[Archers] A pat on your own backs! - Go ahead you earned it!

[Jay Nardone]

Good evening my Brothers and Sisters of the Bow. For those of you not on
Facebook I saw a post today by Baron Ursus and I couldn't stop thinking
about his words. It really also applies to our archery community and I
wanted to share it with you all. So here is what he posted:

 

Since the Crown Tourney, I have been in contact with several of the fighters
who participated, and they were almost unanimous in condemning their own
performance. 

"Oh, some performance. I went 0-2."

...

"Sorry I didn't win. I'll try harder next time."

This saddens me. I think (without naming names) that some of you have lost
your way. 

Please allow me to make some observations and offer my opinion as a retired
fighter and dedicated spectator for many, many years. 

The intent of participating in the Crown Tourney (and any Tourney) is not to
win, but to fight with honor and make your Kingdom proud. If you win, that's
fantastic, but in my mind at least, it's more important to stride on to the
field with honor in your heart, fight the best you can, congratulate those
who win and even those who lost. As long as you have remained true to
yourself and fought honorably, you have helped to glorify the Kingdom and
your fellow combatants. 

After all, in any Tourney, there can only be one winner. Does that mean the
rest of you are losers? No, it does not. You took the field to honor your
consort, yourself and your Kingdom. If you fought hard and the best you
could, you are a winner also.

Never forget that. Be proud of the fact that you faced the best your Kingdom
had to offer, and helped make the Crown Tourney even more special by simply
walking on to the field. 

Everyone who fought in the Crown Tourney are champions in their own right.
There can be only one ultimate winner and future King, but you did your
consort, yourself and your Kingdom proud by just being on that field.

 

 

 

These very wise words also apply to us and our community. After this year's
Kingdom Archery Championship, I had discussions with many of you and I was
shocked at what I was hearing from many of you. We are all competitive and
there is nothing wrong with that. I joined the SCA for one reason, fun. Ever
since I joined, I cant think of a time when I did not have in our archery
community and it is the commradrery, friendships, laughs and stories that
make me smile and come back. 

 

So I thought this was fitting to post and I hope you all agree, everyone who
shoots at an event or Kingdom Championship are winners and Champions in my
opinion. It is not an unknown fact that Atlantia has some of the best
archers in the known world. If we can ever get the Known world archery
championship we have been working on for years off the ground, we would show
the world this for real. I am proud to be an Atlantian archer and so should
you!

 

In Service

 

Janyn

 

 

 

"Those who stand for nothing, will fall for anything!" -Alexander Hamilton

 

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