Archers shooting for club growth

DID you know Ballarat is a key thread in the fabric of Australian archery history?

Wendouree Archery Club is the longest continually running archery club in the country and launched as Ballarat Archers in 1941.

With about 70 members, from children to adults, the group has an all-weather shooting strip at Prince of Wales Park.

Neil Nickless got into the sport alongside his son in 2006, then became an accredited coach, and is now president, aiming to promote the game.

He said the club is a social one which also offers high-performance pathways.

“We’d like to boost involvement, so we welcome anyone to come up for a chat and a try, but we also want to see new competitive archers go on to become state and national champions,” Nickless said.

“Some of our recent archers have gone very well. We have national champs, and former national champs in the club, and national record holders as well.

“One of our young ladies, Tazmin Forrest, became Australian champ in compound.”

When it comes to accessibility and inclusivity, Nickless said archery is right on target.

“It’s a one-off sport, because all generations can shoot together,” he said. “We’ve had grandparents, their children and grandchildren all shooting together on the strip.

“Our club loves introducing people to the sport, showing them how to shoot and helping them improve.”

Wendouree Archery Club hosts come-and-try mornings each Saturday from 10am, where new archers can simply turn up, get registered, have a safety briefing, and learn how to shoot with a coach’s support.

All equipment is supplied, but those attending are required to wear closed-toe shoes. The club can also cater to social group bookings.

The committee has an aim to improve their facilities into the future, and are in talks with City of Ballarat staff on gaining access to an indoor facility nearby.