National Indoor Squads

SLOWHAND

New member
Just out of interest did anyone submit scores for selection to National Squads for this years indoor national tournament? Now I know that the EAF is run by people who devote lots of time and hard work on a voluntary basis and it's true to say that being on a comitee such as this is a thankless task at the best of times but I realy think that in this instance things could have been done in a better way. I know that there is at least one other member of this forum who can tell a very similar story to mine.
From the start of the indoor season in October untill the deadline on 27th January I have literally driven thousands of miles, spending a lot of time and money to attend as many record status events as I could manage. Many times I was on the road before 5am, not getting back before the evening, all to shoot a Portsmouth. According to the EAF website scores shot at record status events "in the current indoor season" (my interpretation of this was October 2005 to the deadline on 27th January) could be submitted, but according to the aticle printed in the Spring 2005 edition of Archery UK scores shot at record status events "in 2005/06" could be submitted. Now in one criteria scores obtained in the early part of 2005 would count but in the other (ie. website) they would not! Anyway just to be sure I submitted 5 scores including three shot in the current indoor season as follows.

PORTSMOUTH 590 16/01/05 WAKEFIELD RECORD STATUS
FITA 18M 567 20/03/05 NATIONAL INDOOR CHAMPS LILLESHALL
PORTSMOUTH 589 20/11/05 NCAS CHAMPS WAKEFIELD
FITA 25M 578 04/12/05 PENDLE & SALMESBURY
PORTSMOUTH 591 15/01/06 WAKEFIELD BRS

On the website it gave a link to submit scores but it didn't work for me nor for other people so I put them in a letter and trusted that the GPO would do their bit. The letter was posted around the 17th of January and I waited... and waited...,and waited... to hear if I had been sucessful or not.I knew that no one shooting tournaments in the North of England had sent in better scores but I didn't know what people in the South had done, but I was pretty sure that I was in with chance. Well by the start of this week I was tearing my hair out, I still hadn't heard anything, so I contacted telephone enquiries to get the gentlemans number. This raised another question, according to AUK the gentleman lived in a Close but according to BT he lives in a Crescent so now I'm wondering if my mail has gone to the right address. Anyway I plucked up courage and rang him. I kind of got the impression that he hadn't heard my name before but anyway he was very nice and said sorry I hadn't been sucessful this time but keep sending in scores. Ok. if people have genuinely submitted better scores under whatever criteria applies then I wish them all the best but wouldn't you think the EAF would let the rest of us know. I dont suppose that there would have been many of us to contact probably less than a dozen and the cost of a stamp or an e-mail in return for the thousands of miles and hundreds of pounds isn't too much to ask. If it is then why not ask for a SAE.

Will I be doing the same next year? Not sure myself yet, but I will be writing to the EAF.
 
D

Deleted member 74

Guest
SLOWHAND said:
Not sure myself yet, but I will be writing to the EAF.
Oh? Which address will you be writing to? ;)
I'd suggest a letter to AUK or GNAS also since these things need to be made public. Might not do much good but worth a try. I'd surely like to have a team organised in the same way SAA does. But that just doesn't happen down here.
 

Adam

Active member
I submitted my scores, but I'm not elligible having shot for GB during 2005. I do know that Andy Rikunenko and Terry Course will be the England gents compound reps.

I may be wrong, but I have a suspicion that only FITA 18 scores are considered - the National Indoors is a FITA after all.

For future reference, if you want Dave's e-mail address (which is the easiest way to submit scores) send me a PM.

Adam
 

Furface

Moderator
Supporter
Bear with it! The EAF is being shook up, and hopefully this sort of incompetence will be a thing of the past - too late for this year, I'm afraid.
The best channel to air your grievances is actually through your Region. Only the five English regions are members of EAF and it is via them that changes can be instituted.
 

SLOWHAND

New member
Adam said:
I submitted my scores, but I'm not elligible having shot for GB during 2005. I do know that Andy Rikunenko and Terry Course will be the England gents compound reps.

I may be wrong, but I have a suspicion that only FITA 18 scores are considered - the National Indoors is a FITA after all.

For future reference, if you want Dave's e-mail address (which is the easiest way to submit scores) send me a PM.

Adam
According to AUK it's "FITA 18, 25 and Portsmouth Record Status rounds shot in 2005/2006" Verbatim quote.
 

SLOWHAND

New member
Having failed with e-mails and dodgy addresses I tried to send a fax today, to an EAF member, guess what? yeah, the fax machine wasn't switched on!
 
D

Deleted member 74

Guest
Okay, now I'm REALLY pissed off!
http://www.sportfocus.com/reguser/dynabizinfo/download.cfm?number=6693
Tom Firth and Matt Webb??? I've beaten them at every tournament I've been at with them this season! I know what Tom has shot so far this year and both Dave and I beat them.

At least NCAS has a better chance of winning this year - Tom, Dave, Dave, Simon D, me, Marietta, Nicole A, Michelle, we can't lose! ;)
 

Shirt

Well-known member
Matt Webb did shoot a 580 FITA 18 at Rutland, it should be noted...

Christ only knows what Tom Firth did to make the team, but his scores haven't been their usual selves this year... And Grant, you forgot Alan Wills. ;)
 
D

Deleted member 74

Guest
Okay, 580 noted. (also remembering his 554/544 FITA 25m double)
Ooh, didn't see Alan Wills was shooting as well... that should be entertaining!
 
D

Deleted member 74

Guest
As in, there will be a large crowd of good shooters there this year. The past two years has seen diminished numbers and diminished scores as a result. It'll make for some good matchplay, I think.
 

currie1014

New member
Adam said:
I submitted my scores, but I'm not elligible having shot for GB during 2005. I do know that Andy Rikunenko and Terry Course will be the England gents compound reps.

I may be wrong, but I have a suspicion that only FITA 18 scores are considered - the National Indoors is a FITA after all.

For future reference, if you want Dave's e-mail address (which is the easiest way to submit scores) send me a PM.

Adam
adam your correct it is only FITA scores that count for the indoor selection. I have seen a list of criteria scores somewhere (i think AUK or GNAS website)
 

currie1014

New member
grantwomack said:
Okay, now I'm REALLY pissed off!
http://www.sportfocus.com/reguser/dynabizinfo/download.cfm?number=6693
Tom Firth and Matt Webb??? I've beaten them at every tournament I've been at with them this season! I know what Tom has shot so far this year and both Dave and I beat them.

At least NCAS has a better chance of winning this year - Tom, Dave, Dave, Simon D, me, Marietta, Nicole A, Michelle, we can't lose! ;)
just seen the target list with national team members. How did some of them make the squad. I know of two or three archers with better scores than those selected??
 

currie1014

New member
grantwomack said:
Okay, now I'm REALLY pissed off!
http://www.sportfocus.com/reguser/dynabizinfo/download.cfm?number=6693
Tom Firth and Matt Webb??? I've beaten them at every tournament I've been at with them this season! I know what Tom has shot so far this year and both Dave and I beat them.

At least NCAS has a better chance of winning this year - Tom, Dave, Dave, Simon D, me, Marietta, Nicole A, Michelle, we can't lose! ;)
watch out for GWAS this year
 

SLOWHAND

New member
currie1014 said:
adam your correct it is only FITA scores that count for the indoor selection. I have seen a list of criteria scores somewhere (i think AUK or GNAS website)
No, you are definitly wrong. About the only thing that the website and the article in AUK agree on (and I'm looking at this article as I type) is and I quote

For Indoor Tournaments
FITA 18, 25 and Portsmouth Record Status rounds

See page 7 of AUK Spring 2005
 

SLOWHAND

New member
Shirt said:
Very interesting reading Tom, I had no idea that things were in such a state. As I said in my original post I have the utmost regard for people who give lots of time and effort for no reward but can you imagin this happening in any other sport?

The question that I would like answered is who actually sat down and selected the team and what criteria was used. I'm 54 years old and I take my sport very seriously, in all my life it's the one thing that I'm quite good at and at my age I dont know how much longer I can go on shooting at the level I am now. To think that possibly my one chance of shooting for my country has been blown because someone couldn't be ***** to open the mail has really got me livid.

Thanks to Nick Beeson and the others mentioned who now seem to be trying to put things right.
 
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Adam

Active member
currie1014 said:
adam your correct it is only FITA scores that count for the indoor selection. I have seen a list of criteria scores somewhere (i think AUK or GNAS website)
Currie, for GB selection only FITA scores count, but Slowhand is right in saying that Portsmouth scores are also considered for EAF representation.

Adam
 
R

rgsphoto

Guest
Slowhand, I can almost feel your frustration and anger myself. It's a shame someone who shoots to the standard you do has to jump through hoops of red tape to actually represent your country. For once I simply don't have much to say...this sort of stuff does my head in. Don't give in, keep trying, don't let the B******s grind you down.
 

moo-mop

New member
Found the pdf interesting too, Tom, thanks.
It's funny that despite living in cambridgeshire for a while i never seemed to go the eaf fita which is only in stevenage. Now I begin to see why.

But for now you guys can go to the tournament and beat the guys on the team to make your point. Very best of luck.
 
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