By Chihiro Morihara
The University of Shimane
This August, my life of Japanese archery was changed. I participated in preliminary contest of the National Sports Festival in the Chugoku region, held in Izumo, Shimane. Meeting great teachers, teammates and other participants from other prefectures affected me very much. I could learn many things and I grew as a player of Japanese archery.
Before writing about my special experience, I will explain to you about Japanese archery. Japanese archery is one of Japan’s traditional sports. We use a bow and four arrows. We can get a point when we hit a row on the target. The length from the center of the target is not related to the score. All we have to do is hit the target. Players compete by adding up the total number of hit arrows.
The meet gave me three opportunities. First, it gave me a chance to meet many players of Japanese archery. I could see many players in Shimane; 10 teammates, 3 coaches and their friends and teachers. We could get to know each other through this meet. They told me not only how to play Japanese archery better but also how to repair and maintain my equipment.
Second, it gave me a chance to learn about the way to control my nervousness before a large competition. The meet was held in Izumo Dome in Shimane. Domes are larger than places where I usually practice and play. I have participated in a large meet held in a big dome like this, but I didn’t play well because I was too nervous to do my best. So, I didn’t want to make the same mistake again this time. To do my best, I did two things. First, I talked with my teammates to prevent me from thinking too much about possible mistakes I might meet. Second, I wrote out why I was so nervous. Before writing out about it, I didn’t know what made me nervous, so I wrote out what I feel anxious to visualize my worries. For example, I wrote “It’s important to calm myself down because I can’t hit my arrows when I feel heat.” These two things worked well.
Finally, the meet gave me a chance to improve my skill of Japanese archery. Through not only the day of the meet but also self-practicing for it, I certainly could make progress. The environment around me was great because people around us cheered me and gave me advice. I was very pleased when my teammates and coaches noticed my effort and praised about it and my progress. That helped improve my skill and motivate me. In addition, it helped me even more mentally. People around me gave me the power to practice more and more. I had practiced harder than ever for the meet and improved my skill because players around me were much better than me. However, they were not students and didn’t have time to practice hard, but I was a student and had much more free time than them, so I thought the only thing I could win over them was quantity of practice, and I practiced about 4 hours per day. As a result, I could hit 3 of 4 arrows on the target on the day of the meet. However, I noticed the quantity of the practice is as important as quality of it to prepare for the day of the meet, because our team couldn’t win the meet. I think I should have practiced with my teammates together more. I always practiced alone but it was important to practice like the real part.
Through the meet, I learned that the more I practice, the better I can do. Also, knowing each other with players of Japanese archery is important because they help me when I fall in a slump. Also, I noticed the environment around me is very important for upgrading my skill. I think the three opportunities I got through the meet held this August and practicing for it changed my life of Japanese archery, and I believe this experience will help me in the future.
