs while you're searching isn't a bad idea either. Surprising how much one can learn from books, even today.

Sent from a smartphone. Ignore typos and carry on.


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

No disrespect to Bruce, but he not very experienced with compound shooters, and he will be the among the first to agree with that.

There are a number of very good compound shooters in the area who are capable of offering "tips", but there are no real compound "coaches" in the GTA area. 

(That's Greater Toronto Area for those who live elsewhere.)


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## TRDJer (May 14, 2012)

That really seems to be an issue in the GTA. There are tons of recurve coaches around but no compound coaches. It seems like most compound shooters around are self-taught. So far I have been getting tips here and there as I can but of course I think with a dedicated coach I could progress further/faster.


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## shakyshot (Dec 21, 2007)

araz2114 calname on AT.
He's great.KW area or The Bow Shop.
He may be able to help or know some who can.
Shothim aPM

Shawn


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

TRD - are you a member at Caledon?


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## cc46 (Jan 22, 2005)

Stash, I think he's at Peel. 

And Stash you should be a coach??? either recurve or coumpond, why not? 

I was at the Sci centre today, so many new faces. 

Shot with intermediates and helped a few with less than a few months of shooting. I think there's a lot of interest and they want some coaching and general knowledge.


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## TRDJer (May 14, 2012)

I've been shooting at Peel for the last year and a bit.


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

It might be fun getting together with a group of "decent" compound shooters on a regular basis - mutual coaching and friendly rivalry, preferably no complete newbies or superstars. Right now I shoot regularly with one or two other guys at Caledon on Friday evenings. Non members can come for a daily shooting fee.

I'm not interested in doing any "coaching" in the classic sense. Way too frustrating.


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## TRDJer (May 14, 2012)

There are a couple pretty decent compound guys at Peel that I always shoot with. We are all pretty much self taught and trying to find our way. It's good having a group of guys to try and learn everything together with. 

Me and another guy are looking to start getting into the local field and fita shoots. We figure that if we are usually in the yellow at 70m we shouldn't make total idiots of ourselves. 

How much is the drop in fee at Caledon?


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

I think it's $10 for outdoors. The club is having its Annual General Meeting tomorrow and I'll ask if there is any restriction on the number of times a "guest" can shoot for the daily fee. 

Caledon has the nearest field and target events, so if you haven't been there before, you and your friends should drop by at least once and have a look around before the tournaments start up. Saturdays are usually the most active, but don't go on May 4th - that's the annual work party and the ranges will all be closed.

They're having a field round on May 12 and some target rounds on May 18-19.

I've shot at Peel a few times, but not in the last year or so. Nice to shoot long ranges in the winter, but in the summer, outdoors is the place to be.


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## TRDJer (May 14, 2012)

Hey Stash, any word on the restriction on the number of times that someone can be a "Guest"?


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

Yes. Members can bring a guest up to 3 times without paying, but after that it's $10 a day, no restrictions on how many times. You can't just show up and pay a daily fee, though - you must be invited and accompanied by a member.

Send me a PM if you're interested in coming up some time.


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## bigHUN (Feb 5, 2006)

The best shooters I've meat...usually... don't want to be coaches, we can still ask them here and there for some tricks but all in bits and pieces,
I also know some "coaches", big and proud, I would never let them my sons come close...
really sad balance :embara:


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## Durhampro (May 9, 2009)

I agree. Paying for an inexperienced and uncertified coach would be as ridiculous as letting a self proclaimed bow technician "super tune" my bow. Neither experiment is likely to go well.


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## TRDJer (May 14, 2012)

Coming on here I was hoping to find someone to learn from someone that has a good name and that has some credentials.

Most of my shooting thus far has had little to no "coaching". Just me and a few others at Peel going through it all together and sharing info and tech tips. Unfortunately I feel that dong things this way is a slow method of improving. Whenever the bigger names around stop by the club I always make sure to watch and listen in hopes of picking some things up. Thus far anyone I have talked to has been pretty open and approachable. I'm tempted to pick up one of the compound dvd's off of Lancaster as a starting point.


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

I can't think of any top target shooter in the area who isn't approachable and, time permitting, willing to share info. The problem is, some of these people despite being great shooters themselves don't always realize that what works for them might not work for you. That's the difference between a top shooter and a top coach.

You're just going to have to be patient, learn what you can from the people around you, take what works and discard what doesn't.

One starting suggestion, if I may...keep score. Pick a round/distance/target size you like and can access readily, and keep score _*on the same round *_all the time, to get a base line of where you are right now, and to see how you are progressing over time.


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## shootthewhatnow (Jan 29, 2008)

I am going to second what Stash just said... keep score... get a baseline of progress until you can see an average score start to emerge... it will happen when you start to plateau (aka. when I stop getting better fast). 

Once you have a baseline, you can use it to track experiments you may try... different grip, shot setup, different stabs, different release ect... this will let you see what "works", and what "doesn't help". If you have no basis for comparison it's all random experimentation... no good will come from that... and it takes more than 1 score to see if you like something new... good or bad your first score after a change is likely an aberration. 

Oh, and only change one thing at a time. 

I'm not meaning to be insulting, this is pretty simple stuff (my advice that is)... but I'm still surprise by how many people show up (myself included in past) with a brand new setup and expect to shoot their average score... in the beginning it's *all* new, so you have to get over that initial hump and figure out where your starting point is before you go changing things to "shoot better". 

One last point... remember that 90% of your score comes from you... almost any bow on the market can outshoot anyone... mechanical shooting machines prove that time and again. If it's not in the middle, practice more.


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