Brian (GrnMtn), all your points are right on and accurate, I just basically disagree with the "fair" and "level the playing field" aspects. One problem with more youth divisions, scroll back through the messages on this board, there was a youth complaining that he didn't win enough! Give me a break, didn't win ENOUGH!! Come on now. Besides, if you read them all you will see that he didn't win some awards because there weren't enough youths in the division to warrant the prizes. Now we are discussing fragmenting this even more?

To answer your specific questions, both my boys shoot pins, both are currently cubs with the older one coming up on his last year as a cub, actually the younger one wants a traditional bow now. When they goes youth he will still shoot pins. He will shoot pins until he decides he wants a movable sight AND he buys it himself. As for scholarships, the IBO scholarship program is EXCELLENT. However it benefits very few, even fewer if you consider some of those scholarships are for Hocking College Only. Secondly, a youngster shooting in the adult class, should that youngster make money, the "money" is I believe put into savings bonds or some other financial vehicle until that child turns 18. There are a couple FBO shooters who are under 18.

In fact there is a young shooter here in NH that wins everything we have locally, has cleaned several courses when he was a FBH and is now shooting 270+/300 as a cub and I think he's only 10. He is currently shooting a movable sight, but because he is sponsored by the sight company. His scores didn't change 1 bit when he went from pins.

I watched the best of the best at Snowshoe, and the "kids" shooting off (cubs and youth divisions) all were shooting speeds that will approach mid to upper 200's. Given that cub distance is now 25 max, jr youth is now 35 max, and sr. youth is now 45 max, I don't feel speed is an issue. The sr youths are all pulling/shooting about the same as the adults.

Ya Brian, I have been fairly vocal about adding more divisions, but it is more because of people taking this GAME to seriously and figuring if they aren't winning (or the kids in this discussion) then something isn't fair.

--Bob