Well my daughter's first Arizona Cup as a competitor is in the books. On Saturday she made the cut of 32 for today's elimination rounds qualifying in 18th.

Today was tough. The winds this morning were strong and for her first bracket she had to shoot against Madison Sclief. Madison is the daughter of her first coach. She's known and looked up to Madison ever since she started in archery. Shooting against her was tough on our daughter, there was a huge mental block of, "I can't beat her." Of all the possible combinations for a first round bracket, this was the toughest emotionally for all of us. Our daughter did put up a fight, but in the end Madison went on to the next round.

What my daughter did next made me proud. There were hugs to Madison and her family, then she went over to the east range where my wife was announcing competition. She showed up and said, "Hi mom what can I do to help?" She ended up being an archer agent, retrieving arrows and scoring for a recurve archer that had injured her ankle a couple of weeks and was shooting in a walking boot. Yes after 2 full days of competition in the Arizona sun, our daughter hiked 75 meters back and forth downrange Lord knows how many times helping out another archer that she barely knew.

At the end of the tournament the archer's mother walked up to me and thanked us for Maya helping her daughter. She said that the very first tournament her daughter shot she saw the energy that Maya had and that helped her daughter decide that archery really was something that she wanted to do.

She may not have won on paper today, but she's won in so many other ways this weekend it makes me think maybe we've done something right in raising her.

Thank you for the update, I was looking forward to seeing how the second day went. Another learning experience.

Experience is what defines the difference between the highest levels of any endeavor and everyone else.

Competed up 2 full age divisions and then really helped someone out. That's a pretty cool way to finish the event!

Couldn't have said it any better than Mitch! Bravo Zulu Miller family!

Sounds like Maya is growing into an amazing young woman, unlike the many self-centered kids I see nowadays. You and your wife should be proud of her, and yourselves, sir.

Congratulations to you, and to Maya, for such sportsman like actions and beliefs.

Far too seldom in this day and age.

Thanks for the update!

Maya continues to amaze with the maturity and drive she shows each time she competes! Adding in the wonderful sportsmanship she displays, and she will always be a winner in my book!!!

You and your wife have every right to be bursting with pride! Good job, Mom and Dad!

I look forward to the next installment!
Don

Well done and loads of proud for a family and Dad!

Maya is quite a neat young lady... of course mom and dad are pretty special too.