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NFAA now has Pro Recurve... and it pays big

3K views 26 replies 10 participants last post by  deadeyedickwc 
#1 ·
Hi everyone -

Chuck Cooley, NFAA Pro Shooter and Pro Chairman here, -

It's my first post here in your section but please allow me just a moment to share so exciting news from NFAA.

In 2012 we added a Professional Recurve Division for NFAA. A division created and specifically aimed at Oly Style Recurve shooters who are looking to elevate their game and want the opportunity to shoot for money like your compound counterparts.

In the NFAA Pro Division as a member you'll shoot for National , State, and Sectional Championships just as you have done in the past, you'll just be getting paid when you win instead of getting only a medal or certificate.
The Prize money comes from your tournament entry fees. The system has it set up as 100% pot payback in most situations. Some will vary, and there is a preset schedule of who gets what based on the number of paid entrants to that division. Granted the entry fees are a bit higher than traditional entry but if your a decent shot there is a good chance you will get some, all, or much more paid back to you. Locally it might be only a hundred or so to win, Nationally it could easily be over a thousand or more.

In Vegas this year there is a posted purse of almost $22,000 for the Championship Recurve Division. (Split men and women) This includes a bonus of $2000 for the men if your a Pro and $1000 for the women if your a Pro.
(Online Vegas and other tournament info, found here) http://issuu.com/nfaausa/docs/3startournamentbook

You can still shoot your local events, international competitions etc. Still shoot USAArchery/FITA events with no ramifications. There may be some Collegiate restrictions but you would have to check with those orgs to be 100% sure. I have not yet done that.

International residents (non-U.S.) are more than welcome and certainly encouraged to join.
You need to be a member of NFAA, and then pay the annual Pro Dues of $75

If your interested PLEASE reach out to me personally (not through AT though, it's a pain) or call the NFAA office and ask for Natalie Vollmer our Executive Secretary. Eith of us will be more than happy to answer any question we can.

I can be reached by cell (East Coast) 607-343-8990 or by e-mail chuckcooley@gmail.com
Natalie can be reached at the NFAA office : (605) 260-9279 or nvollmer@nfaausa.com

Respectfully;
Chuck Cooley
NFAA Pro Chair
 
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#2 ·
Chuck this is great. One clarification might be in order though- some international shooters (Japan for example) will compromise their national eligibility if they register as a pro (they can shoot the division, they just cannot register as an NFAA Pro). This isnt an issue with World Archery. It is an issue with a few NGB'S.

Always check with your national governing body for Olympic archery before getting involved with this sort of thing.
 
#4 ·
Thanks soooo much for that GT! Seriously!! - I dont want someone to mess with eligibility. Am I right that int he US it's not an issue at all with Pro and Olympic competition. I wasunder the impression that with the Pro Basketball and Hockey players etc. that hurdle had been cleared.. yes?

I was really hoping that with the experts here it would get well thought out and deserved attention. Thanks for supporting that ! :)

See you on the line!

Chuck
 
#3 ·
Chuck, that's just flat awesome. Thanks to you and the NFAA for all you do. I've always liked the NFAA. Louisville was the first national tournament I ever shot, and I always enjoyed that event. Right now, I only have two NFAA events scheduled for 2013 - Vegas and Louisville. That's because the NFAA knows how to run a great event, and how to treat their archers right. Well done.

George, do you know if it would be an issue with USArchery?
 
#5 ·
Thanks!
And please... If I can be of ANY help or you think I need guidance... I am very readily eager to hear and help where/how I can.

Chuck
 
#7 ·
Yep..
 
#8 ·
Absolutely not a problem in USA. The only place where it is definitely a problem to my knowledge is Japan, and then only if they sign up as an NFAA or other Pro. They can certainly shoot in the Championship divisions, and win contingencies and prize money (which normally has to be paid to their NGB for disbursement to the athlete) but can't sign as a Pro for either an organization or sponsor. Exceptions can be made through the Japan Olympic Committee but almost never are where foreign entities are involved.

I only mention this because this next Vegas Shoot will have quite a few shooters from Japan.

There may be other countries where this is an issue which is why I recommend any international visiting shooters confirm their eligibility if they do sign as an NFAA pro.

Chuck, you, Bruce and the WAF are to be congratulated for making this move for Recurve shooters. I know quite a few will reconsider the flights now that the Championship payout is more reflective of the entry fee!

Chuck, I think all WA recurve rules apply except the arrow diameter limit- please confirm.
 
#10 ·
Thanks so much for the support, and for your clear expertise on the team rules. Very helpful indeed!

Yes, rules would reflect std rules you would find in WA. The NFAA arrow rule is .422 also known as the "27" series shafts. ie:Easton 2712, Gold Tip XXX's etc..keep in mind that this includes the wrap if you use one.

Here is a link to the NFAA Rule book which will highlight the specifics on rules.
http://www.nfaa-archery.org/field/styles.cfm (see section I on this page)

Click through the page link to the full constitution and By-Laws for general equipment on pg 28, specifics on page 32 (its very brief)
Pro Specifics start on Page 35 to 41

Thanks !
Chuck

By the way.. if your wondering what it takes to do well or "cash" on that line in Vegas?
Link to 2012 results..http://www.nfaa-archery.org/tournaments/vegas/results.cfm

Keep in mind 2012 was a HUGE increase over 2011 in the payout pot, and 2013 is another big increase as well as having the 2K or 1K bonus for being a Pro

Select the year, then choose (about 1/2 way down the list) RLF or RLM to see the full report.
Women an 880 won it (of possible 900 over 3 days)
Mens an 893 won it (of possible 900 - Brady Ellison, 10 pts in front of 2nd)


Chuck
 
#9 ·
George, I believe you are correct on the arrow diameter. Per NFAA rules for recurve there is nothing stated pertaining to the 9.3mm WA diameter limitation. Hence in NFAA recurvers get to use up to the same diameter limitation, 0.422, as compounds. I believe this may have been different in the past with Vegas employing WA rules on arrow diameter specifically for the Recurve Championship and Flights Divisions and NFAA for all compound divisions. But does not appear to be the case this year at least.

>>-------->
 
#11 ·
Thanks George.

I only mention this because this next Vegas Shoot will have quite a few shooters from Japan.
Sweet. Hope I get to shoot with my old friend Furukawa again. Great kid.

For those inspecting the results, you're looking for the "Classic Limited Male/Female Championship" division.

John
 
#12 ·
Unfortunately Takaharu san's completely focused on outdoor right now, been working with him on setup items and he's shooting lots of 90 and 70. That's when he's not being swamped with appearance requests as a huge celebrity for that London performance! Most of the people planning to come are from Hiroshima and Tokyo regions.
 
#13 ·
Dang. Well, he's a great kid. Hope to run into him again someday. I still use the archery pin he gave me in Turkey as an example to my JOAD students of great sportsmanship. There's a very funny story behind it too.
 
#14 ·
Yes, rules would reflect std rules you would find in WA.
Hey Chuck, just a quick point of clarification. I believe gt was referring to World Archery rules (ala FITA), not Washington :)! If Vegas is using NFAA rules for the Championship Recurve then the 0.422 (ala 27/64) diameter shafts are allowed vs FITA/WA rules which limit the arrow size to 9.3m (ala 23/64) for all recurve and compound competitors alike.

>>------>
 
#16 ·
Jeff
Yep...I made that leap. Thats why the nfaa rule was the rest of the sentence..thats what we will go by in Pro RC
 
#15 ·
In the past, I know of only one well-known archer who has taken advantage of the larger diameter arrows allowed under NFAA rules for the recurve division. Jake Kaminski, in 2011, IIRC, used something like 2712's full length, with an extended clicker on his sight bar and heavy points, to win that year. It was pretty neat to see. But then Brady comes along the next year and shoots out of his mind to set a huge score with X10's, so go figure...

John
 
#17 ·
Well, Brady sure proved you don't need linecutters when they're all in the middle. He shot more than 50 consecutive 10’s through eliminations in Nimes a couple years ago with x10’s.

As you are aware, lots of indoor records and titles have been set and taken with outdoor setups. Personally I use indoors as a means to an end- getting ready for outdoors. Have had good success with that, winning the Tokyo indoor a few years ago and placed in Vegas championship division (the year of that tiny little dime sized gold target) that way. Boy people hated that target- but I enjoyed it. And the check was nice too!

Speaking of checks, Here's to big success with this improved purse in Vegas, which now makes it the second biggest winnning purse for any recurve event as far as I am aware. (WA World Cup final is the only one with more direct prize value when you count the winner check and value of the Longines champion watch).
 
#18 ·
I think I picked a good year for my first trip to Vegas. ;) Should be a great shoot.

George, I think there's plenty of emperical data out there by now to show that how your arrows GROUP at 18m outweighs any advantage (or lack thereof) their diameters may offer.

So indoor archers need to just shoot what groups the best for them first, then all else being equal, consider diameter. But I'd never give up a tight grouping outdoor arrow for a line cutter if that was a choice I was faced with.

John
 
#19 ·
How does registering as a Pro impact the divisions I can shoot at the local, state, regional, and national levels? The best example I have is that I go to a local or state shoot, there may be only me, or 1 other recurve shooter in some instances. If that other guy is not shooting in the pro division, I might not want to either so at least I have 1 person to shoot against. But yet at nationals or even regionals there may be plenty of other pro recurve shooters so I would want to shot in that division.
 
#20 ·
Here is what I found on the Pro division in the NFAA rules.
7. Tournament Competition:
7.1 Members of this division will not compete for awards other than money and/or merchandise in tournaments below the state level. At the state championship they will be required to compete in the Pro Division if one is available. However, members are encouraged to support all types of tour-naments by purchasing a scorecard for the regular registration fee.
7.1.1 A NFAA Pro may compete for trophy awards at the state level with the adult shooters, providing there is no pro division recognized at that tournament.
Also, if resigned from the NFAA Pro division, you would be ineligible to compete in the trophy division for another year.

Link:
http://www.sfaa-nj.com/2004_NFAA Rules.pdf
 
#26 ·
There have been quite a few good "1A" level shooters who have walked away with cash in the flights divisions, and the entry fee is much less. So that's something to consider for those who don't think they will place in the money - or if that's even important to you.

People just need to be realistic about their level of shooting. This is true with any event, but especially a big one like vegas. If you're averaging 280's in practice or local tournaments, there is no reason to believe you'll go to Vegas and do any better. In fact, it's reasonable to expect you'll do a few points worse due to the unfamiliar lighting and venue, noise, and 100 other distractions. So that's what one should expect. If something better than that happens, then that's just icing on the cake.

John
 
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