Introduction to League Matches
The society participates in a number of league competitions; three in the winter (two of them indoors) and two in the summer. All archers can compete in league matches as there are no set teams; the best scores form the teams for each match. Some of the leagues take handicaps into account which means that even novice archers have a chance of being in the team, in fact an improving novice will often beat experienced archers. All leagues are 'postal' so the rounds are shot on our home ground and the scores submitted each month.
Winter Leagues
In each league there is one match each month, November to March. The two indoor leagues both use the Portsmouth round (5 dozen at 20yd) so we shoot one round and submit the same scores for both leagues.
WMAS Winter Postal League (indoor)
The WMAS winter league consists of 24 clubs from the West Midlands region competing in 2 divisions; we are currently in division 1. Archers shoot a Portsmouth and each club enters 2 teams; team A is made up of the top 5 'made' scores and team B of the top 5 'handicap-adjusted' scores so an archer can appear on both teams. The club total is the combined score for the two teams and a league table based on the cumulative scores is issued after each match. At the end of the season the 2 teams at the bottom of division 1 are relegated and the winner and runner-up of division 2 are promoted. Compound archers can be included in the teams but their 'made' scores are adjusted according to a set formula to give them parity with recurves.
BA League (indoor)
The 'British Archer' indoor league is a national league in which there are numerous divisions, each of up to 6 teams. A club can submit as many teams of 3 archers as they like and we currently have 5 recurve teams, a compound team and two junior teams. Each month we shoot a Portsmouth round and our 'A' team consists of the 3 highest scores with the 'B' team being the next 3 and so on. Each team competes against one of the other teams in the same division and points are awarded depending on the result.
At the end of the season the winning teams are promoted to a higher division and the ones at the bottom are relegated. Badges are awarded to the winning teams in each division, and the lady, gent, girl and boy having the overall highest scores in the division get a silver spoon each.
More details can be found at www.bapostalleague.co.uk
BA Frostbite league (outdoor)
This is a national league run along similar lines to the BA indoor league. We enter one compound and two recurve teams and the round shot is known as a Frostbite; 3 dozen arrows at 30m. Points and awards are the same as for the BA indoor league.
Summer Leagues
WMAS Summer League
The WMAS Summer league is similar to their Winter league except that we shoot different rounds each month; short metric, long metric, western and national. Scores are again calculated by adding the top 5 'made' scores to the top 5 'handicap adjusted' scores for each round and league tables are maintained based on the cumulative scores. There are 2 divisions and we are currently in division 1.
CWAA League
The County of Warwick Archery Assosiation league is restricted to Warwickshire clubs (including Coventry and Birmingham). From 2010 the rounds shot are the Warwicks. Each club submits two teams; one for the top 4 recurve 'made' scores, and one for the top 4 'handicap adjusted' scores which is also for compounds and longbows. Two trophies are awarded at the following County AGM.
