Erika Anschutz - Alpen's Red-Hot Archer
 Editor's Note: Eighteen-year-old Erika Anschutz of Grand Island, Nebraska, one of the top women archers in the world, will be a sophomore at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, the fall of 2007. When we caught up with Anschutz, she was on her way to Chula Vista, California, to qualify for the FITA, the International Archery Federation, World Championship trials. Anschutz has: ranked #1 in NAA National Standings in either Cadet Compound or Junior Compound from 2000-2006; ranked #2 in the 2006 NFAA Pro Points; been a member of the U.S. World Outdoor Archery Team (Senior Compound) in 2005 and 2007; been a member of the NAA Junior U.S. Archery Team (Junior Compound) in 2005-2007. For 12 years, Anschutz has shot tournament archery. "I can't remember a time when I haven't used Alpen optics," Anschutz says.
Question: When did you start shooting the bow?
Anschutz: My dad, Steve, shot tournament archery his entire life, and he started my sister and me shooting when I was 6-years old."
Question: What major tournaments have you won?
Anschutz: I've been to six world championships in six countries. I have eight world medals and 35-national championships. I hold over 150-national records and 18-world records. I've won National Field Archery Association tournaments and Indoor Nationals in the Women's Professional Division in Louisville, Kentucky, for 2-consecutive years. In April, I won the Stanislawski Open in Pittsburgh in the Women's Professional Division. Five of my World Championships were in the Junior Division, and I made the Senior World Championship team when I was 16.
Question: What do you plan to do with your archery talent?
Anschutz: I don't know. I guess go to more World Championships, and maybe, in a couple of years, change to shooting the recurve and try out for the 2012 Olympics.
 Question: Why are you using an Alpen spotting scope?
Anschutz: They're great optics. I mainly use the Alpen Model 788 spotting scope for my FITA competitions, because we're often shooting out to 70 meters. I like this Alpen 80mm spotting scope because of the quality of the optics. I can see my little competition arrows in the target clearer and better than I can with any other optics. I've tried other optics, but I've never seen a reason to change from Alpen. In my opinion, Alpen provides everything I need in a spotting scope.
Question: How important is the spotting scope to your competition shooting?
Anschutz: It's critical, because if you can't see where your arrows are laying in a target, you don't know how to adjust your sights and compensate for wind movement. I'm convinced that Alpen Optics help me shoot better. Seventy meters is about 78 yards, and our center ring is about the size of a grapefruit. I usually can put nine out of 10 arrows in the target at that distance.
 Question: How did you learn to hold your bow so steady?
Anschutz: The ability to come to a steady anchor is innate in some people. You can't really teach someone how to hold a bow steady. You have to practice, develop muscle memory and then have a talent that you train and perfect.
Question: What bow do you shoot?
Anschutz: I shoot a 2006 Hoyt ProElite with XT 2000 limbs
Question: Why do you like that bow?
Anschutz: I like it because it's a cam and 1/2 bow. I've shot Hoyt bows throughout my archery career, and I'm a pro-staff shooter for Hoyt. They build the best bows on the market in my opinion. The ProElite combines forgiveness and speed to give me the performance I need to shoot accurately and be competitive.
Question: How fast are you shooting your arrows?
Anschutz: My arrows are coming out of the bow at about 230 feet-per-second, and I'm shooting a 45-pound bow with a 27-1/4-inch draw length and a 600 X10 Easton arrow.
Question: How do you handle the pressure of the competition when you're called to the line to shoot, and thousands of people are watching you?
Anschutz: I've learned to handle the pressure from my experience in shooting in so many tournaments. Sometimes I sing to calm myself down and get my mind on something besides the spectators and the competition. I don't think about what's going on around me. I've found that when I think about what I'm doing, rather than depending on my instincts, I don't shoot as well. I have to rely on my confidence and my muscle memory and not get caught up mentally in everything else.
Question: How serious are you about switching to the recurve bow and trying out for the Olympics?
 Anschutz: I've gone as far as I can in competitive shooting with the compound bow. I turned professional in late 2005. Making money with a compound bow is a pretty-strong incentive to continue to compete with this style of bow. However, in the next couple of years, I'll probably switch over to the recurve bow and try out for the 2012 Olympics.
Question: What other Alpen Optics are you using?
Anschutz: I use my Alpen Shasta Ridge 10x42 mm binoculars in field competition because they're handier than the spotting scope. By using them, I can distinguish my arrows from the other arrows in the target.
|
