Back at the end of October, Stowe Archers was proud to host an S3DA Basic Coaching Certification. We had Frank McDonough (PA Regional Coordinator) come out and certify four instructors (2 from Stowe Archers and 2 from LLB S3DA).
The practical portion of the class was excellent and I personally learned a lot about coaching positions and things to look out for. Since then, Stowe Archers has rolled out an S3DA Program with Mike Schelpf as the Head Coach and myself as an Assistant Coach.
We started out strong with 8 Kids participating. Unfortunately, once payment came due, that number dropped down to 5 kids. Even so, things have been going extremely well. It is incredible to see how much each young archer has improved in a short period of time.
Since taking that initial S3DA Coaching Certification, I’ve also become a USA Archery Level 2 Instructor. My goal is to be capable of taking over as Head Coach in the event that something happens with Mike. My biggest challenge so far has been stepping in front of a group of kids and teaching technique – talking through the process.
Oddly enough, I feel completely comfortable working with kids on a one on one basis. The Stage Fright goes away and I feel more confident explaining something in detail without thinking to myself “Dear God – I feel like I’m babbling and their eyes are glazing over!”
We are currently on Holiday Break and will return to regular practice on January 8th. Over the course of the next few months, I’d really like to see the team grow by at least a couple of kids. I’m looking forward to moving outside and shooting both Outdoor 3D and Field Archery (Field is probably my favorite type of Archery).
Our focus up to this point has been teaching technique during the first 20 minutes of practice then dragging out 3D Animals and having fun. After the holiday break, I think we will be ready to start keeping score and working on both Indoor 3D Tournaments and Spot Shooting.
Looking for More on Archery
WaltInPA has launched a new Archery Website entitled Archery Compass
. We aim to be a source of information to archers of all ages and experience levels, and we would love it if you would take a minute to check it out!
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