Beginners

Course Requirements

The one safety rule on clothing is that open-toe sandals, thongs or bare feet are not allowed, as arrows that may be lodged in the grass can injure your toes or feet if walked into.

Generally clothing should be close fitting and not too bulky around the chest and arms so as not to get caught in the bowstring. Similarly, jewellery such as long ear-rings, cheek or lip or nose piercing, necklaces and arm bangles may need to be removed for safety reasons, as well as long hair may need to be tied back. Camouflaged clothing must not be worn at any time while attending the archery grounds.

In sunny weather, a suitable soft-brimmed hat and sunscreen lotion is required. The drinking of any alcohol prior to or during shooting is strictly not allowed.

Smoking is totally prohibited on the grounds at all times. GSA is a Drug and alcohol free zone.

Please switch mobile phones off or at least put into silent mode, so as not to disturb the lesson and other Club Members. If a mobile phone needs to be answered, please do so well away from the shooting line, so as not to disturb other people's concentration.

If any person has a medical condition that requires medication or has any allergies to food, plants or insects, they should advise the Coach prior to the course starting, so that medical care can be given in case of an emergency.

SPECIAL CLUB MEMBERSHIP DEALs

The club is offering discounted membership fees for the first 12 months to those beginners who decide to join before 8 weeks of their Temporary Player period has elapsed. After week 8, the normal fees shall apply. Please see the club treasurer for details.

All fees cover the club, Archery SA and Archery Australia components.

The discount offer does not apply to shooting fees.

GENERAL NOTES

Shooting fees are payable after the 4 week Beginners’ Course is completed, please refer to the Membership page for a schedule of fees. Please sign the attendance sheet and deposit money in the envelopes provided in the letter box adjacent to the sign on sheet.

Shooting fees paid on a Saturday allow members to shoot for the remainder of that week ie until and including the following Friday, as often as you want but you will need to arrange for access with a regular club member.

Temporary Players are required to make a decision as to whether or not to join the club by the end of the 8 week period. After 8 weeks the insurance is null and void and players are not allowed to shoot. The Temporary Player membership cannot be extended or renewed.

Beginners Course

Beginners Courses are run commencing in March and October each year. The next scheduled courses are:

March 2025 - 8 positions available
July 2025 - 12 positions available

Please refer to the Club calendar for the exact dates of the next course. To participate in a beginners course please complete the Beginners Course Application Form and either returned it with the non-refundable booking fee of $20 to the Club's postal address or email the completed form to the Training Officer and pay the booking fee via direct deposit.

INTRODUCTION

Courses on how to shoot a bow are open to anyone who wishes to learn. No matter what age or ability, everyone can learn as long as they have the strength to fully draw a light poundage bow (15 lbs). We have children as young as 10 years old, boys and girls, and adults well into late retirement years, who all participate in the sport, either socially for exercise or competitively for awards. It can be a sport for the whole family to enjoy together. In this sport we have wheelchair bound persons competing along side able-bodied archers.

We prefer to teach children who are at least 10 years old. It is a requirement that at least one parent or guardian accompanies their children if under 16 years of age for all the lessons.

Everyone attending is fully covered by Archery Australia's public liability insurance policy for the duration of the course up to a maximum of 8 weeks from date of commencement of the course.

Beginners courses are conducted on an "as required" basis. Each course consists of 4 sessions of approximately 2 hours each from 12 noon to 2:00 pm. Then you may join the scheduled club shoots for a further 4 weeks. All reservations for places in the courses will be entered into a booking list on a first come, first serve basis. Cancellations will be offered to each person, in order of bookings received, until all places are filled. There is a maximum of 12 people per course.

COURSE LOCATION AND FACILITIES

The Beginners Course is located at the Archery Park, Forrest Road, at Strathalbyn. If you wish to park your car in the shade of the trees, please beware of possible risk of falling branches from these trees, cars parked at your own risk. Please use caution and drive slowly at a walking pace on entering the grounds, as there may be children playing in the vicinity.

Please GIVE-WAY to cars entering through the gate, as it is only one-lane traffic into and out of the club grounds.

Everyone attending the course (if under 16 with parent or guardian) should meet the Coach/s at the club shed to complete all forms. The shed is used for Club Members and Visitors; all must sign-in the attendance book before entry on to the archery ranges. The attendance book must be signed by all when attending the club grounds by all parents / guardians even if for a short visit.

We have a disabled toilet located at the club grounds.

There is a small canteen for your convenience. Please bring change as we may not have change on hand.

The archery ranges are open field areas, so there is little shade available on the shooting line during the lesson; please wear a hat, use sunscreen and bring drinking water.

At least one parent or guardian of children under 16 years old is required to stay in attendance at all times.

COURSE DURATION

The Beginners Course runs for 4 Saturday afternoons(as on booking form) starting at 12:00 noon and finishing about 2:00 pm. Please turn up 30 minutes prior to starting time to get equipment set up.

Please refer to the calendar on the Home page for course dates.

At the first lesson of the Course we require insurance cover forms to be completed and receipts will be issued for fees paid. Please be at the ground at 11.30 am for the first lesson to ensure the paperwork is completed on time. There is a ten-minute break at approximately 12.50 pm. Cold drinks, tea, and coffee and snacks are available for purchase.

If the weather is very windy or it is raining constantly then that days lesson may be postponed. If it is extremely hot (Strathalbyn morning temperature is over 36 degrees), then that day's lesson will be postponed. If the Coach decides to postpone the lesson, each person enrolled in the course will be advised by phone or email the evening prior to the lesson if possible. Any participant who misses a lesson in the first 4 weeks for any other reason (than being officially called off) will need to discuss this matter with the coaches to make other arrangements; there may be an additional cost to you for an extension or transferred to the next available course.

Fees and bookings

The Course Fee is $90 per person. This includes equipment hire, coaching and insurance cover for 8 weeks, and Target Fees for the first 4 weeks only. You become a Temporary Member of Great Southern Archers for the 8 week period (note: a temporary member has no club rights).

Fees and dates of course may change without notice.

Due to Public Liability Insurance requirements every person, including accompanying guardians, on the Club grounds must sign the attendance book, and all non-member archers must sign a Temporary Player Form to be covered by the insurance policy. These forms will be available at the first day of the course.

Completed Beginners Course Booking Form is to be returned by mail to our postal address at: Beginners Course, Great Southern Archers, P.O. Box 289, Strathalbyn. SA. 5255.

We will require a contact name (parent or guardian), postal address and or e-mail address, contact phone number, name/s of person/s attending and their age/s (if under 18 a parent or guardian must fill out and sign all forms prior to or on the first day of the course).

Course Details

During the training our qualified coaches will teach you how to safely shoot a recurve bow, about safety, and maintenance of equipment. Other types of bows - Longbows and Compound Bows - will be demonstrated during the third week.

Week 1, 12 noon to 2 pm (insurance and equipment hire included):

eye dominance for each person will be checked. (eye dominance controls aiming)
each person will be given a suitable size & strength bow, matching set of arrows, arm guard and finger tab and a ground quiver
the basic safety rules
bow parts and their names
arrow parts and their names
the basic steps of how to shoot a bow
archery warm-up exercises shooting will be on a blank target butt at a distance of 10 metres

Week 2, 12 noon to 2 pm (insurance and equipment hire included):

how to string a bow
string alignment
concentration
back tension, shoulder muscles and bow arm rotation
grouping of arrows and sight adjustments
shooting practice will remain at a distance of 10 metres

Week 3, 12 noon to 2 pm (insurance and equipment hire included):

shooting practice will concentrate on the finer points of each persons shooting form
sights can be fitted to the bow if you wish to try them
how to score arrows
types of bows
shooting practice will be at a distance of 15 metres, with the use of a target face. Distances will vary due to the ability of the archer.

Week 4, 12 noon to 2 pm (insurance and equipment hire included):

Shooting practice will move to a distance of 20 metres. Distances will vary due to the ability of the archer.
how to select the right bow and arrows for you
the care and maintenance of archery equipment
a short competition including scoring of 5 ends of arrows may be shot
for those successfully completing the course will receive a certificate
a BBQ lunch is provided to get to know members

Course lessons may vary at times.

All courses are fully supervised by registered Archery Coaches.

Weeks 5 to 8, Participation in Club Shoot. Standard shoot times are 10am and 1pm and you should arrive 30 minutes early to check in.

Club Target Fee applies for Seniors and Juniors. Insurance and equipment hire is included in Course costs.

At the termination of the course each person will be invited to join the Club as a member and may continue to use the Club's equipment with a hire fee for the equipment of $10.00 per day + target fees.

For new members wishing to buy their own archery equipment, the Coach and other club members are available for advice. Please do not buy any archery equipment prior to the course, as it may not suit your needs.

All archery equipment will be supplied for the course.