Information No. 8 from FITA Judges and Coaches Committees

Information No. 8 from FITA Judges and Coaches Committees Lausanne – 16 November 2010   Information to Coaches In 2009 there were many competitions where archers were either confused or just did not know the rules or regulations currently in place. This resulted in many delays being encountered during competitions which caused frustration to the competitors and organisers alike. Because of this the FITA Judges and Coaches Committees have agreed it would be useful to introduce some  "drops" on issues concerning coaches, procedures and rules, and make judges procedures understandable to them, and not least, so the coaches know what to expect from the judges. Ken BEARMAN, FITA Coaches Committee Chairman   We hereby intend to start a series of small inputs in order to be helpful to coaches and enhance their knowledge on rules and procedures to avoid extraordinary stress on their archers. We are of course also open to questions that might be asked. Morten B. WILMANN, FITA Judges Committee Chairman   8. Coaching on the line The current FITA rules allow the archers on the shooting line to be coached verbally by the coach from behind the waiting line. This was not allowed some few years back in our history. This has been a part of our development, as we are no longer a "silent sport."   There is an ongoing discussion whether this is a wise way of coaching or not, but that is not the topic of this article, the point is that it is currently allowed.   This verbal coaching whilst shooting is taking place, however, needs to be clarified. This coaching, or coaching information, is not meant to be a discussion or a conversation between the archer and the coach, as that could be quite disturbing to other archers on the shooting line. The "communication/sound" must come from behind the waiting line where the coach has to be standing. Sometimes the coaching may also be too loud and the judge may ask the coach to lower their voice to a more normal noise level where it would be acceptable within the general noise level of the event.   A question has been asked "whether the coaches have the right to be in front of the waiting line during the practice arrows." This has been accepted, over the years, without protests that coaches have been closer to the archers during this period, but the judges may be contacted and may interfere if the behaviour is obviously to the disturbance of other archers.   Actually this way of coaching started with the team event, where the coach was seen as a part of the team (although they never got any medal). During the team event the coach may coach, and even touch, their archers if they are able to do this from their position within the coach’s box. The coach may even use a telescope; though this is not advisable as they should be fully aware of their own team’s actions should they be shown a yellow or red card.   World Archery Communication