GUIDANCE from a former GB compound archer and plenty of quality equipment meant I had all the ingredients for success in this week’s Tryout Thursday – but would it end up panning out that way?
Over a year on from testing my mettle with Island Games medallist Heath Perrett, I returned to the targets of the Jersey Archery Society at Crabbé to give it a proper go, under the tutelage of Lucy O’Sullivan.
Glancing at the Jersey archery ace’s list of accolades tells you there is no better person to walk you through the sport.
Whether it is her two World Cup Stage silver medals, two World Championship medals or her appearance at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, O’Sullivan has reached some of the sport’s biggest events.
But O’Sullivan’s abilities extend far beyond her talent on the range. Her enthusiasm for the sport is unmatched and gives instant encouragement to anyone thinking about giving it a go.
“Archery’s been so good for me, mentally and physically,” she said. “For instance, just thinking about standing straight and making a nice T-pose with your body has been amazing for my posture.
“Mentally, it’s been really good for me, because it gives me a clear, calm focus. We’re out here in nature, it’s relaxing and I absolutely love it.
“I don’t know why, but archery is one of those sports that people are really drawn to. Whenever it’s mentioned, you always hear, ‘I’ve always wanted to try that’.
“It is pretty much the oldest sport in human existence and it’s changed my life, so I always encourage people to go up to the clubs and try it for themselves.”
Archery may appear easy to the uninitiated, but it is a lot harder than it looks.
With all the positioning and technique, it’s a sport that takes time to get used to.
I certainly learned this for myself – the first few arrows I shot were pretty dire.
Thrown into the deep end to shoot facing a smaller competition target, I did not rise instantly to the challenge – some of my shots missed the board completely and landed in the bank behind.
That was where O’Sullivan’s expertise came into play.
With each round of shots, she was happy to step in, explain her observations and make small tweaks to a variety of elements, ranging from posture to aiming down the sights.
Armed with that support, I made little bits of progress with each round and, before I knew it, I was consistently hitting the target – and was sometimes even on the bullseye.
With each bit of progress I was making, I was getting even more hooked to see how good I could be.
I’d caught the bug and, near the end, O’Sullivan was setting targets for me to hit, as well as attaching balloons all around the target, which was definitely the highlight.
I cannot stress enough just how satisfying it was to hit the balloons and I managed to clear the entire supply – I could not get enough.
After a couple of hours, to my great surprise, I’d made so much progress O’Sullivan was genuinely impressed, which was definitely a bit of an ego boost.
I may have only been shooting from 10m away – compared with competitors who shoot from distances such as 70m – but I was floored to see how far I’d come.
A huge benefit to learning archery in Jersey is the immense class you get to shoot alongside.
No matter your standard or experience, you will always find yourself shooting shoulder to shoulder with Commonwealth Games athletes and Island Games medallists.
Just look at my experience here – I had Lucy O’Sullivan coaching me on one side and Island Games medallist Francis Rocha shooting on the other.
Being surrounded by such quality definitely helps and, as they’re all so friendly and eager to offer their support, it is not long before you start improving.
Fortunately, it is incredibly easy to get started. O’Sullivan explained: “I always encourage people to go up to one of the clubs here in Jersey, either the Jersey Archery Society – of which I’m a member – or the Archers of Jersey. Both hold have-a-go weeks, and you’ll begin with a six-week course.
“There, they run you through all the basics, from safety and setting up the bow, to finding your eye dominance, proper warm-ups and all the elements which go into shooting the bow. By the end of the six weeks, you’ll be entirely proficient and you can become a club member.
“If you’re really keen and itching to get out on the range, you can always go to Creepy Valley, pick up a bow and have a go. I always recommend that people go down there and give it a try, then do the six-week course.”
When asked why people should try archery, O’Sullivan said: “Archery really does give you mental clarity and calmness. It’s a bit like yoga – it’s great for getting away from screens and noise.
“What’s brilliant about archery is that it’s accessible to everyone. No matter your height, shape or ability, archery is a sport for everyone – there are even disabled archers out there who do it with their feet.
“Anyone can, so definitely go out there and try it.”
Archery clubs in Jersey
Jersey Archery Society: jas.membership1955@gmail.com
Archers of Jersey: archersofjersey@gmail.com
