With the anticipated influx of competitors it’s no surprise that the demand for Basic Archery Instructors is on the rise.
ARCHERS all around the country are honing their skills in anticipation of the National Archery Championships that will be taking place in Kimberley next year.
And with the anticipated influx of competitors it’s no surprise that the demand for Basic Archery Instructors (BAI) is on the rise. To that end, Africa Genesis Archery Northern Cape (AGA-NC) is positioning itself to meet the demand for BAIs. These instructors will serve as range officials during the championships, which is expected to attract thousands of top archers and their supporters to the Diamond City.
AGA-NC’s Administrative Coordinator, Dawid de Greeff, emphasised the crucial role played by BAIs in ensuring a safe environment for archers to train and compete.
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Recently, Dawid became the first BAI Trainer (BAIT) in the Northern Cape after completing a course presented by AGA-SA President Fred Birkenstock and CEO Wilhelm Greeff in Centurion, Gauteng.
This qualification for someone local is especially significant because volunteers can now receive their BAI training locally at a much lower cost compared to travelling to other provinces for training.
The BAI training is an intensive one-day course that covers all aspects of archery, both theoretical and practical, and has contributed to archery being one of the safest sports globally, thanks to the effective rules and guidelines that have been put in place.
De Greeff notes that many parents and even grandparents serve as BAIs. Lizette Marais, the latest member of the Adventure Archery Club to qualify as a BAI, is a testament to this fact. Her granddaughter, Lily Heuwel, has consistently ranked among the top three archers in her category in several competitions, including the 2022 National Archery Championships held in Paarl, Western Cape.
Dawid and Lizette represented the Northern Cape at the recent BAIT training course in Centurion, where 13 new BAITs and 9 BAIs were trained.
The other good news is that anyone aged 16 or older can complete their BAI training. After a year’s experience as a BAI, including a minimum number of hours assisting on the range during competitions, one can qualify for training as a BAIT.
The next BAI training will be held on May 5, in Kimberley, and registration for the course is now open.
Interested individuals can contact Dawid at 073 030 2909 or [email protected] for more information.
