Junior News
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For details about junior events and news contact Andy Mara (Junior Secretary).

He can be contacted by phone on 0151 328 1315 or by e-mail j.mara@btinternet.com

Neston Company of Archers

Junior Section Newsletter

 

Summer 2006

Hello to all our junior members.

I hope that this newsletter finds you all well and have successfully done your SATS and summer exams ready for the move into the next school year or even a change of school. Just think now you can come to the club and shoot as much as you like without having to think about things you don’t want to do. Right through the summer months with plenty of light evenings as well!

Once again I have included a list of forthcoming events that junior archers are welcome to, and openly encouraged to take part in. Some are local and some require a little bit of travel. In either case they are good fun and allow the juniors of the club to mix with junior archers from different clubs. Don’t be afraid to enter, its’ not the Olympics. And you will find most of the other archers whether they’re junior or adult will give you a hand or at least have a chat with you.

Remember you won’t make a fool of yourself. Just remember, everyone on the shooting line has had to shoot in their first event to get to where they are now! And judges don’t bite, well most of them!!

It was nice to see 3 of our ‘junior’ juniors taking part in the recent CCB event in May. They all did very well and should be proud of themselves. You will find their scores and others from recent tournaments later in this newsletter.

 

A word of caution for juniors and parents alike

Don’t forget even in this hot weather that you must warm up your muscles with basic stretching exercises. These are quite simple and can be used for all types of sports. See myself, Malcolm or Bill. Indeed any of the senior archers. They should all be stretching before any shooting (club or tournament) but not many do. Also you must make sure that you drink lots of fluids, not Coke or anything fizzy. This may also include Sports drinks unless you drink them constantly before, during and after your session. This is because they give off bursts of energy making your strength go up and down. So they are not really ideal for archery unless constantly drunk. Whilst drink is important, food is a must also. And surprisingly not chocolate! I almost forgot, SUNTAN CREAM. Get your parents to keep you topped up!!

 

Things to remember

When you do start to take part in competitions it is important to remember a few simple rules for good conduct at the line or behind it – etiquette.

  1. Don’t put an arrow on the string until you are at the line.
  2. Don’t turn around to look at someone when the arrow is on the string.
  3. Don’t talk to other archers on the line it may put them off.
  4. After you have finished shooting your arrows. Don’t come away from the line until the archers either side have taken their shots. You may knock them by accident.
  5. Try not to talk too loud or making a noise even off the line.
  6. Always listen to the judge or tournament organisers instructions.
  7. Do listen to help or advice from other older archers, including older juniors. Some of them may shoot for the county or the country! And enjoy your sport

  

GNAS and Metric rounds

To find out what rounds you should be shooting outdoors in relation to your age group. Ask one of the ‘senior’ members of the club to explain or show you the GNAS rule book which gives all the round details and classifications.

  

EVENTS Outdoors

July

At the end of July is the Club Championships held at our field.

 

August

Seven clubs tournament held in August some time between the clubs from the Wirral only. The rounds are Westerns. I don’t know the venue yet but will find out in good time. I think it may well be on our ground.

 

Sunday 3rd September

Cheshire Archery Association Junior County and Open Tournament.

Being run by CCB in Chester. This is the event that allows the County Team Manager to pick the Cheshire Junior Squad. The rounds are Metric rounds. This is similar to a Bristol round but using ten ring scoring. This would be explained at the event and before by club members. This is a good shoot for getting practice for bigger events. Last year we had three juniors taking part, Mike Sheppard, Patrick Rooney and Victoria Mara. See if we can get some more this year. But be warned it is 12 dozen arrows, takes a long time and good etiquette is expected for the whole time- about 6 hours.

 

Neston will be hosting the Cheshire Clout competition on our field in September. Some of our juniors shot the Cheshire FITA clout in May with great success. Go on. See if you can beat a Cheshire record!! You never know.

 

More events pop up throughout the year which I will inform you about in plenty of time before closing dates.

 

Results for 2006

 

Sunday 17th April

Bunny Shoot at Corus, Deeside (no bunnies were hurt during this tournament!)

Junior Western Round

Michael Shepherd – 632

William Mellor – 617

James Mellor – 312

Victoria Mara – 706

 

Saturday 20th May

Cheshire County Bowmen

We had a good number of juniors shooting this event. For all bar one it was their first ever event and they did themselves and the club proud.

Nathan Jones – 303 for Short Junior National

Jack Hewitt – 307 for the novice round

Anton Oakley – 270 for the novice round

Thomas Crowther – 146 for the novice round

Victoria – 520 for Short Junior National 1st place and she is claiming a Cheshire record and an unofficial Northern Counties record.

 

Sunday 21st May

FITA Clout held by Neston for Cheshire

Jack Hewitt shot his first clout event. Winning a prize in the process. Come on Jack do it again in September! This was also his second event of the weekend. Victoria shot the GNAS 80yd round and set 2 Cheshire records.

 

Monday 29th May

Welsh Whit Western at Corus, Deeside

Three juniors took part all receiving awards

James Mellor - 505 for Short Junior Western

Victoria Mara – 718 for Short Junior Western (possible club record to be confirmed)

William Mellor – 623 for Junior Western (possible club record to be confirmed)

 

James and Victoria even shot against foreign competition in the shape of Alice Ruiz from French club Les Archers Bitterois. They easily beat her but we won’t gloat at that – much! And they lost the World Cup.

 

Saturday 3rd June

Bowmen of Bruntwood

Victoria scoring 960 for a Bristol IV, was the only junior from Neston to take part in a smaller field than was expected by the organiser. So much so Pete Galbraith BoB’s club secretary/organiser and Cheshire Junior Squad Manager, considered cancelling the event. However he changed his mind at the last minute for the sake of the archers who entered. For the archers it was Jaffa cakes all round at the end!

 

Sunday 2nd July

Junior National Championships - Lilleshall

Victoria recently competed in this event with 280 other juniors. Imagine 50 targets in a row! She finished 9th out of 23 in her age group.

 

Records Update

All you juniors out there that enter competitions or shoot official rounds at the club may be able to claim a club record. So keep a note of what you shoot and I’ll look into it with Viv Guthrie the clubs longbow multi- record holder records officer.

 

Although our thanks go to Malcolm and Bill for their help coaching all the juniors, this extends to all the other club members who help the youngsters to improve.

 

See Andy Mara (Victoria’s dad) for further details of any other junior events indoors or out for the coming season. Should you have any questions or comments about junior shoots and tournaments. Or, if you want to put something in the newsletter. Please ask me, drop me line on the email j.mara@btinternet.com or telephone 0151 328 1315.

 

Andy – Junior Secretary