Archery and Ages
Isn’t it dangerous, you ask? Yes and no. Just because shooting is involved doesn’t mean there are more accidents. As always, safety and great instructions are going to go a long way into making this a safe past time, sport, hobby, or fleeting film-fuelled interest.
For those under 5 years of age, stick with the play archery sets with suction cup arrows.
Tips for Buying Bows and Arrows
This brings us to real sets. Most parents and consumers seem to weigh in on the old adage ‘you get what you pay for.’
This type of toy will be immediately put to the test — treat it as if you are looking more for a sporting good than a toy.
The main difference between the toy and the real thing is the arrows. The toys have suction cups on the end and real arrows have an actual arrow.
Consider your child’s size and the weight they can lift.
Safety
Not unlike firearm safety, there are safety rules that really must be understood before children begin to use bows and arrows. Even the language should change. If you buy the toy suction cup kind, then the children are, indeed, playing with a toy. But if you are buying an actual set, then it isn’t a toy. Make sure your children kids understand this.
Top of the list is to make sure that no one is in the line of fire. It’s a safe sport provided the participants are serious and take precautions.
Archery can be an individual sport or it can be turned into a team effort where scores are combined. Archery combines hand and eye coordination and balance..
Indoor Range
Archery is a sport that can be enjoyed all year if indoor archery ranges are available. While an indoor range may not be able to provide all of the variety of an outdoor range it does have advantages for archers. When practicing technique an indoor range removes the distractions of the outdoors and the archer is able to focus on his technique.
Lessons
For those who are new to the sport of archery it is advisable to take some lessons as proper technique is very important to being a successful archer. The club leaders are experienced instructors and they arrange a time when the archery lessons can take place at the range.
Skill Challenges
Archery ranges will set up target challenges to test the skill of archers using the range. These target challenges may be arranged by the archery range personnel or by an archery club that is using the range. Obstacle courses are one type of skill challenge that may be set up at an archery range. Archers are required to move through the course while shooting at various targets that are arranged at a variety of angles. The challenge is increased by timing the progress of the archer through the course.
Membership
Archers are required to be a member of an Merensky Archery Club to use the archery range facilities. It is the archery club that will charge the archer a membership fee. A portion of those fees are paid to the archery range to enable club members to use the archery range. Archery club
Previous experience has shown that, following a course, many Parents/Guardians have expressed the view that they wished that they also joined the course at the same time as the Junior Candidates therefore consideration should be given by parents and Guardians to becoming Candidates at the same time.
‘Archery’ is often offered as a holiday pursuits and some of our Candidates have ‘done it before’. However to ensure that a consistent standard in achieved all Candidates will be taught on the basis that they are new to the sport and will be instructed in shooting.