and suitable coaching ratios • Safeguarding course • OSCB course is cheap, regular and good • Max 1:12 with all age groups, if alone prefer 1:8 • Can go as high as 1:20 with one coach and one suitable education professional
afraid to exclude children temporarily • "Bows down sit down" • Make sure to explain WHY what they just did is a problem • Reassure and praise other children, especially those who had bows in hand and followed a "FAST" correctly
olds • Start from 6 years old, or near there • Younger children struggle to have the concentration • Also can be too small physically - most 4-5 year olds don't have long enough arms to get even the shortest jelly bow to shoot straight
buying a quiver • Overlong arrows (3-4" out the front of the bow is good initially) • Bosses on floor where possible • Expect bouncers, so minimum 6m distance
progression is very motivating • Progress awards are common in most sports and kids & parents LOVE them • School achievement assemblies • Certificates • Frustration!
normal height • 115 from 15s (average 23 per end) • Set-setup movement • Understand proper scoring • "This is the first grown up badge, it's hard" • Serious achievement for U10s • ~ 250 Portsmouth
before age 16 • Core is super important! • Be cautious of poundage increases as they grow - don't be afraid to go down in weight • Bones, muscles, tendons
archers • Critical mass of children is important for social cohesion • Families often like to shoot together (but it isn't always good for them) • ALL THE HORMONES
about 14-16yo, then tend to lose interest (or want to be shooting grown up rounds) • Portsmouth/half portsmouth badges • Classifications • Roses & English crosses
normal height • 115 from 15s (average 23 per end) • Set-setup movement • Understand proper scoring • "This is the first grown up badge, it's hard" • ~ 250 Portsmouth
explain the awards schemes • Ask them to do things • Explain yourself - if they're trying to help and aren't, explain why and what they can do to be more helpful • Tell them if their kids are good!
Keep it about the sport only • Prefer recorded comms (i.e. not Snapchat) • Make sure parents are aware • Shared WhatsApp where parents are also included is good for younger kids
Dedicated sessions are essential • Ensure sufficiently staffed so that parents aren't required to stay • Don't isolate the secondary age children out of adult environments
Equivalent cost of ~£5-7 per session is typical of primary age sports clubs • Must be AGB members after 6 sessions, even at 6yo • They LOVE the card and magazines
most things are term time only • Special events for the summer • Professional, specialised coaching is important especially at primary age, don't be afraid to pay people
them going to the same events • Don't be afraid to "select a team", it prevents a lot of self- selection out of the process • Where possible, make sure a coach attends