What does coaching look like?

Many archers have only a hazy idea what coaching actually is, what it looks like & how to access it. Many members are happy to partake in archery without coaching – but for those who do, here’s a quick guide.

For our novice archers (i.e. those recently off a beginners’ course) the club will offer a considerable amount of support. This includes:

Selection & hire of suitable starter kit to get you going & bridge the gap to the stage where you are proficient enough to buy your own equipment.
Help & advice on choosing amongst the vast array of products on sale.
Accompanied visit to an archery retailer (subject to distance!).
Ensuring the the regular coaching sessions are inclusive.

For our more experienced archers we can, as a convenience divide coaching & development into four streams. These are ‘social’, ‘keen’, ‘performance’ & ‘elite’. There is no rigid demarcation – goals & requirements will overlap. It requires a lot of thought – because the higher the goals the more work & commitment (not mention money) is required to achieve them.

Most of our archers are ‘social‘ archers. They come and shoot when they feel like it, and enjoy the atmosphere and the fresh air. They are the backbone of the club, but not really that interested in coaching & development.
A number of archers are somewhat keener. They’re typically regular attendees on the shooting line, and may well attend local tournaments. They’ll be asking questions of the coaches: the regular coaching sessions are ideal for this group.
Performance archers are the ones you see on the field most days. They’ll be having regular coaching, probably 1:1, and committing considerable time and effort into their sport.
Elite archers are those headed for international competitions, and will probably be involved in the national training programs, run by ArcheryGB and others.

We’ve a handy guide here for you to read and help you think about what you want.

If you require help in this please feel free to email our Coaching Officer