Aya's Archery News

Patience is a virtue. We hear that all the time. Often it just goes through one ear and out the next for me. But this time I listened. I have been shooting for 10 years and never took more than a few weeks off from shooting even after a life threatening surgery in 2004. This time, I finally used some common sense. My shooting was only getting worse with my back injury and after a year of suffering and cancelling events, I finally opted to take a break for 8 months. Except for an occassional shoot, I hung up my bow and committed myself to getting better without surgery.

Gold Cup was my first true tourney back but I was still not up to strength, shooting 10 pounds less than usual. Pushups have become a daily routine to build strength and I went to Spokane, WA for the Field Nationals/World Team trials shooting my own 44# setup. Last year I couldn't bend to shoot the downhill targets and missed many shots. Up until the day before, I had no idea if I could shoot field. Thanks to the kindness of shooters from Evergreen Archery, I joined them for a mountain practice and found that I indeed could shoot angles again!

On this high, I shot a 308 on the unmarked, the highest I have shot in 6 years! I continued to shoot with strength, courage, and gratitude to God that I can once again shoot pain free and enjoy the sport I have dedicated much of my life to. I won the Nationals for the first time since 2005 with a 60 point margin!

During the trials I reminded myself not to get complacent because of my strong lead. To the end, I worked on learning as much as I could and refreshing myself to field shooting and in turn I won the top placement for the World Field Team.

Now blessed with the open door to the World Championships I must raise funds as the cost of this event is averaged at $3000. Anyone willing to donate to my fundraiser, it's a tax free donation to my athlete account. Checks/money order payable to:

National Archery Association.
1 Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909

Please notate the donation is for Aya Eiffel
Many thanks for your support!

Leaving Berlin was difficult as I really feel at home there. But it's time to start my archery season... albeit a late start.

I returned to Archery USA and picked up my own bow for the first time since Indoor Nationals. Thanks to all my physical training in Berlin, I am shooting for the first time in over a year... pain free! However, my 44# bow posed a challenge as I have shot so little since reinjuring my back. Thanks to the kindness of Hal and Cam from Archery USA, they loaned me lower poundage limbs and arrows to match. At team night I shot an indoor 293 followed by another the next evening.

With this newfound confidence, I went to Gold Cup in Bloomfield, NJ where I learned a valuable lesson shooting the double 70m round. Up until, I have never shot such low poundage and never had to entertain the idea of aiming of in moderate wind. However, I opted to aim on spot and concentrate on form. I shot a very consitant 290 average for all 4 rounds and finished 9th in the qualifying round!

In the Olympic Round, I maintain my cosistancy and finished 9th in the matches.

Next stop is the National Field/USA World Field Team Trial. Returning to Spokane, WA Jun 5-8 with a veageance after my back brutilized my shooting downhill at last year's championships.