Hunger for archery on the rise

Practising during a club shoot at Chingford Park on Saturday are (from right) Dunedin Archery...
Practising during a club shoot at Chingford Park on Saturday are (from right) Dunedin Archery Club president Dave Solomon and members Karleen and Alec Findlater. The club has seen an increase in interest since the release of The Hunger Games movie. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Dunedin Archery Club president Dave Solomon may not know much about The Hunger Games movie, but he is well aware of the impact it is having on his group.

Since the release of the movie, in which teenage heroine Katniss Everdeen uses her knowledge of hunting and archery in her battle for survival, there has been a "rush" of hits on the club's website and learners courses are booked solid through to October.

The five-week courses had places for six learners and Mr Solomon said the high interest was unusual.

It was not the first time a movie had sparked interest in the sport, though.

The Lord of the Rings had a similar effect on participant numbers, along with publicity from the Commonwealth Games.

The club had 40 members, 10 of whom actively competed in tournaments, and he hoped those taking part in the learners courses would help swell numbers.

"Keeping the interest up is a big thing. It's a minority sport and we are always fighting for a wee bit of exposure."

However, while increased interest was positive, it also stretched the limited resources the club had.

"We are at saturation point. This all adds to the pressure of needing space and time to shoot," Mr Solomon said.

The clubrooms, at Chingford Park, were too small for all members to use.

Three high school groups trained in the clubrooms, but because space was so limited, each group was able to practise only once every three weeks.

Space restrictions also made it difficult for inside shooters during winter, so the club was on the lookout for a suitable space to hire during the cooler months.

- ellie.constantine@odt.co.nz

 

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