Liesure centre archery courses

[mathewsmainliner]

Hi all, I am canvassing your views, we have a local leisure centre that is currently running an archery beginneers course, wher the participants will be awarded the "red feather award".
They are running a ten week course (yes I did say 10 weeks) and using Barnet fiberglass flat bows for all ages, from adult to junior.
The participants have been told that this award will entitle them to join any GNAS club (and ours is the local club). They are being coached (for the want of a better word) by a GNAS Leader, not a grade 1 coach.
Should we (the club) accept these newly (so callled) qualified archers, who have never had a proper recurve bow in their hands, nor have they experienced the shooting disipline that a club needs?
I have been told that we should let them come along and watch them shooting, and then make a judgment of their capabilities, but as we have not accepted them as members does this invalidate GNAS insurance?
Your thoughts please

[mk1]

First of all some leaders have other professional sports qualifications and can make a very good job of teaching. One of the things that is impressed upon leaders is the safety aspect i.e. control of shooting just as coaches and Clubs do.

Secondly, till Clubs started getting Rolan type bows for beginners all we had were fibre glass bows with silly flat handles and low bracing heights etc to teach people on and coaches managed as did the pupils.

So I don't think they will turn out to be an undisciplined rabble, so if some want to join your club the worst you'll have to do is bring them on a bit. and improve on what they've already been taught.

I think its excellent that the course leader has looked at giving the course some structure and I'm sure he or she will learn a lot in order while following this process. I'm sure one of the ideas is to make the course accessable to everyone.

I suggest you visit to see how folks are doing and if enough want to join your club you can organise a small "improvement course" if need be.

I got a few members off a course that was run in my city where people were taught to anchor at the corners of their mouths. They were all safe and we'd welcome them in and treat them gently

[mathewsmainliner]

your correct about Rolan bows (i didn't mention them in the original article) so, you who know's nothing about the teaching methods employed, but you would expect, us, as a club to except these people as qualified archers!!!
would your club???

[Bald Eagle]

If one of those people came to our club they would have to pay £30 for a 6 week course! Regardless that they have just done a 10 week course with a leader! GNAS train leaders to teach in schools and scout groups etc. As far as I'm aware, we don't recognise leaders in GNAS clubs. If they want to coach in a GNAS club then I think they have to do a level ! course.

[grimsby archer]

Originally Posted by mathewsmainliner

I have been told that we should let them come along and watch them shooting, and then make a judgment of their capabilities, but as we have not accepted them as members does this invalidate GNAS insurance?
Your thoughts please

GNAS insurance allows new archers 6 sessions before committing to becoming GNAS members. The sessions are usually called a beginners course but you could use this period to assess these potential members within your club, rather than insist they re-do a beginners course. My club does this. It allows us to assess the persons ability (and guide towards a beginners course or even say "no thanks" if necessary) and allow the person time to decide if he/she wants to join our club. We make a small charge for the privilege and everyone seems happy with the arrangement.

The logistical problem you might be challenged with is how to equip a large influx of new members who presumably wont yet have their own equipment.

How come the leisure center is getting all these beginners rather than them paying to do beginners courses at your club?
Do you have a coach who could offer to help out at the leisure centre, thus raising the available skill level?

[WhitehartFB]

Why not strike up a rapport with this leisure centre; it could lead to loads of new members and membership fees without the hassle of running beginners courses clearly there is a demand in your area.

If you do this you will know what is going on on the course and whether it's acceptable to your club then at the end of the course these beginners can be pointed in your direction, join, pay all their fees and shoot.

[Murray]

I'm with whitehart on this - forge a relationship with them and see what you can do to gain mutual benefit.

That's what we have done with our local country park who run courses throughout the year. We've even run courses for their tutors, giving them an appreciation of competitive, modern archery.

We've discussed them providing an assessment certificate on their novices for us to be able to assess whether the novices are indeed ready, or need another few weeks tuition before joining the club full time.

As said above, the problem could be bows, but you could actually instigate a bow hire scheme, whereby you could fund additional kit, or existing kit refreshes every couple of years.

Just some thoughts.

[JohnR]

You're being a bit snooty, aren't you? I'm Secretary of our Club and also instruct at a community sports centre. I'm a Club Coach but started as a Leader with the Scouts. So I can see both sides of this.

There are good Leaders and there are poor Leaders - much like Coaches there, then! A good Leader is going to do a far better job of the beginners course than a poor Level 1. The 'shooting discipline' at the centre is just as likely to be tighter than at your Club than the other way around.

If the beginners can shoot reasonably well with a Barnett then they'll have no problem transferring to a recurve - at our centre we start with Barnetts. When they transfer to a recurve, usually when they buy their own trainer bow, it takes, ooh, maybe 5 minutes to convert!

The only two ways you are going to find out whether the centre is doing a good job or not is a) wait until people start to apply to your Club and trial them, or, much more sensibly, b) go along to the centre and watch. They may even let you have 10 minutes to introduce your Club.

John

[ben_e71]

Originally Posted by mathewsmainliner

so, you who know's nothing about the teaching methods employed, but you would expect, us, as a club to except these people as qualified archers!!!
would your club???

So you ask for opinions then have a go at someone when they offer one. You need to make you mind up as to what you want.

[FlourPower]

Originally Posted by mk1

I got a few members off a course that was run in my city where people were taught to anchor at the corners of their mouths.

Whats wrong with anchoring there?

I think it sounds excellent. If anyone wants to see disorderly then come see how Reading Uni Bowmen are taught and yet we churn out some okay archers at the end of the day. Your sports centre leader probably does a terrific job and as suggested you may just have to run through RoS and club conduct with them.