One would think Randy Green had an edge on all the other competitors at the Archery Shooters Association Classic’s team pro-am event on Thursday.

Just try telling that to Green, who lives near Smith Lake, a relatively short jaunt from the St. Bernard campus, and is married to Robin Green, an instructor with the Cullman City Parks and Recreation Department and the current leader for Amateur Shooter of the Year in the ASA’s Women’s Open A division.

“Nobody has homefield advantage here,” he cracked.

While most of the competition this weekend will be done alone, Thursday’s pro-am contest was a chance for teams to judge the unknown distances of various 3-D foam animal targets as a unit.

David Lay was the pro in Green’s group — “supposedly,” he joked — though Shawn Williamson, of Augusta, Ga., could’ve made a case as he nears a second straight Amateur Shooter of the Year title in the cross bow category.  

For Lay, the friendly competition is all about “getting out with all the guys and girls and shooting.”

“It’s great to talk to these people and meet people from all over the country,” he said. “Sometimes you learn something from them, and sometimes we might show them a thing or two. It’s real nice. All the pros enjoy doing it.”

Lay has now made the 9.5-hour drive to Cullman all three years the ASA Classic has been hosted at St. Bernard. He said he loves the city and called it “a lot different” from his home in Tulsa, Okla.

And don’t worry, Alabama fans. Lay doesn’t root for Oklahoma. He’s more of an Oklahoma State guy and compared the OU-OSU rivalry to the all-important Iron Bowl.

On the opposite end of the spectrum from Lay, a senior pro, was 15-year-old Sam Smith from Franklin County, Ga.

He might’ve been the youngest archer on the team, but the teen sure looked like a season vet while sizing up targets with his binoculars. Smith proved to have pretty good aim when he let each arrow fly, too. It made sense considering he’s “been shooting ever since I could pull a bow back.”

“It’s what I love,” Smith said. “This is what I want to do. I used to play baseball. I liked it, but then I found this, and this is it. I love it.”

Smith has been a staple at ASA events for four years but can’t remember a time in his life when he wasn’t enjoying the great outdoors with a bow. He used to go bowhunting with his dad and didn’t begin getting into tournaments until around the age of 5.

Smith credited Last Chance Archery’s Leon Pittman for his competitive start in the sport. His first-ever event was at a shoot in Augusta, Ga.

“I didn’t think much about tournaments and then just decided one day there was a local shoot and thought I’d try it,” Smith said. “It was awesome.”

Like Lay, Smith had a glowing review of Cullman, though the youngster’s was much more entertaining. He called the city “a nice place to be” before letting loose a few lines Bill Cosby would’ve eaten up on the classic TV series, “Kids Say the Darndest Things.”

“I guess you could say you don’t feel like you’re going to get jumped or anything like that,” Smith said. “You feel safe. You feel comfortable. You’re not, ‘Oh, I don’t want to go to that area of town.’ You feel good about it.”

The ASA Classic will continue until Sunday. The tour’s high-stakes “Shoot Down” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Bernard’s football/soccer field.

% Rob Ketcham can be reached at 256-734-2131, ext. 138 or at robk@cullmantimes.com.