Tauranga’s archery club is celebrating 75 years of existence this month with a regional competition starting 10am this Saturday, September 27.

Established in 1949, the club had seen a few name changes over the years, said club member and coach David Hillary. “These include Ashby Archers and Tauranga Archery Club. Now we are simply Tauranga Archers.”

As Tauranga developed and demands for land grew, the club’s range location had to move with the times, said Hillary. “The early ranges were at Jordon Park, Greenpark School, Greerton, Gate Pa, Tauranga Domain and BOP Polytechnic. Today, we’re permanently set up at Graham Park.”

A combined district archery association – called Eastern, Central, Bay of Plenty Archery Association (ECBOPAA) was established in the 1950s to provide a stronger voice for the sport and organise inter-club tournaments, said Hillary.

Fascinated

“Club affiliation to NZ Archery Association – now Archery NZ (ANZ) – was also encouraged with successful national events held locally and many BOP archers performed with great success.”

Club members (back row) Tessa Temara, David Rowe, Charlotte Hills, Jenni Donald, John Ellis, Eric Lunde, Aaron Reeve. Front row (crouching) Mariam Harrison, David Mansell, Lauren Haddock, Rheinhardt Coetzee Tauranga Archers’ members (back row): Tessa Temara, David Rowe, Charlotte Hills, Jenni Donald, John Ellis, Eric Lunde, Aaron Reeve; front row (crouching) Mariam Harrison, David Mansell, Lauren Haddock, Rheinhardt Coetzee, are ready to mark their club’s 75th birthday. Photo / Brydie Thompson

Today Tauranga Archers is still affiliated to ECBOPAA and ANZ, with all members holding joint memberships enabling them to shoot at nationally sanctioned tournaments.

Tauranga archer and coach John Ellis, who has been involved for eight years, said club membership sits at 120 but can reach 200.

He was introduced to the sport via Tauranga Archers’ twice-monthly have-a-go sessions. The first time he let go of an arrow, the thought swirled: “I love doing this!”. That was it!

“Some think: ‘Oh yeah, I know how to do it’ then there’s others, like me, who go: ‘I love doing this!’ Those are the people who stick,” said Ellis.

“It’s usually 2-3% of people. I can see it in their face. I just became fascinated with it, and since I discovered it in my adult years it’s good to be coaching youth.”

Schools Programme

Ellis coaches Tauranga Archers’ Schools Programme, which runs Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings for intermediate and high school students. ACG Tauranga bought their equipment then approached the club for guidance. “Two of our coaches have been there for five years teaching archery.” Otumoetai College’s launch of their Not So Sports Club prompted the school to book private have-a-go sessions for their students.

Mariam Harrison 12 ACG Tauranga Year 7 student and club member Mariam Harrison, 12. Photo / Brydie Thompson

“Archery is about strength and coordination rather than fitness.”

Moreover, archery is a martial art, said Ellis. “People who are bodily aware, like dancers and gymnasts or studying martial arts, they pick up on it quite quickly.But target archery, which is what our club does, is also an endurance sport.”

Ellis said it’s similar to golf “because you’ve got to get everything together and the timing right. It’s very easy to get it right, and it’s very easy to get it wrong!” All archery clubs’ new members complete a beginner’s course for safety. “Ours is three sessions. It gives them a further understanding of archery.”

Bows and distances

The club takes private bookings, holds Sunday Club Days and hosts regional and national competitions. Ellis said members shoot a range of bows, including long, bare, recurve and compound. Most adult competitions have 90 arrows while youth get 36.

Tauranga Archers will host a mini competition tomorrow, September 27, to celebrate their club’s 75th birthday this month. Photo / Brydie Thompson

“The target distance varies from 15m to 90m. In winter we shoot smaller targets from 18m at our indoor range at Tauranga Racecourse. In summer, it ranges to 70m, the Olympic-style recurve archery distance. Compound archery is 50m; bare bow shooters shoot 50m too.”

Tauranga Archers thank TECT for their generous contribution to co-fund their recent target upgrade

The invitation to tomorrow’s competition went to all fellow EOPAA clubs. “We’ll run a mini tournament of 90 arrows with two distances of 28m or 55m. Then we’ll have a barbecue,” said Ellis.

Find out more at: www.taurangaarchers.com