More action...

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
...in a Rotary Club AGM.
This poor forum seems to get less and less traffic; I check every few days and maybe find one more post?
Clearly chat for the sake of it is silly but it's sad to see a good, useful and often funny forum grind to a halt.
Is it because of FB groups? Is archery getting less popular?
Answers (eventually) on a virtual postcard...
 

HongKongPhooey

Supporter
Supporter
I?ve noticed it?s a little quiet, I don?t post that much at the minute as I?ve still two week until my beginners course, but have been reading lots of the threads, fear not there will be loads of newbie threads started by me soon
Matt
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I have noticed a drop in traffic, too.
What I have noticed over the last few years is the slow decline in the number of threads that are aimed at sorting an archer's issues with their shooting. They were far more common in the past and they drew in contributions from a larger number of " helpers". This lead to discussions of pros and cons etc which were of value to anyone who joined in or just read them.
A good few threads these days draw in one reply and that reply is not always followed up by the original poster.
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
I have noticed a drop in traffic, too.
What I have noticed over the last few years is the slow decline in the number of threads that are aimed at sorting an archer's issues with their shooting. They were far more common in the past and they drew in contributions from a larger number of " helpers". This lead to discussions of pros and cons etc which were of value to anyone who joined in or just read them.
A good few threads these days draw in one reply and that reply is not always followed up by the original poster.
I guess it's on a bit of downward spiral - someone posts a query, doesn't see an answer for a while, forgets to check again. I know I've done it by mistake before. And while I happily chipped in some money for it a while ago, I just can't justify it on a forum that's clearly slowing to a halt. A shame.

Matt - ask away! Anything to raise the traffic a bit!
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
Seems like 'quiet forum syndrome' isn't limited to here.

I suspect that fora in general are suffering from the same general dumbing-down of online activities that follows inevitably on from the monetisation of the 'smartphone generation' :(

- it's so much easier for them, (and more profitable to the mega-corps,) to tap off a quick, barely-considered, uncapitalised, un spell-checked nothing full of meaningless emojis & terrible grammar on snapnumbty or fleecebook than it is to take the time to construct & sculpt the kind of posting that lends itself so well to the subtleties of the semi-permanent forum.

Face it, in ten years we'll have gone the way of the BlueRay disk, and will be mourned about as much as we mourned the death of the cassette tape, so soon after it was seen as a revolutionary advance!

....But until then, let's just have fun & not take life too seriously...

For one, we're the trained marksmen (OK, markspersons if you must!) with (usually) several potentially lethal self-defence devices at close hand -

- and I'm yet to come across an app that even claims it can stop an arrow!
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
Seems like 'quiet forum syndrome' isn't limited to here.

I suspect that fora in general are suffering from the same general dumbing-down of online activities that follows inevitably on from the monetisation of the 'smartphone generation' :(

- it's so much easier for them, (and more profitable to the mega-corps,) to tap off a quick, barely-considered, uncapitalised, un spell-checked nothing full of meaningless emojis & terrible grammar on snapnumbty or fleecebook than it is to take the time to construct & sculpt the kind of posting that lends itself so well to the subtleties of the semi-permanent forum.

Face it, in ten years we'll have gone the way of the BlueRay disk, and will be mourned about as much as we mourned the death of the cassette tape, so soon after it was seen as a revolutionary advance!

....But until then, let's just have fun & not take life too seriously...

For one, we're the trained marksmen (OK, markspersons if you must!) with (usually) several potentially lethal self-defence devices at close hand -

- and I'm yet to come across an app that even claims it can stop an arrow!
Haha I like your style! And yes, the utterly indecipherable twaddle that is typed on various social media platforms is incredibly depressing. Especially to a person who proof reads as part of his business.

I fear "marksmen" may be a bit strong though; like most sports/activities I do, inconsistency is my middle name.
 

Timid Toad

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
I find plenty to read/talk about/ comment on, it's not all about compounds though.
 

Whitehart

Well-known member
I think this just mirrors the decline in numbers doing archery. the guesstimated total is now less than 50,000 for all disciplines.

We need 10's of 1000's to join every year not the 100's we are now seeing - in the past things were stable the churn (10,000 per annum) equalling out by the new members each year but now we are on a downward spiral.

Clubs tell me beginners courses are full but those joining is not great percentage and after 3 years most have moved on.

Archery has become a hobby, I am seeing popular tournaments being cancelled for lack of entries.

A radical shake up is required to the tournament structure to be relevant to the masses perhaps afternoon shoots that start at 1pm and finish at 5pm and member retention (proper support after the beginners course) for archery to compete with modern life after all have a go stands are always the most popular stalls at local fetes yet the publics perception and reality of what archery is seems to be miles apart to the club structure and ways of participating
 

Corax67

Well-known member
We do need a lot more new archers without doubt - we have fairly decent retention figures from our beginners courses but the big thing is losing juniors.

I think pretty much every club I have contact with says the same thing and that is we see families do beginners course with children aged 10’ish, they do really well and progress steadily up until they hit the year before GCSE’s and then study takes over until the juniors drop out and we lose the adults too as now there is less incentive to attend & more things to keep them away.

Occasionally archery in films and on TV will spike a surge in interest but that isn’t really something you can develop the sport on.

Even if the juniors stick to 18 we then lose them to college, university or work.

The archers who join in their ‘more mature’ years are looking for a hobby and that’s what they get so there is no incentive to them to shoot tournaments other than possibly attaining a classification above Bowman otherwise archery is a social event for them, a chance to get out of the house for a few hours.


I hadn’t noticed a dramatic decline in traffic on the forum but then I tend to read all posts rather than just a particular bowstyle.






Karl
 

chuffalump

Well-known member
An established club might have members who don't shoot much any more but who turn up for the social aspect and help with the running of the club. Possibly they could help with increasing the variety of events on a club night? We have various games we play such as speed rounds with 3D targets. If you don't have people like this then nurturing younger archers becomes a chore that prevents you from developing your own archery in the precious time you can spare away from home and work.

That may be harsh but even though it can be fun, it negates the entire purpose of taking up archery in the first place.
 

ben tarrow

Well-known member
...in a Rotary Club AGM.
This poor forum seems to get less and less traffic; I check every few days and maybe find one more post?
Clearly chat for the sake of it is silly but it's sad to see a good, useful and often funny forum grind to a halt.
Is it because of FB groups? Is archery getting less popular?
Answers (eventually) on a virtual postcard...
I wonder what you are looking at. The "whats new" list shows 9 new postings today alone
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
An established club might have members who don't shoot much any more but who turn up for the social aspect and help with the running of the club. Possibly they could help with increasing the variety of events on a club night? We have various games we play such as speed rounds with 3D targets. If you don't have people like this then nurturing younger archers becomes a chore that prevents you from developing your own archery in the precious time you can spare away from home and work.

That may be harsh but even though it can be fun, it negates the entire purpose of taking up archery in the first place.
That sounds like a great idea.

We started off dead keen (me and my 10 year old son), we got some great coaching, we attended fairly regularly. We spent a fortune on kit but that was okay. Then we shot an all day round and my son (8 at the time) was put in the wrong category - poor thing had to shoot 144 arrows mostly at targets he could barely reach. Meanwhile an older girl was happily pinging away at 20 yard targets. It was so tiresome, I found it mind numbing and my son was actually in tears partly because two ends weren't even scored because of someone else's mistake with order of shooting.

This dipped our enthusiasm a fair bit and it was also clear that while new kids (some of my son's friends - we drummed up a fair few) were encouraged on one day a year, they weren't contacted again. There then followed a thoroughly depressing AGM where someone that utterly hates anything but longbows became the head of training and a person that really doesn't like kids became the "safeguarding/kids" person. And my comment about there being no kids was more or less rebuffed with "we tried, we gave up."

So my son shot pretty much on his own - winning the odd thing but mainly because he was the only one in his category.

Meanwhile our enthusiasm waned more but we were given key access to the (rather lovely) range. But a spare three hours is hard to come by; the Winter indoor season came and went (both club nights clashed with Coastguard training and drama for my son) and then I shot a Frostbite. Came first by a fair margin, was chuffed to bits but I clearly put several noses out of joint, no one said well done, no one ever suggested we shoot for the club, no badges, nothing. Meanwhile another club asked us to shoot for them and we had got into Field archery; a long trek away but we enjoyed it.

So that was the last straw - it was clear it was so cliquey (a big fuss was made if the regulars got almost any score) that we were just an irritation and it contrasted heavily to the field club that was very encouraging, very kid friendly and simply much more fun. Hence shooting for them next week and whenever we can.

So despite really really trying, the AGB format just hasn't worked for us while the NFAS one is much much cheaper and far more interesting.

However it's dressed up, spending hours pinging arrows at the same static targets just isn't what many people want to do - mix it up, make it more interesting, encourage, welcome people, make them feel wanted; ditch the stuffy old cliques, don't just immerse yourself in your own scores and your closest mates latest string issue, stick to short rounds, be creative, don't be painfully pedantic.

This is why numbers are falling and if any of the above sounds a little too familiar, it's time to have a re-think.

Ben - it's quiet, very quiet. I'm clearly not the only one who thinks so.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
The club where I shoot has changed a good deal over the last 16 years or so. It was almost totally recurve. It now has archers (in almost equal numbers ) from longbow, trad bow, compounds recurves and barebow recurves.
The changes happened because those who wanted things to change put in the work required to bring about those changes.
If the desired change is popular there will be enough willing hands to help. Sometimes the archers who are running the club, may not want things changed. Persuading them mat be hard work...... but someone will have to do it.... or let things stay a s they are.
 

chuffalump

Well-known member
no one ever suggested we shoot for the club, no badges, nothing.
I find that rather peculiar. Everyone in our club can shoot for the club. Anyone who goes to a competition does so in club colours. Except our ex army comrade who sometimes shot in his army team shirt. As far as club teams events then it's whoever volunteers. We once had to field four recurves against a mixed compound and recurve team because that's all we had. We were flattened. Fun though, if a bit frustrating.
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
You?re right Geoff but we?ve never felt anything more than juniors and anything I said at the AGM was ignored so I doubt I can influence enough.

There aren?t many members so our absence (I also sent a couple of members a message explaining why we?ve left) will have an impact. Whether anything changes is unlikely I feel.

They?ll either put it down to a grumpy member and his son (and yes I?m biased but he?s been incredibly mature, tolerant and dedicated; very few 8 year old, now 10, would have stuck it out as long as he did) or try and make some changes but I?m not holding my breath.
 

chuffalump

Well-known member
The club where I shoot has changed a good deal over the last 16 years or so. It was almost totally recurve. It now has archers (in almost equal numbers ) from longbow, trad bow, compounds recurves and barebow recurves.
The changes happened because those who wanted things to change put in the work required to bring about those changes.
If the desired change is popular there will be enough willing hands to help. Sometimes the archers who are running the club, may not want things changed. Persuading them mat be hard work...... but someone will have to do it.... or let things stay a s they are.
We have a high proportion of people who regularly shoot barebow, horsebow and longbow now. On the other hand, I moved to compound to regain some enthusiasm and form. Nobody cares. Shoot whatever, make fun of each other, awful puns about the rampant Mouflon 3D target we splashed out on.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
We have a high proportion of people who regularly shoot barebow, horsebow and longbow now. On the other hand, I moved to compound to regain some enthusiasm and form. Nobody cares.
Hi Chuffalump.
I think our situation was different. We had mainly recurve and there was no enthusiasm to change anything. It took a new member, quite a bit of lonely work trying the start a few archers on longbow.
 

chuffalump

Well-known member
Hi Chuffalump.
I think our situation was different. We had mainly recurve and there was no enthusiasm to change anything. It took a new member, quite a bit of lonely work trying the start a few archers on longbow.
We had mainly recurve too. There wasn't any conscious desire to change anything. You get an urge. Spend some dosh. Turn up and shoot with a new toy. A far cry from an organised attempt to introduce more variety. 😃
 
Top