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Become a Professional Archer
What should you know about becoming a NFAA Pro?
Taking the step into the Professional ranks is rarely easy and there are no simple answers when you're deciding “if” or “when” is the right time. The decision should be made with care and with consultation of your peers, your family and your coach or mentor.
Remember, "Pro" is not shorthand or slang for Promotional team – it’s short for Professional. Your job requires promotion, your title is Professional. Competing at local events is just as important as competing on the national stage. Turning Pro is about chasing the dream that YOU may become the next poster shooter for a bow brand, or the next national or world champion. Ultimately though, it's about being a great ambassador for yourself, the organization, the sport, and (if you have them) your sponsors.
Being a Professional is very much about being part of our archery community both nationally and locally. It's about giving back to the youth and adult archers who will inevitably look up to you. It does not matter if they are on the line for the first time or if they have 50 years of archery experience, many of them may come to think of you as their archery hero. You must treat them with respect and honor at all times; they are the lifeblood of our organization.
Key facts about being a NFAA Pro
- The NFAA Pro dues are $125 per year, in addition to your annual NFAA membership dues.
- The NFAA recognizes only one Professional style: Freestyle (Compound, long stabilizers, movable sights, mechanical release).
- The NFAA has multiple age groups for Professional divisions, all available for each Male and Female: Adult (18+), Senior (50+), Silver Senior (60+), and Master Senior (70+).
- Archers under the age of 18 may turn Pro with written parental permission. The Parental Authorization Form can be completed online.
- There is a Minimum Qualifying Score (MQS) requirement.
- There are Professional etiquette rules and expectations.
- NFAA Pro members must compete in a Professional or Championship division at any state, sectional, or national event sanctioned by the NFAA or NFAA Foundation.
- There is a written Professional Code of Conduct and Dress Code that you must agree and adhere to.
- Once earned, the Pro Card is valid for one calendar year (Jan 1-Dec 31) and must be renewed by Jan 31. Allowing your Pro Card to lapse may mean you need to re-qualify.
To apply for a NEW Pro membership, contact Chance Beaubouef (NFAA Pro Chairman) and Michael Anderson (NFAA Executive Secretary) via email with validated proof of minimum score proficiency as shot at a NFAA-sanctioned event and the name of an existing NFAA Pro who can serve as a mentor during the first-year probationary period. Once your current NFAA membership is confirmed and all other criteria have been met, you will pay the Pro membership dues and receive your NFAA Pro Card. Note that you may not apply for a Pro membership at a tournament if you intend to shoot that event as a Pro. You must apply and/or renew not less than 2 weeks in advance of the event.
For international archers based outside of the USA, contact Chance or Michael directly as the application for a new NFAA Pro membership is a slightly different procedure.
All current NFAA Pro members do not need to re-qualify unless their NFAA Pro membership lapses for more than 60 days. Exceptions to this policy may be permitted for injury, illness, military deployment, etc. A returning NFAA Pro with lapsed Pro membership may use past accomplishments to avoid the minimum qualification score and mentor requirement (USA National Team member, NFAA National event winner, etc.). Note that such accomplishments must be within the last 5 years.
Contact Information for nfaa pro application
NFAA Pro Chairman, Chance Beaubouef: chanceb3582@yahoo.com
NFAA Executive Secretary, Michael Anderson: manderson@nfaausa.com
renew your NFAA Pro membership
As a new Professional you will need a mentor or someone who will vouch for you and your good character for the first probationary year. Your mentor must be an active and current NFAA Pro who you personally know and who has agreed to the responsibility. This will be someone you can lean on as a guide to help you learn rules, events, and can even help you get involved with your community. Your mentor’s name will be recorded in your NFAA Pro file, and may be contacted to verify your qualifications or if there are corrections that need to be made to behavior.
The MQS is a baseline used by the Professional divisions to indicate a level of proficiency to earn your first Pro Card. It's less about proving perfection or the ability to win and more about showing proficiency and professionalism on the shooting line. The MQS is only used to qualify new Pros. As long as your Pro membership stays current, Pros do not need to qualify every year.
Why the MQS? Our Professional archers are often asked questions on form, equipment setup, gear selection etc., and an archer who has accomplished the MQS will likely have enough experience to express a general working knowledge to the new or inquisitive archer. Additionally, having an MQS dictates that the incoming Pro has been a member of the NFAA and shot at least one NFAA event in the past.
To verify the MQS, prospective Pro archers must submit a copy of an official and signed scorecard from an NFAA State, Sectional or National event in the previous 12 months. The applicant archer may also provide a website link to an official scoring report. Note that scores shot at the Vegas Shoot can NOT be used for MQS as the event does not require NFAA membership to compete. International archers can use IFAA scores or may automatically qualify if they are a member of a national team. Please contact the NFAA Executive Secretary or Pro Chairman for details.
The following NFAA rounds may be used for the MQS requirement: 300 Round (blue/white), Vegas Round (450 or 600), Field Round, Hunter Round, 900 Round, 600 Classic Round, Marked 3-D Round (Redding). Note: The maximum score for Field and Hunter rounds is 560; Xs should not be counted for MQS purposes. The MQS is derived by taking 3.5% off the average of the last 6 winning scores for each division. Listed below are the MQS requirements for 2022. Only ONE score must be obtained.
| Pro Division | Indoor 300 Round | Field Round | Hunter Round |
| PFFS | 300 46x | 533 | 533 |
| PMFS | 300 47x | 539 | 539 |
| PSFFS | 300 26x | 502 | 498 |
| PSMFS | 300 46x | 536 | 534 |
| PSSFFS | 300 25x | 516 | 517 |
| PSSMFS | 300 42x | 527 | 525 |
| PMSFFS | 279 0x | 475 | 477 |
| PMSMFS | 300 39x | 516 | 516 |
As a Professional archer, you are expected to present yourself in the best manner at all times, especially during competition. There are thousands of pictures taken by people you may or may not know for marketing, advertising, sponsorship and event promotions. Pros are also expected to stand out and be an example for other archers to emulate on a multitude of levels; dressing appropriately is one of those levels.
Article III, Section D, Subsection 3 of the NFAA By-Laws states the following:
3.1 General. The professional archer shall present himself in clean, neat attire, acceptable to public view.
3.2 Professional archers shall dress in a clean, professional manner. Bottoms should look fitted, clean, undamaged, and be of appropriate length. The waist of the attire must shall not fall below the waistline. No ripped or frayed jeans. T-shirts, swimming suits, cut-offs and obscene or vulgar slogans or pictures on clothing are prohibited.
3.2.1 Open toed shoes/flip flops/sandals are unacceptable while competing.
3.2.2 Dress codes are not enforced during practice.
3.2.3 Dress codes shall be enforced for all State, Sectional, and National events, and those events sanctioned by the NFAA.
3.2.4 In the event of inclement weather, over wear (rain gear, cold gear) is permissible and will not violate dress code as long as it holds within the spirit of the rule.
3.2.5 Violations to the dress code will be enforced by the Pro Executive Committee (PEC) and may result in a reprimand, probation, suspension, or as outlined in this article, Section 4. Violations can be brought to the Pro Chair or Pro Rep or a member of the PEC by the Tournament Chair or any competitor.
3.2.6 Archers removed from competition will not be eligible for refunds or entry fees in whole or part.
3.2.7 Archers removed from competition for dress code may not makeup arrows missed for score if they return to competition after meeting dress code.
3.2.8 Archers may petition the PEC for exemption only in cases of extreme hardship (i.e. lost/stolen luggage etc.). Petition must be filed not less than 6 hours prior to competition start. In these cases, the decision of the PEC is final.
3.2.9 At State and Sectional and sanctioned events the dress code shall be enforced by the State Pro Rep or Sectional Pro Rep.
Professional archers are often the first contact for local communities, young archers, and archery clubs/shops. As a result, NFAA Pros are expected to adhere to the following etiquette:
- Knowledge and understanding. Be able to explain the rules of the game (scoring, structure, format, safety, etc.), explain and teach bow tuning and equipment, and understand the basics of tournament operation and standard tournament procedures.
- Stewardship. Be a good ambassador for the sport of archery and the NFAA.
- Be involved. Become a volunteer in your community and help to cultivate upcoming archers and youth programs.
