ARCHERY NEWS

Archery – On Target

By Alan Sherbinin 

The energy is high at the Vernon Secondary School, the venue for the archery event of the BC Winter Games. It is Sunday February 26, the final day of competition and the boy and girl archers are eager to reach the medal rounds in one of the three bow categories:  barebow, recurve, or compound.

Medals for the two-day aggregate have been determined. The scores from Friday and Saturday's competition were totalled and the results are as follows: 

Male barebow two-day aggregate

                Bronze                  Seth Logan                          Zone 8 (Cariboo – North East)

                Silver                     Joshua Yip                           Zone 5 (Vancouver – Squamish)

                Gold                      Tony Yueh                           Zone 5 (Vancouver – Squamish) 

Male recurve two-day aggregate

                Bronze                  Keane Oates                      Zone 4 (Fraser River – Delta)

                Silver                     Cameron Guimond         Zone 8 (Cariboo – North East)

                Gold                      Coleman Willner               Zone 6 (Vancouver Island – Central Coast) 

Male compound two-day aggregate

                Bronze                  Graeme Black                    Zone 1 (Kootenays)

                Silver                     Logan Meier                       Zone 2 (Thompson –Okanagan)

                Gold                      Tony Procter                      Zone 8 (Cariboo – North East) 

After shooting 120 arrows over two days, only one point separated the bronze and silver medalists in the male compound two-day aggregate category! 

Female barebow two-day aggregate

                Bronze                  Yolanda Lan                        Zone 4 (Fraser River – Delta)

                Silver                     Natalya Sarrazin                Zone 8 (Cariboo – North East)

                Gold                      Chloe Raynor                     Zone 8 (Cariboo – North East) 

Female recurve two-day aggregate

                Bronze                  Ceridwyn Olafsson          Zone 2 (Thompson –Okanagan)

                Silver                     Sierra Dean                         Zone 6 (Vancouver Island – Central Coast)

                Gold                      Sage Hollands                    Zone 5 (Vancouver – Squamish) 

Female compound two-day aggregate

                Bronze                  Celia Browning                  Zone 6 (Vancouver Island – Central Coast)

                Silver                     Krista Pitney                       Zone 1 (Kootenays)

                Gold                      Darby Dean                        Zone 1 (Kootenays) 

15-year-old Celia Browning has a long bus trip back to Duncan on Vancouver Island, but she can pass the time admiring her bronze medal. The Zone 6 (Vancouver Island – Central Coast) archer enjoyed her experience noting that while the event was "lots of pressure" it was also "all fun and better competition." Browning took up the sport seven years ago, first using a recurve bow. She also spends her time playing field hockey and riding motorcycles. 

Medals are also awarded for head-to-head competition with the top four boys and girls as determined by their two-day aggregate score. The archers shot three arrows in each of four rounds. The largest crowd to date sat silently as the archers took aim at the small targets positioned 18 metres away. However, after the final arrows popped into the targets, the skill and poise of the athletes was roundly acknowledged with applause and cheers from the audience. 

Head-to-head competition results: 

Male barebow head-to-head

                Bronze                  Seth Logan                          Zone 8 (Cariboo – North East)

                Silver                     Joshua Yip                           Zone 5 (Vancouver – Squamish)

                Gold                      Tony Yueh                           Zone 5 (Vancouver – Squamish) 

Male recurve head-to-head

                Bronze                  Connor Wike                      Zone 5 (Vancouver – Squamish)

                Silver                     Keane Oates                      Zone 4 (Fraser River – Delta)

                Gold                      Coleman Willner               Zone 6 (Vancouver Island – Central Coast) 

Coleman Willner from Victoria was still somewhat dazed as he admired the two gold medals hanging around his neck. Representing Zone 6 (Vancouver Island – Central Coast), Willner won both the two-day aggregate and the head-to-head competition in the archery recurve category. He grinned as he listed the appeal of the event:  lots of great athletes; friendly people; and an excellent experience. 

Male compound head-to-head

                Bronze                  Graeme Black                    Zone 1 (Kootenays)

                Silver                     Logan Meier                       Zone 2 (Thompson –Okanagan)

                Gold                      Tony Procter                      Zone 8 (Cariboo – North East) 

The male compound category found Logan Meier vying for gold against Tony Procter. Meier, from nearby Coldstream, is part of the Zone 2 (Thompson –Okanagan) archery team. Procter represents Zone 8 (Cariboo – North East). 

Moments before the finals, Procter admitted that he was a "bit nervous today." He noted that the BC Winter Games has been a great experience and he enjoyed the chance to meet so many new people, include some from his hometown of Prince George.

After winning gold, Procter said that he was still "jittery" but that the nerves were finally going away. A true sportsman he complimented his competitor, Meier for shooting "amazingly". He hopes to see him at future events.

Archery 101 – What's a Butt?

By Alan Sherbinin

Photo - Nick SherbininArrows spiral across the room into targets pinned to 'butts' – foam and plastic filled padding – during the archery event at BC Winter Games in Vernon, B.C. Eager young athletes line the gymnasium at the Vernon Secondary School competing to find the elusive bull's eye.

19 girls participated in the 60 Arrow Round this morning; 25 boys – representing all eight Zones – competed in the afternoon under the same format. The gruelling event has each athlete shooting a total of 60 arrows. Three arrows are shot during each of 20 rounds. Scores accumulated over Friday and Saturday will determine those who will compete in Sunday's finals in three categories: barebow, recurve, and compound.

Barebow is the traditional style of bow – no sights or stabilizer to assist the archer. The recurve bow does use sights and a stabilizer. This type of bow is used for Olympic competitions. The compound bow also has sight and stabilizers, but is identifiable by its complex engineering o f wheels and the mechanical release. These types of bows can cost more than $1,000.

Gary Hornsberger, from Coquitlam, coaches the four girls and three boys who comprise the Zone 3 archery team. Hornsberger is proud of his 40 years of participation in the sport, especially his work with these young athletes. As he explains, with archery, "There is no offence; there is no defence. Archery teaches discipline and sportsmanship."

For the archers – aged 14 to 16 years – the mental aspect of the sport can be as demanding as the physical part. With the target 18 metres away, and with care to stand and shoot within an 80 cm area, a racing heart is a definite disadvantage. Nerves of steel are an asset – no ifs, ands, or butts!

Archery is Family Tradition

By Alan Sherbinin

Photo - Nick SherbininFor 14-year-old Jennifer Stern, archery is a family tradition. An all-night bus trip from her home in Prince George to Vernon for the BC Winter Games had some very familiar faces on board: her father Chris, and grandfather Ted.

Grandpa Ted Stern, who owns an archery pro shop in Prince George, is a certified provincial judge and level 2 provincial coach for the sport. He is volunteering as an official during the BC Winter Games. As such, he spends his time monitoring the archers, the time clock, and steps in to decide any close calls on the targets. Ted has been shooting arrows his entire life and taught his son Chris to enjoy the sport.

Chris is acting as a chaperone and supporter for the Zone 7 archers. He is proud of his daughter's ability and the lessons that archery teaches. Chris explains that "mental preparedness is a good educational tool."

Jennifer picked up the bow seven years ago and continues to compete and practise at least once a week. Her busy sports schedule also includes basketball, soccer, and hockey. Competition aside, Jennifer especially enjoys "all of the people that you meet". Jennifer sits fourth in the compound bow category after Friday's competition. She shoots again on Saturday hoping that her accumulated score will allow her to compete in Sunday's medal round.

Archery is a lifelong sport that all ages can enjoy. For the Sterns, it is clearly a family affair.

Jennifer smiles and explains, "I just want to make my Grandpa proud."

Zone 5 Archers in a Zone

By Alan Sherbinin

Photo - Nick SherbininCoach Chris Wike speaks proudly of his team of archers. The Zone 5 group (Vancouver-Squamish) is comprised of one female and four male athletes including Chris' son Connor. Coach Wike and his wife are long-time archers and, like many parents, supported their children's involvement.

Wike teaches the mechanics, but admits the sport is 90% mental. He notes that as such, archery can produce some unlikely athletes. He explains that archery is an "inclusive sport" that allows people of all abilities to participate.

One of the athletes is 15-year-old Josh Yip from Vancouver. When he not skiing the slopes of Cypress Mountain, he is practising archery – often three times per week. He picked up a bow five years ago and really enjoys the challenge and the camaraderie of his fellow archers. Yip notes that it is "the people that you meet" that makes the sport so attractive.