KJ Polish is on his way to his third Paralympic Games with USA Archery, coming up Aug. 29 through Sept. 5. In this final installment, Polish discusses how he got to this highest level of archery, how he works to improve his form, how he’s preparing mentally and physically for the Paralympic Games and what he’s excited to see in Paris. Hint: He’s manifesting a win. Check out Part 3 below!
A360: What steps would you say got you to the Olympic level?
KP: So, my story is kind of funny. I think I’m one of the only athletes that’s in the top tier and even the pro class that’s never had a personal coach. I’ve never had a trainer. My father and my mom were very good archers. I learned a lot of that from my dad. The mentality part of the game is just something that — I don’t know — it was whenever I was younger, I thought outside the box. I wanted to know why I missed and where that arrow went in a certain place. Being self-taught, it’s just a big thing. That’s why my mind’s so strong. That’s why whenever people build up on nerves before a match, I don’t really do that. I focus on me. I know if I do my shot process and I do everything right, it’s hard to beat. So, if I do my stuff right, that’s all I need to do. Then I worry about the win or the loss afterwards. You don’t really think about it. That’s just the way it was with me. I never really had a coach, I was self-taught and it’s all about mindset. It goes to show people that it doesn’t matter who has more money than the next. If you have the will and you have the drive, you could do anything.
A360: How would you say you’ve improved your form?
KP: The basic part of my form is like building a house. You’ve got to start from the foundation. You can’t build a good house without a foundation. So, for me, being in a chair, I’ve got to make sure my chair’s a certain, exact way. It doesn’t matter what the placement is, a little incline, or whatever. I make sure my body’s aligned from the bottom. Once that that’s aligned, I make sure that I put my hand on the bow the right way every time. Then it’s all about the draw cycle. I stare at the top of my cam to make sure my string doesn’t torque in any way. So, I draw back and I stare at the top of my cam, make sure my string’s in line. Then I come down on my anchor. Once my face hits the string on my nose and the corner of my lip, I’m staring through my peep sight at full draw. So, that’s a big thing for me. It’s all about shot process. I worry more about my form and repetition of doing my draw cycle and everything exactly the same more than I aim at the middle. I tell everybody it’s a lot easier hitting the middle than it is doing it the same every time. The hardest thing is getting those little steps down pat, that’s the biggest part of the game.
A360: How are you preparing mentally and physically for the Olympics?
KP: This is probably about the best mentally I’ve been in my life. Last year I had a really good year and last year was just a build-up. Every tournament I shot last year, every arrow that I fired in a tournament was preparing for this. Last year, when I shot at the Pan American Games and I won the gold over there and we won the team gold and I broke some records — my job’s not done. I had a really good Trials. I won our Trials and I shot really well and I shot really high scores through every elimination match at the senior and the Para Trials. It’s just a building block. Mentally, right now, going to the 2016 Games in Rio, going to Tokyo, it’s all about learning something. Even though I didn’t win those Games, I learned something and anytime that you learn anything, that’s a win. So, moving forward to the Games, I know what I need to do. I know the little things that I might have thought differently of when I was there and I know how to adjust for them now. I’ve learned that. So, going towards the Games, I’m excited. Mentally, I’m better than ever right now and I’m excited.
A360: What are you most excited to see at the games or in Paris in general?
KP: So, the most exciting thing I’m ready to see is that gold medal around my neck. I’m not going to lie, there’s a lot of my teammates that are talking about going to see the Eiffel Tower. I have one job. This is a cool experience, there’s nothing more important to me. Whenever I go out there, I’m still like that little kid when I first went in 2005 and won the world championship in Spain. There’s nothing more important. When we go out there for the opening ceremony and our flags are raised and I’m wearing our country’s colors, for me, that’s the most exciting thing about it. All the other stuff, it doesn’t mean as much to me. It’s cool seeing different countries and experiencing different cultures and stuff like that, but for me, representing the USA and going after the gold, that’s what I’m excited about. I look forward to seeing lots of great accomplishments by the rest of Team USA and that’s what I look forward to.
Stay Tuned
We’re excited to see KJ Polish and the rest of Team USA go for gold at the Paralympics starting Aug. 29. Tune in to NBC and their affiliate channels, keep an eye on World Archery and USA Archery’s social media, and sign up for their Archery+ streaming service for access to all the action on the Big Stage this summer, starting with the Olympic Games on July 26.
