CANORA, SASK.- “Wow! What a great turn out tonight”
This Facebook post by the Assiniboine River Archery Club reflected the local enthusiasm and interest at the open house on Oct. 27. Even though the snow was falling outside, things were busy in the shooting range.
Desiree Owchar, club president and provincial archery judge, welcomed everyone and made it clear that rules have to be followed in order to be allowed to shoot at the targets. Discipline is expected from all the archers.
“There will be absolutely no horse play in this area, no running, no distracting behaviour of any kind, and we all have to be quiet here,” said Owchar. “The active shooting range is not a play area, it’s not for hanging out.”
Archers must obey commands from the D.O.S. (Director of Shooting) and from the coach. Whenever shooting is going on, someone has to be in charge.
“Don’t touch anyone else’s equipment,” said Owchar. “If you break it, you have to replace it.”
Once inside the club no electronics are allowed; cell phones, tablets, any of it.
“I’m sure you can do without your screens for as long as you are here.”
Owchar said the club has been in their new Main Street facility since January.
“We’ve done a lot of work on this building, and we still have more to do.”
The club holds U21 J.O.P. (Junior Olympic Program) shoots every Tuesday.
“In the J.O.P. program, you start shooting targets at 10 metres,” said Owchar. “When you shoot their minimum score, you move up to the next level. But you don’t have to do the J.O.P. program to be a member of our club.”
A guest shooter is allowed to shoot at the club if accompanied by a member. But eventually they would have to become a member in order to continue using the facility.
Owchar said she was very impressed with the number of visitors that attended the open house. She estimated there were 15-20 children, along with a number of interested adults.
“The minimum age to join the club is six. We explain the rules to everyone right away and if they’re genuinely interested in archery, following the rules just becomes part of the routine. A number of the young kids at the open house were really excited, but you could tell that a few of them just weren’t interested.”
Newcomers who came to the open house were allowed to shoot at the club for two weeks following the even, and then decide whether they want to join.
“There is a cost involved in becoming a member,” said Owchar. “By the time they’ve been with us for a couple of weeks, they usually know whether it’s something they want to keep doing.”
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