About a year ago I was approached by the local Cascade Recreation Department about whether I would be willing to teach youth archery. The idea attracted me and I said yes. Knowing I needed to be certified to teach, I went through the USA Archery website and signed up for the certification course. After completing the online portion of the course, I located a person in LaGrande, Oregon who could administer the required in person one day course to demonstrate the necessary skills to perform the duties of a USA Archery Level 1 Instructor. I passed the course and once I was certified, then the recreation center had to gather the necessary equipment for me to teach beginning archery to kids. We applied for a grant from USA Archery to get the full compliment of 6 bows, arrows, armguards, targets and safety materials, which runs about $3000.00. We were turned down for the grant, so we had to put together the necessary equipment ourselves with a limited budget.
The recreation center covered the purchase of 3 big targets, some hay bales, and 4 small takedown kids longbows with blunt tipped arrows included. I borrowed the used bows from the Idaho Traditional Bowhunters stored in the target trailer, and was able to piece together 7 good beginner bows, both recurves and longbows, of assorted makes, colors and draw weights. I contributed my own feathered arrows with good field tips, and an assortment of flu flu arrows, which turned out to be very popular with the kids.
Our “range” was set up outside in a rocky dirt field behind the recreation center which doubles as an ice rink in the winter. After we obtained permission from the local sheriff for shooting in the city limits, we gathered highway cones, spray paint and flagging to mark off the range boundaries. The range faces directly south, not an ideal direction, but we gathered sun shades, tables, and lawn chairs to give us some relief from the hot sun.
Classes began in July with 13 new archers, grouped according to age with Pee Wees, Cubs and Youth. Using the instruction “steps of shooting” from the USA Archery course, we were off to a good start. The kids and I had a great time with the first 4 day week of classes. Mick, the maintenance man at the recreation center built a very serviceable stout bow rack from scavenged lumber for our second series of classes.
The second week was scheduled this August, with 10 of the original students returning and 3 new ones joining us. We completed the classes, and once again, had a wonderful time. The kids are very enthusiastic about traditional archery and it is such fun to teach something I also love. A fire has been lit! It warms my heart to see them learning good form and safe respectful handling of serious weapons. The kids didn’t seem to mind the heat, but they were really happy to have a water balloon fight to finish off the day.
Even though we had to put together the materials to make it all happen, no one complained about the somewhat rustic accommodations and my cardboard artwork! It was a joyous experience for me and seemed so for the kids…they didn’t want to stop shooting and they want to continue with traditional archery, some are talking about getting their own bows. I am grateful to be able to use the kids bows that were collected over the years from various sources, so my thanks to our ITB club! The bows are being put to good use! The recreation center is hoping to purchase new bows in the future as the archery program grows, but for now we are delighted to be able to use the ITB bows.
In gratitude, Janet Houlihan
