Which software should you use to run an archery competition?
CompetHub is online software to organize the elimination stage of an archery competition. It handles registrations by bow category, by age and by gender, generates the pools and the head-to-head elimination bracket, automatically advances the winner of each head-to-head, keeps the ranking and the schedule by target, then publishes everything on a branded public page. The point count and the score qualification stay kept by the judges and scorers.
The archery organizer's real problem
An archery competition combines two clearly distinct stages. First a score qualification stage: each archer shoots ends of arrows (for example 72 arrows), scored from 1 to 10, and the cumulative points establish a ranking. Then an elimination stage in head-to-heads: the archers face off 1-on-1 in a bracket, the winner of each head-to-head advancing to the next round.
The headache comes from the second stage. Once the qualification is established, you have to draw the elimination bracket by category, carry over each head-to-head winner, recompose the matchups, all while juggling the availability of the targets and the shooting lines. Archery is run by bow category (recurve, compound, barebow, longbow), by age and by gender, and each category runs its own competition. Drawing these brackets by hand multiplies errors and dead time.
Then comes the tracking. You need to know who shoots, on which target and at what time, keep each pool's ranking up to date and inform a public that does not see the match sheets. A spreadsheet cannot keep up with that pace. Dedicated software centralizes registrations, head-to-head brackets, results and schedule, and makes every line reliable.
Why not run the head-to-head stage in Excel?
Excel forces you to retype every registration, to draw every bracket by hand and to carry over every head-to-head winner from one to the next. A transcription error skews an entire bracket and the ranking. Dedicated software generates pools and brackets, advances the head-to-head winner automatically and publishes the schedule by target, with no retyping.
How CompetHub runs an archery competition
CompetHub ties every building block of the software to the reality of an archery competition. It handles the organization and the head-to-head stage; the score qualification stays the responsibility of the judges and scorers. Here is how.
Registrations by category and club lists
Each archer registers online in their category. The staff sees the list, filters by category and by status, searches by name, approves or rejects each request and checks in those present on event day. An automatic email goes out on registration, on validation and on rejection. You can also bulk-enter a club's list: archer records without an account, created in one go.
Categories by bow category, age and gender
You create your categories by combining the bow category (recurve, compound, barebow, longbow), age and gender. The free-form level field is used to delimit the series or the open level. Recurve has been the Olympic discipline since 1972. The archer picks the category that applies to them at registration, and you keep control of validation. The national ranking, for its part, stays kept by the FFTA.
Pools and head-to-head elimination brackets
Once the score qualification is established, CompetHub generates the format suited to each category. The elimination stage is played as head-to-head 1-on-1 matches in an elimination bracket, sometimes preceded by a pool stage (round-robin) for small fields, where everyone meets everyone. The winner of each head-to-head advances on their own. No more brackets redrawn by hand between two rounds.
Score entry and automatic advancement
On the shooting line, the head-to-head is played arrow by arrow and the judges keep the count. In recurve, the head-to-head is played in sets: winning a set earns 2 set points, a tied set 1 point each, and the first to 6 set points wins. In compound, the head-to-head is played on cumulative points. In CompetHub, you record the winner of each head-to-head and a generic score (for example 6-2); the winner then advances on their own to the next round, or updates the pool ranking. An entry error stays editable. You no longer carry any result from one sheet to another.
Pool ranking and schedule by target
For categories played as a pool, CompetHub keeps the table of head-to-heads played, wins and losses, ranks on points and breaks ties on differential. On the scheduling side, you assign each head-to-head a target or a shooting line (free-form label) and a time slot, and CompetHub displays the schedule and flags conflicts (same target at the same slot). You orchestrate your targets without a separate spreadsheet.
Public results page
You publish a public page in the competition's colors (logo, colors), with the presentation, the participants, the brackets and the pool ranking. It updates automatically during the competition, without the spectator having to reload the page, and stays accessible without an account. The list of entrants, the pool ranking and the schedule export to CSV for your archives.
How do you manage the head-to-head stage of an archery competition with CompetHub?
Create your account, add the competition, create your categories by bow category, age and gender, then open registrations. Once the score qualification is established by the judges, generate the pools then the head-to-head elimination bracket, enter the winner and the score of each head-to-head (the winner advances on their own) and publish the results, ready to follow on the public page.
Which format to run for an archery competition
An archery competition combines a score qualification stage (each archer accumulates their points over their ends of arrows, which establishes a ranking) then an elimination stage in head-to-heads (1-on-1 matches in a bracket). CompetHub handles the head-to-head stage: it generates the pool, the elimination bracket (with an optional match for third place) and the double-elimination, and advances the winner automatically at each head-to-head entered. The placement of the seeds, according to the qualification ranking, is up to the organizer and the judges; CompetHub does not do automatic seeding from the ranking. The per-arrow point count and the computation of the qualification stay kept by the judges and scorers.
Which format for an archery competition?
The hybrid format combines a score qualification (ends of arrows scored from 1 to 10, cumulative points) then an elimination in head-to-head 1-on-1 matches in a bracket, by category. CompetHub handles the head-to-head stage: it generates pools and brackets, advances the winner of each head-to-head on their own and keeps each pool's ranking up to date.
Why CompetHub rather than Excel or a spreadsheet
| Step | Excel or paper | CompetHub |
|---|---|---|
| Registrations | Manual retyping, duplicates | Online form, validation, automatic emails |
| Categories and bow types | Sorting by hand by bow and series | Bow category / age / gender categories, guided registration |
| Pools and head-to-head brackets | Brackets drawn by hand | Pools and elimination generated in one click |
| Head-to-head results | Carried over from one sheet to another | Winner and score entered, automatic advancement |
| Target schedule | Separate grid, conflicts unseen | Target and time per head-to-head, conflicts flagged |
| Informing the public | Paper display, quickly outdated | Brackets and ranking on a public page, no account |
Does CompetHub replace Excel for an archery competition?
Yes, for the head-to-head stage and the organization. Where Excel imposes retyping and brackets drawn by hand, CompetHub generates pools and brackets, advances the head-to-head winner automatically, keeps the pool rankings and publishes the schedule by target. You keep the history and export entrants, pool ranking and schedule to CSV. The score qualification stays computed by the judges and scorers.
CompetHub compared to other software
CompetHub aims for simplicity. You create an archery competition in a few minutes, with no installation or heavy configuration. Where some platforms require a long learning curve, CompetHub offers the essential building blocks directly: categories by bow category, age and gender, pools, head-to-head elimination brackets, score entry, pool ranking, schedule by target and a public results page. It is a tool to start fast and manage the head-to-head stage, whether you are running a club competition, an activity or an open. The sanctioning, the federal system, the point count and the official ranking stay handled by the FFTA, the judges and scorers.
What is the difference between CompetHub and other competition software?
CompetHub aims for simplicity: you manage the head-to-head stage of an archery competition in a few minutes, for free and with no credit card. Categories by bow category, pools, elimination brackets, head-to-head score entry, pool ranking, schedule and public page are included, with no complex configuration or installation.
Free to start
CompetHub is free to start, with no credit card. You create your first archery competition, open registrations, define your categories, generate pools and head-to-head brackets, enter the scores and publish the ranking without paying anything. You test the full cycle, from registration to the head-to-head final, before any commitment.
Is CompetHub free to organize an archery competition?
Yes, CompetHub is free to start, with no credit card. You manage registrations, categories, pools, head-to-head brackets, scores and the ranking, and publish the public results page without paying. You test the full cycle before any commitment.
Frequently asked questions
How do you create the head-to-head stage of an archery competition online?
Create a CompetHub account, add your competition, create your categories by bow category, age and gender, then open registrations. Once the score qualification has been established by the judges, carry over the ranking and generate the head-to-head elimination bracket: you enter the winner and the score of each head-to-head (the winner advances automatically) and publish the results on the public page.
Is the software free?
Yes, CompetHub is free to start, with no credit card. You manage registrations, categories, pools, head-to-head brackets, scores and the ranking, and publish the public results page for free, before deciding whether to go further.
How do you manage categories in archery?
Archery is classified by bow category (recurve, compound, barebow, longbow), by age and by gender. You create your categories by combining these criteria. The free-form level field is used to specify the series or the open level. The official ranking stays kept by the FFTA: CompetHub handles the organization and the head-to-heads, not the computation of the national ranking.
How do the brackets work in CompetHub?
After the score qualification stage, the archery competition is played as head-to-head 1-on-1 matches in an elimination bracket. CompetHub generates the pool (round-robin) and the elimination bracket, with an optional match for third place. When a result is entered, the winner of the head-to-head advances on their own to the next round.
How do you enter the head-to-head scores?
You record the winner of each head-to-head and a generic score (for example 6-2). The result stays editable, and the winner automatically advances to the next round or updates the pool ranking. CompetHub has no set mode: the per-arrow and set point count stays kept by the judges and scorers (in recurve the head-to-head is played in sets, in compound on cumulative points).
Can the public follow the results?
Yes. CompetHub publishes a branded public page, accessible without an account, that presents the competition, the participants, the brackets and the pool ranking. It updates automatically during the competition, without the spectator having to reload the page.
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