Archery faces challenge of being deemed unsafe

This is according to Henk Brits, owner of Sherwood Archery in Boksburg.

Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow.

Historically, archery was used for hunting and combat. However, today its main use is for sporting and recreational purposes.

Henk has been an archer for the past nine years and co-owns a bowshop.

Henk also trains buyers before they go out on to the shooting range on the perfect and accurate way to use the bows and arrows, and the specific way to aim.

“Care must be taken as negligence can lead to death, this is not a toy,” he says.

Henk says, like a gun, the bow and arrow is only dangerous if it ends up in the wrong hands.

He says the club is made up of plus-minus 30 members and children as young as four years can join.

“Archery is very family-oriented as everyone can participate; it’s also very physical and very relaxing,” he adds.

The South African National Archery Association (SANAA) is the national sports federation for target archery in South Africa.

It is affiliated to a number of sporting bodies, including the international governing body World Archery, The Continental Archery Association and the Commonwealth Archery Association.

According to Barbara Manning, who is the Secretary-Gen of SANAA, following the Olympics and the television coverage that the sport received, there has been a huge influx of enquiries for beginner training courses.

“After the ‘free publicity’ we received, the sport has been growing steadily,” she says.

Manning says the sport teaches both young and old how to concentrate in short span, how to focus, to be disciplined and to be responsible.

“You could hurt yourself if you’re irresponsible; this is not a sport where you can practise in your own backyard, you have to be a member of a club,” she says.

Manning reiterates Henks words and says archery is not an exclusive sport, where the father can’t bring the children along, but that anyone can start shooting at a very young age.

The biggest challenge the sport is facing, she says, is that archery is still deemed unsafe, and schools are reluctant to include it in their sports curriculum.

“For the sport to get into schools, teachers need to first be taught how to coach and very few schools have facilities for the sport,” she adds.

Manning says the association is more than willing to train teachers, but they also encourage schools to take students to registered clubs in their area.

SANAA is made up of volunteers with a love and passion for archery.

For more information you may visit their site www.sanaa.org.za or you may contact Barbara at Barbara@sanaa.org.za

Sherwood Archery shooting range is open every day on Madeley road, Boksburg.