Disappearing beginners

[NoAngel]

Do you feel that one of the reasons that beginners feel isolated is due to the lack at time and attention they receive from other club members. I think in this case part of the problem might be that members go to archery to shoot for their own personal enjoyment, and they don't want to be always giving up their own time to help beginners over and over.

Yes clubs have coaches for this, but one or two people are quite often not enough to meet the needs and demands of all the new beginners to a club. I try to make an effort to spend time with the beginners, even if I feel I am neglecting my own shooting because of it. But also sometimes, I just want to shoot and let someone else give up their time, its the “Why does it always have to be me” feeling.

[clickerati]

But coaches are there to coach!

[NoAngel]

Originally Posted by Thunk

But - this is the most important thing that beginners want and need in my opinion; a clearly laid out structure so that they can see how they get from the 10-yard target to a point where they are at the other end of the shooting line, squinting at the gold on the 100-yard boss wondering if that's their arrow.

What are your views on the FITA scheme, does this offer the structured advice that beginners are needing?

[SVL]

Originally Posted by clickerati

But coaches are there to coach!

But sometimes we would like to shoot .... and to be honest I don't get paid to coach.... if I did I would seriously consider changing career

[Alex Greig]

Originally Posted by clickerati

But coaches are there to coach!

But they also have the right to an uninterupted shoot sometimes.

[NoAngel]

Originally Posted by ruthmc

My main problem is getting agreement in time to actually make things happen, so I always end up with a last minute rush to organise the courses which is precisely what I'm doing now.

I think this is another problem in a lot of clubs, there are just a few enthusiastic devoted members who will go out their way to help others, but their plans and ideas are held back by others in the club who don’t like change, and just want to shoot, and don’t want new people asking lots of annoying questions holding up the shooting line.

[NoAngel]

Originally Posted by clickerati

But coaches are there to coach!

I think everyone can coach, even a 1 yr novice can offer advice to a beginner, how to hold a bow, nock and arrow, adjust a sight. Most of us know what a good form looks like even if we can't achieve it ourselves. I don't think its fair to leave all the coaching needs of the beginners just to the club coaches.

In our club we have one qualified coach, and 3 others just taking their assessments. I have also just found out that one of those isn't prepared to offer or commit to coaching at any other time that the beginners course, and the other coach we don't see from one month to the next, leaving one useful coach who is very into her own archery at the moment. So if it was left up to our coaches, the beginners would get little to no help once they joined the club.

[geoffretired]

The more I read, the more variety there seems to be between the clubs.
At the end of the day, we are talking about groups of volunteers who happen to share a sport/pastime. They are not all in archery for the same reasons. NO one is paid to do any of the work.(As far as I'm aware) Volunteers therefore, do what helping they want to do. Some clubs have members who will muck in and get things done. Some clubs have fewer of that sort of helper. Sometimes it is luck that brings the helpers together in the first place. Sometimes it is the result of much hard work on the part of those who want to make things better.I think volunteers are easily lost when unfair treatment becomes the order of the day.So those clubs, who by chance end up with lots of volunteers, need to work at keeping them.

[clickerati]

Well, until yesterday, I didn't even know who was a coach and who wasn't in our club. I do feel bad asking the coaches I know for help when they're trying to shoot, too. So I tend not to bother them and try to figure it out on my own or with others who know as little as I do. So I don't think novices can coach, per se. Personally, I wonder why people bother becoming coaches if they don't really want to step up and be coaches. I'm not having a go at anyone, but I just feel like those who are in the know feel put out when you ask for help.

Are clubs required to have coaches?

[NoAngel]

Originally Posted by clickerati

Are clubs required to have coaches?

If they wish to hold beginners courses then yes, GNAS insist. If the club does not take on new members, then I don't think so, but what club does that? I guess you could only accept members who have already taken part in a beginners course else where.