The Howard Bowmen
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The Howard Bowmen
Young Archers
My young person is interested in archery, how do I find out more?
As a non-traditional sport that draws inspiration from its historical origins, as well as more recently in films and video games, archery can offer a sense of adventure and excitement.
Whatever the motivation, The Howard Bowmen welcomes junior archers.
Many of your questions will be answered below, but please do not hesitate to contact the club’s committee or the junior representative (Anke Hendricks, ahe2309@gmail.com) for further information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please reach us at howardbowmen@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
The club requires a minimum age of 9 years old.
Completing a Beginner’s Course is a requirement for all new archers, where they will receive basic instruction in shooting technique, learn about different bow styles, and importantly, learn how to be safe.
If your young person is interested in exploring archery, please contact Mr L. Miles at l.miles@btinternet.com for information about a beginner’s course.
A parent or guardian is required to be present during the course.
All archers must become a club member to continue shooting at the club - This is a requirement to ensure Archery GB's insurance cover is in place .
Once they become members, it is recommended that new archers first begin shooting at the regular club evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6.00pm, and Sundays 1.00-3.00 pm, as these are the times that coaches are most often present.
Coaches are generally available at other times as well, but you'll almost always find them at the regular times above.
A parent or guardian is required to be present whenever the young archer is shooting.
The club requires that a parent or guardian accompanies the young archer and remains present for the duration of training or a competition, for safeguarding reasons.
The club will initially provide all equipment necessary; it is not advised that equipment be purchased prior to, or immediately after, taking up archery.
Club coaches will be very happy to advise on equipment.
The annual membership fee for a junior is £70 (2025) and includes the following benefits;
- Use of the club bows and arrows free of charge, until they wish to acquire their own.
- Coaching is also included and most often available at the regular club shooting times (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6.00pm, and Sundays 1.00-3.00 pm), as well as other ad-hoc times.
- Participation at club competitions and league events.
The cost of bows and arrows is very variable, and club coaches are always happy to advise when the time comes to think about having their own equipment.
Members of all ages meet on routine club evenings and on Sundays to practice shooting. Occasionally, the club organises special fun events for juniors, with the Halloween Shoot being once of the most popular!
A parent or guardian is required to be present whenever the young archer is shooting.
While shooting arrows with a bow has the potential for harm, safety is a priority and a core tenet of our club and Archery GB as a whole.
The club teaches and employs a set of safe practices, and strictly adheres to the Archery GB Rules of Shooting which are in place to ensure everyone’s safety.
Safety measures include rules around the number of people present when shooting is in progress, where archers and targets are positioned, signals co-ordinating shooting, and calm and attentive behaviour at the shooting line.
It is important that the young person can fully understand and follow instructions to ensure safety rules are adhered to.
Beginner archers at The Howard Bowmen will initially learn to shoot using the club’s "olympic style" recurve bows.
Other bow styles shot at the club include the following;
Asiatic
American Flatbow
Barebow
Compound
Longbow
With time and experience, junior archers may develop an interest in the other bow types and we have members and coaches who shoot a variety of different bows and will be happy to advise.