Anyone take their younger children to archery?

[JaniceH]

Opps I think this thread has gone from 'do other people take their younger children with them, and how do they stop them getting bored' to 'why some clubs dont let younger children shoot'.

Just to clarify a couple of things:

I can totally understand why a club wouldnt let a child under the age of 10 shoot. I work in a school and some under 10's I wouldnt let near a sharp pencil, let alone a bow and arrow. There were some youngesters older than 10 on my beginners course and they took up a lot of time and attention due to them mucking around and being generally unsafe. It didnt matter how many times they were told, they had the attention span of gnats. If I got hurt by someone else mucking about, it would be devastating to my little family, so I wouldnt want to compromise someone elses safety by my son shooting, when he is so young and therefore can still be silly sometimes.

I am only a few weeks past my beginners course, and if my youngest son was shooting, then he would need 100% of my attention for him to shoot, therefore I wouldnt be able to continue with my archery. When he is older and can be coached independently then thats a different matter. This is the only time that I get to do anything I want to, and Im not sure I want to give that up.

I dont feel that he would be mature enough to judge certain situations yet, for example if 'FAST' was shouted, then his automatic response would probably be something other than stop what you are doing - after all what does fast actually mean. His reactions to things would be slower, and its also things like loading the bow and turning round with it. Archery isnt easy, and when you are 8, finding something really hard can sometimes be so frustrating you get fed up easily and lose concentration.

Also coaching under '8's' is a whole different ball game with child protection legislation, CRB certificates and teaching ratios.

Oh well it looks like its back to the books and DS then, then when he is big enough he can decide for himself. Either that or get him a bow with arrows with suckers on and a cardboard target.

Thankyou for all your help, some of you experienced archers have very lucky children.

[Grum]

Well, I'm complete newb at the archery thing, I am 4 weeks into a beginners course, my daughter aged 8 started at the same time, and appears to be doing quite well at concentrating on shooting and being quiet / maintaining etiquette on the line.
She's been shooting a 14lb bow at a ten yard target and we've been discussing upping the bow to 16lb and her shooting at the 20 yard mark (maybe 20 metres to a metric face in stead).

I would go so far as to say that it's actually helping her in other things as she can be a chatterbox. The coaches at the club (Bristol Bowmen) have been excellent in looking after her (and me ).

[Flying Whale]

Originally Posted by Grum

Well, I'm complete newb at the archery thing, I am 4 weeks into a beginners course, my daughter aged 8 started at the same time, and appears to be doing quite well at concentrating on shooting and being quiet / maintaining etiquette on the line.
She's been shooting a 14lb bow at a ten yard target and we've been discussing upping the bow to 16lb and her shooting at the 20 yard mark (maybe 20 metres to a metric face in stead).

I would go so far as to say that it's actually helping her in other things as she can be a chatterbox. The coaches at the club (Bristol Bowmen) have been excellent in looking after her (and me ).

I would be very careful about taking the poundage up too soon. There was a very good article in Archery UK (which you will not get yet until you join, and then probably for best part of a year after you do join knowing the way it works). This had some very thought provoking comments about the long-term joint damage than can happen to young archers.

I would have thought 14# should be plenty to reach 20m. My son who is 11 shoots about 17-18# and can reach 50 yards. My daugther is 9 and shoots about 17# peak on a small compound and reaches 40m with no problem.

Anyway take advice from the club coaches, but be careful about over-bowing.

[Grum]

Originally Posted by Flying Whale

I would be very careful about taking the poundage up too soon. There was a very good article in Archery UK (which you will not get yet until you join, and then probably for best part of a year after you do join knowing the way it works). This had some very thought provoking comments about the long-term joint damage than can happen to young archers.

I would have thought 14# should be plenty to reach 20m. My son who is 11 shoots about 17-18# and can reach 50 yards. My daugther is 9 and shoots about 17# peak on a small compound and reaches 40m with no problem.

Anyway take advice from the club coaches, but be careful about over-bowing.

Advice noted the reason for upping the poundage is that she has quite a short draw so isn't pulling the full draw weight - sorry should have been a bit clearer. As mentioned, I trust the club coaches - it was with them I was having the discussion with

[phil_r_58]

Originally Posted by Grum

Well, I'm complete newb at the archery thing, I am 4 weeks into a beginners course, my daughter aged 8 started at the same time, and appears to be doing quite well at concentrating on shooting and being quiet / maintaining etiquette on the line.
She's been shooting a 14lb bow at a ten yard target and we've been discussing upping the bow to 16lb and her shooting at the 20 yard mark (maybe 20 metres to a metric face in stead).

I would go so far as to say that it's actually helping her in other things as she can be a chatterbox. The coaches at the club (Bristol Bowmen) have been excellent in looking after her (and me ).

A good coach is worth their weight in diesel fuel, and you will probably notice that kids will listen to a good coach where they ignore you. The advice is good about over bowing. Why not get a pair of spring balance scales & check the weight at the child's draw length to make a note for discussion about moving up.

[felixity]

i had a thought about the original question while i was trying to placate some screaming babies.

unless he is much more patient than i was at his age i dont think you can avoid him getting bored. a good selection of games might help. my mum used to take us to her cleaning round when we were about his age and made the boredom a bit more bearable by giving us a few inscentives to behave, eg going through the splash on the way home or letting us choose what to have for tea (for her to cook not mcd's or the like).

hope you come up with some ideas...ill quiz my mum for a few more!

[Berniethebolt]

Originally Posted by JaniceH

Due to being a single parent and youngest son being 8, when I go to archery on a Sunday morning (or Thursday evening as well if Im lucky) I have to take him with me. Eldest son aged 14 stays at home, but hes not old enough to have responsibility for youngest one.

Youngest son is not old enough to shoot and so sits on a bench with his Nintendo DS or a quiz book or something. There is generally no other children there and although he sits quietly on his best behaviour (well apart from when Kae gets his sword out ), he does get a bit bored especially when its an hour and a half. He knows hes not meant to wander about or talk loudly or touch anything, so hes almost restricted to sitting on his bench.

Does anyone else take their children with them? If so what do they do. Ive been thinking about getting him a little plastic bow with sucker arrows, but I cant find one that has got a small target (thats roll-up-able) with it.

Any advice would be much appreciated, as its only by him coming with me is enabling me to get out of the house, so I need to prevent him becoming stroppy.

We don't have this problem as we have Archers as young as 5 in out club

Bernie

[phil_r_58]

For myself, all the twists in this thread have been answered this Sunday. My Daughter, as I said before has been shooting properly since she was 9. Can she learn that young? Is she safe that young? Can she concentrate that young ? ABSOLUTELY YES.

And what the heck, others have started threads about their kids winning a medal. My daughters made me dead proud, so I thought the world should know anyway! She is pictured at an inter county shoot, with her county team badge, at 10 years old, before some clubs would let her shoot. Friskney however positively encourage young archers.

I've copied part of my blog below, as not many venture into blogland.

I've put a few pics on here, but have chopped the other kids out, as I'm not sure how posting pictures of other peoples kids goes?







So there we are,

• an outing at county level,
• a new PB under twin judge tournament conditions,
• a rose award,
• a county team shirt to keep,
• a gold county team badge, with a 2008 bar.
• A list of recommendations from the team coach that she needs to look at, and her name is in the frame for more call ups if she continues to improve at the current rate. Especially as Kay loses 3 of her oldest juniors at the end of this season.

Not a bad days work.

Must admit, unless you experience it, you will never know what it feels like to watch your kid walk out to the line with a county squad when the judges blow the whistle. And it cannot be explained in words.

The full story is in the blogs.

[JaniceH]

Phil R 58, your daughters huge great grin says it all ready she sounds one very fortunate child to have all those opportunities and shes doing brilliantly. If she can do all that when shes 10.....

Thing is my son is still at the stage where he doesnt want to concentrate on any one thing at the moment, he did football for 18 months, now hes joined the school choir (bit of a difference), and he is starting Cubs in September. Ill just have to wait until he wants to shoot instead of sit and watch/play his DS.

Im also hoping that by the time we go indoors, his big brother may be old enough to look after him at home for a couple of hours (He will be 15 by then.)

It seems there are lots of children shooting, which is good as after all they are the adult archers of the future.

[phil_r_58]

Absolutely right Janice, the kids are the archers of the future. Yes they need a bit of patience, a lot of supervision, but the rewards are great. For them, the parents and the club. And of course, in cases like Sarah, the county reaps a reward from the clubs efforts with her, and who knows what beyond?

Sarah has done football, choir, recorder and violin lessons, all have fallen by the wayside. Only archery has stuck. It's just finding what their passion is.