Archery Safety Rules

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.

ALWAYS listen to the coach

Campers must remain with the counselors while fellow campers are shooting at all times
NEVER point a bow and arrow at another person
NEVER shoot an arrow straight up into the air
Always know your target and beyond
NEVER cross the line w/out the coachs permission
DO NOT retrieve your arrows w/out the coachs permission

Archery Skills
**adjust for the age of the campers
**time and the number of kids determine how many arrows each camper shoots at a time.
**for the littlest camper you and counselors will need to help them pull the string back
**use the counselors to your benefit in controlling the class and making everything safe and
efficient
EQUIPMENT
a. bow
b. arrow
c. bow string
e. target

BODY POSITIONING/STANCE
a. feet shoulder width apart
b. turn head to look down field
c. keep body square
d. rt handed/lft handed stance

AIMING
a. bring arrow to eye level
b. use one eye
c. adjust for distance
d. pull back to your ear
e. steady pull and release

LOADING BOW/FINGER PLACEMENT

a. emphasize dont point at anyone
b. turn bow horizontal
c. load arrow on top/click it on the string
d. bunny ear fingers
e. fingers split the arrow
f. load arrow w/dominant hand

LONG RANGE
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

dont make it too long

adjust for distance as shooting
talk about arc
need enough power
work on accuracy

SHORT RANGE
a. work on accuracy
b. adjust for distance
c. power

**be overly enthusiastic and crazy and the kids will take a real liking to you.
Creative Ideas
a. Championship Series of Archery: take top shooter from each group of 4 and bring them back
for one last round
b. Draw clown faces or other art on poster boards w/points allotted for hitting different parts
c. Bring soda cans or two-liters and have those as targets (be sure to shakeem well)
d. Highest point contest
e. Bring balloons to blow up and fasten them to the targets to shoot at
f. Shoot at fruit (apples, watermelons, grapefruit, etc)
g. Find different things to shoot at but, remember the perception parents when a child tells them
what they shot at today
h. FOR 2 OLDEST GROUPS: get about 10 tennis balls and group them together. Put a large
rope circle around the group of tennis balls and have campers shoot at the tennis balls to knock

them out of the circle. Remember to shoot from a safe distance away. Use hay bails or targets
as a backstop for the arrows.
i. camper vs. counselor/coach shoot off

**These are just a few skills that can be done; however, be creative and think of other ways
to teach the skills**