Pin Shoots

On the last week of a normal 6-week training session, the Pioneer JOAD archers are given the opportunity to earn a US Archery JOAD Star Pin, which are awarded for scoring achievements. JOAD archers can earn Stars Pins for shooting indoors and/or outdoors with recurve and/or compound bows. Each Star Pin is a different color, and each has a successive number of stars on it to represent the increasing challenge in earning that particular award pin.

In order to allow the greatest flexibility in terms of indoors/outdoors, recurve or compound, each pin can be earned in a variety of ways:

1. By shooting a score high enough to earn the pin at the regularly scheduled Pioneer JOAD pin shoot
2. By shooting a score high enough to earn the pin at a sanctioned FITA tournament
3. By shooting a score high enough to earn the pin as a guest at another JOAD club’s pin shoot

Archers (and parents) should realize that collecting Star Pins at every opportunity is NOT the objective of the Pioneer JOAD Archery Club, nor should it be the sole objective of the archer. The Star Pin is merely a symbol of the archer’s current skill level. The archer needs to focus on perfecting their form, not agonizing over shooting well enough to earn a pin. The pins will come as the archer shifts their attention away from pins and scores, and instead, focuses on strength and form.

When we hold a pin shoot, we usually hold a pin ceremony immediately following the final end, after the scorecards have been checked. We encourage all archers to remain for the pin presentations as a show of support for those who achieved a significant milestone in their archery career.