Former archery champ’s advise for beginners
With archery becoming a popular sport in the province, Review spoke to a former champion in the sport about what it takes to become an archer.
POLOKWANE – There are two decisions you need to make when you first start taking part in archery, this according to Anton Dreyer, former South African bow shooting champion. You need to decide which type of archery you’re interested in and which bow will work best for you,” Dreyer explains.
He says learning which bow is right for you, and correctly choosing your first bow, may require a little assistance.
“We encourage you to visit your local archery store for help. They can answer all your questions and get you shooting successfully right away,” he says.
He adds that making use of a second-hand bow is not the way to go and taking the time to do things such as measuring your height and the amount of weight you can pull as well as taking into consideration your fitness level will help you make the best choice for the perfect bow.
Here is a list of bows for beginners:
1. Recurve bows.
Recurve bows are the only bows the Olympics allow. Many archers also shoot recurve bows in field and 3D archery, and when bow hunting with higher poundage bows.
2. Compound bows.
Compound bows are known for their widespread use in field and 3D archery, and bow hunting. Many archers also shoot compounds in target archery.
3. Traditional bows.
Archers shoot traditional bows in all major types of archery. You’ll see traditional bows in target archery, field archery, and 3D archery, and some will use them for bow hunting at higher draw weights.
4. Crossbows.
A crossbow is a modified bow and arrow and is commonly used in target, field and 3D archery as well as bow hunting. Crossbows are highly accurate and have a longer firing range than most other bow types.
“Taking up archery is something that can be seen as a change of lifestyle. You will never know if it is a sport that you will love unless you try it. It has taken people to international athlete status and even kids can do it,” says Dreyer. He added that it is a sport that he would recommend to anyone and both men and women can succeed in.
riana@nmgroup.co.za
