Archery Parenting: 17 Questions About Supporting Your Archer Through Setbacks

Struggle Street:

Your Questions About Raising Independent Archers, Answered

What should you say when your Archer has a disappointing competition?

When should you step in to help?

When is it better to let them work things out with their coach?

And, how do you encourage your Archer without adding to the pressure they may already be feeling?

These are questions many Archery Parents face as their Archer develops their skills, navigates competition, and works towards their goals.

In our conversation with Jarryd Greitschus, founder and director of Rogue Archery in Brisbane, Australia, on the Archery Parent Podcast, we explored two important concepts: the Happiness Paradox and Struggle Street. Both challenge us to think carefully about how we support our Archer through setbacks, performance plateaus, and the inevitable ups and downs of sport.

In our companion blog article, Struggle Street: When to Step In and When to Step Back as an Archery Parent, we explored these ideas in greater detail, including the importance of Parent-Coach boundaries, independent decision-making, goal setting, and focusing on more than scores and medals.

But sometimes you don't need to revisit an entire article to find an answer to one particular question.

That's why we've put together this FAQ guide, drawing on the themes discussed in Jarryd's episode and our companion article, it offers practical starting points for common questions about Archery parenting: from handling the car ride home after a tournament to navigating performance plateaus, coaching relationships, early specialization, and long-term athlete development.

Whether you're new to competitive Archery or have been supporting your Archer for years, we hope these answers help you approach the journey with greater clarity and confidence.

Have a question about supporting your Archer? Start here.

Supporting Your Archer

1. How can I support my Archer without putting too much pressure on them?

Focus on being a parent and source of support rather than an additional coach. Encourage effort, persistence, dedication, and learning instead of making results the main measure of success. Give your Archer room to work through challenges while remaining available when they need help.

2. What should I say to my Archer after a bad tournament?

Jarryd recommends three reflection questions: “What did you do well?”, “What could you improve?”, and “What are you going to do about it?” Timing matters, too. If your Archer is tired or needs space, it's okay to wait and offer general support instead of forcing a conversation immediately.

3. Should parents coach their children during Archery practice or competitions?

Parents can be present and encouraging, but technical and tactical instruction should generally remain with the coach. Watching every arrow through a scope or reacting visibly to scores can draw the Archer's attention away from their process and toward external judgment.

4. How can I help my Archer build confidence?

Reinforce the behaviours they can control, such as preparation, persistence, consistency, and how they respond to setbacks. Allow them opportunities to solve problems with appropriate support, rather than automatically stepping in to remove every difficulty.

5. How do parents avoid making their child's identity depend on medals and results?

Praise the effort and qualities that contributed to success instead of treating a medal or ranking as proof of the athlete's worth. Avoid framing success as requiring another competitor to fail. Help your Archer recognize that their identity and value extend beyond Archery.

Performance, Plateaus & Motivation

6. Why has my Archer stopped improving?

Progress often slows as athletes become more skilled. A plateau may indicate that their current technique, knowledge, skills, or training methods have reached their limits. The next step is to identify what needs to change, ideally with the coach, rather than assuming the athlete has reached their potential.

7. What is “Struggle Street” in Archery?

It is Jarryd Greitschus’s term for the difficult period when progress becomes slower, results stagnate or decline, and familiar approaches no longer work. It can challenge an Archer's motivation and confidence, but it can also be an opportunity to reassess training and develop new skills.

8. Should my Archer change coaches if they hit a plateau?

Not automatically. A plateau may mean the athlete needs a different training approach, more structured practice, new skills, or a fresh perspective. Communicate with the current coach and understand the problem before deciding whether a coaching change is appropriate.

9. How can I tell whether my Archer is growing through a difficult period or is becoming burned out?

The episode encourages parents to understand their individual Archer and support them in exploring their own motivation. Persistent exhaustion, going through the motions, or losing enjoyment can be reasons to have a thoughtful conversation. Other interests and, when appropriate, a break from Archery can help create perspective. The episode does not offer a definitive diagnostic test for burnout.

10. Is it okay for a competitive Archer to take a break from Archery?

Yes, the conversation emphasizes that an athlete's life does not need to revolve entirely around Archery. Hobbies, other interests, and breaks can help maintain a broader identity and perspective. The right approach depends on the athlete and their circumstances. Jarryd references a previous episode with Crispin Dueñas, which explained the importance of taking a break and different ways to do so. 

11. How can I help my Archer stay motivated?

Motivation can change throughout an Archer’s journey. There may be times when training feels exciting and progress comes easily, and other times when practice feels repetitive, results stall, or competition becomes stressful.

Rather than assuming your Archer needs more encouragement to work harder, start by asking what they are experiencing. Are they enjoying training? Are their goals still meaningful to them? Do they feel overwhelmed by expectations, or are they simply going through a difficult time?

You can help by listening without immediately trying to solve the problem, encouraging goals that reflect your Archer’s own interests, and recognizing effort and dedication alongside results. Friendships, a positive club environment, and enjoyment of the sport can also play an important role.

If your Archer’s motivation has changed, approach the conversation with curiosity rather than criticism. The aim is to understand what they need and help them find a sustainable way forward, not to make every training session or competition feel like an obligation.

12. How can I help my Archer enjoy Archery for the long term?

Supporting your Archer for the long term means looking beyond their next score, medal, or qualification goal. Competitive achievements can be rewarding, but they are only one part of the experience.

Encourage your Archer to develop friendships, enjoy their training environment, explore different sporting activities when appropriate, and recognize the skills they are developing along the way.

Patience, concentration, decision-making, and learning to work towards a goal can all be valuable beyond Archery.

It is also important to let your Archer’s ambitions evolve. Their goals may change as they gain experience, discover new interests, or move through different stages of life. Supporting them means taking their current goals seriously without making their identity dependent on competitive success.

Ask what they enjoy about Archery, what they want to learn, and what would make the experience more rewarding. By keeping communication open and allowing your Archer an appropriate level of ownership, you can help make participation meaningful beyond any single result.

Goals, Coaching & Long-term Development

13. What is the difference between Outcome goals, Process goals, and Experience goals?

• Outcome goals: What result the Archer hopes to achieve, such as a placing or medal.
• Process goals: Actions and focus points within the Archer's control while shooting.
• Experience goals: What the Archer hopes to learn or experience, such as handling changing wind or meeting new people.

Jarryd encourages considering all three when preparing for an event.

14. How can parents and coaches avoid misunderstandings?

Establish clear roles and responsibilities before problems arise. The Parent-Archer-Athlete Agreement discussed in the episode is one way to clarify expectations, communication, and the distinction between parental support and coaching responsibilities.

15. Why is team training important in an individual sport like Archery?

Team training provides camaraderie, shared learning, motivation, and opportunities to practise alongside people who challenge and support one another. Although each Archer shoots individually in many situations, Team and Mixed Team formats also feature in international competition.

16. Should young Archers specialize in one sport early?

Jarryd encourages broad athletic experiences, especially for younger children, and allowing interests to develop over time. The conversation discusses the benefits of other activities and having interests beyond Archery. His views are guidance rather than a fixed timeline that every Archer must follow.

17. When should an Archer move up to a longer distance or increase bow poundage?

Consider physical readiness, sound technical foundations, and the Archer's longer-term development, not simply the desire to advance quickly. The episode encourages avoiding premature progression, while recognizing that individual readiness and competitive goals differ.

Keep the Conversation Going: Supporting Your Archer Through Struggle Street

Supporting your Archer isn't always about knowing what to say or having the right solution. Sometimes, it's about knowing when to step in, when to step back, and how to give your Archer the space to work things out for themselves.

But how do you put that into practice when your Archer is struggling, their scores have plateaued, or you're questioning whether you're helping or adding to the pressure?

That's where the conversation with Jarryd Greitschus becomes especially valuable.

Listen to the full episode of the Archery Parent Podcast, Struggle Street: Raising Independent Archers with Jarryd Greitschus of Rogue Archery, to hear Jarryd explore the Happiness Paradox, the challenges of athlete development, and why sometimes the best support a parent can offer isn't another piece of advice.

And if you'd like to explore these ideas in greater depth, read our companion article, Struggle Street: When to Step In and When to Step Back as an Archery Parent. It takes a closer look at the thinking behind Jarryd's discussion and what it can mean for your role in your Archer's journey.

Because the goal isn't to remove every obstacle or make every competition a success. It's to help your Archer develop the confidence and independence to find their own way forward.

The next time your Archer faces a challenge, what might change if you resist the urge to fix it and instead help them discover what they can do about it?

What do you think? DM or email us to share your thoughts. 

Visit the Archery Parent Podcast blog for more conversations and resources to help you support your Archer on and off the Line.

Key topics: Archery parenting, youth athlete development, confidence, independence, performance plateaus, Archer development, Parents looking for practical guidance on supporting their Archer through challenges and setbacks.