2017-09-12Staff Report 2 Staff Reporter Windhoek-The range was set up on Friday with gazebos to shade the archers and on match day parents brought umbrellas and chairs along to enjoy a fun-filled occasion with their children with a total of 114 archers from 17 schools/organizations shooting three bull’s eye rounds and two 3D animal rounds. The festive event commenced with the playing of the national anthem and the hoisting of the Namibian flag before the first arrow was unleashed. To accommodate the many archers working under testing time constraints, the archers were split into three groups and while one group shot at the traditional colourful round ring target faces, another group shot at the 3D targets with the third group resting.To run two ranges simultaneously many basic archery instructors (BAIs) are needed, as safety is always first priority in NASP. As a result, every hour the groups rotated with the scores frantically awaiting. After many hours in searing heat, archers ranging from grade 4 to grade 12 witnessed the first ever adult archery group (AAG) shoot that saw a total of 32 parents and archery instructors shooting under the same conditions as archers. The last arrow was drawn as archers put away all their equipment - bows, arrows, quivers while they cleaned up the premises at the makeshift office and the scores were processed for the prize-giving ceremony.Each archer received a participation certificate with the overall winners in their respective categories (first and second runners-up) also receiving medals and floating trophies. The highlight of the prize-giving ceremony was the handing over of the specially customized bows for archers in both the girls and boys categories - courtesy of NASP Inc and Roy Grimes, the founder of NASP. In the meantime, the organizing committee of the Namibia Archery Association (NAA) has expressed satisfaction with the results obtained at national archery in the school programme and remain hopeful for an even brighter future for local archers ahead of Namibia’s participation at the All Africa All-Star Championship at Hartebeespoort Dam, South Africa next April. A total of 32 archers lined up for the prestigious gathering and used the competition as preparation for the upcoming All Nation All-Star World Championship in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in July next year.Sixteen of Namibia’s leading archers were in action while parents ran the kiosk and the “braai wagon” to make sure no one was hungry or thirsty during proceedings. “We would like to extend a big thank you to the parents who manned the stalls during the event, often denying themselves a chance to watch their own children shooting. Let us also take this opportunity to extend a vote of thanks to esteemed principal sponsors Prime Press, Afro Pumps, Butt Archery Suppliers, Danie Louw and Q Kruge,” reads a statement from the event organizers. 2017-09-12Staff Report 2
