Archery Coaches successful visit to the Falklands

Posted by Shackleton Fund on 2013-01-22 06:54:42 FKST

The Falklands Archery Association welcomed Tony Drabble whose flight was kindly sponsored by The Shackleton Scholarship Fund arrived in the Islands towards the end of October 2012. Tony was accompanied by Steve Yates from Guernsey who took up the opportunity to visit the Islands for a week and assisted with coaching and equipment checks and adjustments.

A “meet and greet” was held at Mark Lewis’s on the evening of their arrival for all members of the club to meet Tony and Steve and to put everyone’s mind at rest.

The first club night the coaches observed the members shoot to judge the member’s ability and level of shooting whilst making notes of how to make improvements to each shooters technique. Individual’s equipment was also examined followed up with minor adjustments as necessary. The local press Penguin News, FIRS, and FITV were invited along to meet Tony and Steve and see the activity.

Members were able to have “one to one” sessions with the coaches where techniques were looked at and improved. Blank boss shooting and release were very much the focus of these sessions.

Both Steve and Tony were impressed with the overall standard of shooting and equipment used by the members.

A visit to the Infant & Junior School was arranged where they spoke to Years 5 & 6 about archery and the Small Island Games. This was a well-received visit and the children were able to look at different bows and arrows and learn more about the sport and the Small Island Games from both Steve who shoots as part of the Guernsey team and Tony who has coached members for several islands teams including the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

A “have a go” session was also held at the FIDF Drill Hall for the general public to have a go at archery with over 40 members of the public attending and trying archery for themselves.  Hopefully this bodes well for the future of the club.

Members hosted both Tony and Steve in their homes and took them out on several sightseeing trips to see the wild life and the Falklands in general. These included trips to Goose Green and Bodie Creek Bridge, Port Harriet to see penguins - thanks to Joe Newell for allowing this and Gypsy Cove for more penguins and seals.

 The week was very busy which finished with the Club celebrating its first year with a party in Malvina House Hotel with Tony and Steve being among the VIPs in attendance.

The Falklands Archery Club is hoping to send archers to the Guernsey Games in June 2013. Tony has offered to attend Guernsey and be the Falkland team coach. The Club is working very hard fund raising to assist members in going.

Falkland’s Archery Association would like to thank the Shackleton Scholarship Fund for its generous support in funding the coaching trip which has done so much to improve the member’s techniques and archery skills. Experience of this kind is invaluable because it is so hard to come by in our remote corner of the world.