Frequently asked questions about NETAA

Q. Is membership required to compete in NETAA tournaments?

A. For the most part, NO. The exception is the annual World Championship, which does require current membership status to register. Additionally, in the Money Division, membership is required to be eligible to receive cash prizes.

Q. Why does NETAA shoot known distances on 3D courses?

A. The membership voted for this change several years ago for a number of reasons. First, it eliminated all discussion, conflict, and aggravation with respect to concerns about cheating (the common practice of finding ways to measure/judge distance on unknown distance competitions). Second, it opens participation up to those archers who are not good at distance judging, and would not compete at unknown distances due to the high costs associated with arrow damage/loss. Finally, it helps minimize "back-ups" on the course by eliminating the need to try to judge distances from the shooting stakes. It has worked extremely well, and those that have tried it find it a much more enjoyable form of archery.

Q. What is the 540 Round?

A. This is an archery target game shot on a field course, at three distances, using a 48" five color Olympic/FITA style face. The game is very similar to both the NFAA and NAA 600 rounds in most respects, but borrowed scoring from the NFAA 810 Round. Basically, it is a paper target game consisting of fifteen ends of four arrows (total of 60 shots). Five ends are shot at each of three distances. The distances vary depending on the age of the contestant, with the maximum distances (adult) of 60,50,and 40 yards. Complete rules are on the web site.

Q. Does NETAA have a rulebook?

A. We have not printed the rules, however they are available for downloading at the web site.

Q. What is the annual Grand Championship and how is it decided?

A. The Grand Championship amounts to nothing more than selecting the top male and female competitor at the annual Championship for special recognition. This was done to encourage corporate sponsorship by narrowing the field of major awards. The Grand Champion (both male and female) is determined using the combined scores from the Championship 3D and 540 Rounds. There is no additional registration fee, nor is there any additional competitive shooting involved. Every adult archer competing in both the 3D and 540 Rounds at the Championship (with-in specific guidelines) is automatically entered into the competition.

Q. Why do contestants in the Open (trophy) Division receive checks at the outdoor championship?

A. To build excitement and therefore participation for the annual Championship we provide for cash awards in addition to trophies for the Open Division contestants. The money to fund these cash prizes comes primarily from shooters fees paid out of every registration fee from every NETAA qualifier during the tournament tour. Three dollars from each contestant at each qualifier is set aside in a special account during the year to fund the prize awards. The money is accounted for by class, and further segregated by target or 3D games. The amount so collected is then distributed to the respective class/event. We add to this amount a small portion of the actual championship registration fee to further increase the amount available for distribution. The prize money is then apportioned using standard pay down percentages to the number of places determined by the number of contestants in each class. (Note: We pay down one place for each three contestants, up to tem places.

Q. What is the Aim For College Foundation?

A. The AFCF is a non-profit corporation founded for the purpose of promoting the sport of archery by encouraging young people to compete. This is done by offering College Tuition Certificates, redeemable for direct payments of tuition, to the top young contestants at the annual NETAA Championship. The Certificates are founded through donations and various fund raising activities of the Foundation. The funds are set aside/invested until the distribution requests are filed.

Q. What is the Bowhunter Proficiency Round?

A. This round was designed to provide a game that any club could use to promote ethical bowhunting practice while offering an inexpensive awards/recognition program. Shot on a standard unmarked 3D course, using 30 standard 3D targets, the round is scored: 10-8- minus 5. This provides a stiff penalty for wounding shots, which "encourages" contestants to pass up shots beyond their effective range. Contestants can take a stated "pass" from the stake yielding a "zero" score on any target they are not confident in shooting well. After all contestants have either shot or "passed" from a stake, those "passing" are entitled to take a practice shot for no score. The practice shot can be taken from the stake, or anywhere in a straight line between the stake and the target. Awards (patches) are given based on total score, and are available in several achievement levels.

Q. Why are there not more NETAA qualifiers?

A. While the tour is building all the time, the goal is not to have hundreds of tournaments, but rather a smaller number of well attended tournaments. Therefore, the actual number of sanctioned qualifiers will be strictly limited by geographic area. There are still a few potential qualifiers available with-in the eleven state region, but the schedule is filling up fast. This years events will have first rights of refusal the following season. We are also interested in sanctioning a very limited number of events in states outside the region so that competitive archers can qualify close to home and still attend the Championship.

Q. Do I have to qualify for both 3D and 540 Round events at the Championship?

A. Only if you want to compete in both. Many competitors are only interested in 3D archery and therefore do not qualify or pre-register for the 540 event. This does not prohibit them from competing in the 3D Championship (assuming they qualify in 3D!). The same holds true to a lesser degree for target archers.

Q. Do I have to compete in a 540 Round to qualify for the 540 Round at the Championship?

A. No. You can earn an invitation to the 540 Round by qualifying at any sanctioned NETAA target qualifier during the season. Any recognized archery target game can be sanctioned as a qualifier, however the most popular is the indoor 450 Round.