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On a pleasantly warm evening I made my way down the A45 to the King Henry VIII playing fields to join Coventry Archery Club as they held one of their club nights, and to find out more about this ancient, yet intriguing sport. Several people, young and old, were present and there was a relaxed, friendly atmosphere into which I was immediately welcomed.

After shooting some footage of the archers, I put my camera away and was invited to take part in a different kind of shooting. A bow and arrow was thrust into my hand and I got prepared to have a go myself. A very brief course in how to shoot ensued and pretty soon I was strapped up with the appropriate equipment and ready to go. I tensed my arm, pulled the arrow back, as instructed, so that the string of the bow rested on my chin, released, and… missed the target. And again. The third time though I could have been mistaken for the Prince of Thieves himself as my arrow hit the target with a resounding thud and I looked excitedly to my instructor who nodded his approval.

Getting some tips from the expert

Archers require skill, technique, strength and immense concentration, but the satisfaction of hitting the target and especially when you’ve hit the middle with a really sweet shot makes it all worth it. The archers at the club agreed that it was this simple enjoyment of hitting a target with a bow and arrow that got them hooked to archery in the first place.

Gordon shows how it's done

Secretary of Coventry Archery Club, Gordon Jones, also puts the attraction of the sport down to its history and the feeling of it being a practice that harks back to a simpler time. With paintball and laser tag regarded as popular modern past-times, there’s clearly still a place for sports that are based around shooting a target, and archery is the original shooting sport. To see what Gordon had to say about why archery is a sport for everyone click on the video link.

Coventry Archery Club shoot on a Tuesday and Friday night, so if you do fancy a change from the overcrowded paintball venues or need a new way of releasing some energy after a frustrating day, why not get yourself down to the playing fields and try your hand at archery? It’s exciting, fun and different from anything else you would have tried. And after all, you can’t save a damsel in distress with a paintball gun…