Think of archery and you’ll be forgiven for conjuring images of Kevin Costner splitting an arrow as Robin Hood, Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen bossing it in the Hunger Games, or even William Tell shooting an apple off a boy’s head.
While those scenes may make great cinema, they’ve also helped to create some long stubborn myths about the sport. Some that may even put people off before they’ve picked up a bow.
And so, with the help of GB rising star archer Molly Linfield and Newark Castle Archers coach Mandie Elson, it’s time we put to bed archery’s many urban myths…
It’s a dangerous sport
Far from being a free-for-all with sharp arrows falling out of the sky, archery has one of the most controlled safety environments in sport. Every range has a field captain in charge of the whistle commands, and shooting only happens under strict supervision. Whether it’s Olympic recurve or kids’ soft archery, the same disciplined structure applies.
“The first thing people say is, ‘Oh my God, that’s dangerous.’ And you’re like, we’re probably one of the safest sports in the entire sporting community because of all the safety rules and regulations that we have,” reassures Mandie. “I think people straight away think bow and arrow, and they can shoot it anywhere — and obviously you can’t. So it’s about educating people that actually archery is very safe, and we follow lots and lots of procedures to keep it that way.”
Anyone can shoot any bow
If you’re new to archery, you’ll soon realise that bows aren’t one-size-fits-all. Each one is tuned to the archer’s draw length, strength, and style. Picking up a bow that’s too heavy or incorrectly set can be frustrating at best and unsafe at worst. That’s why beginners always start with equipment suited to them, then progress as their strength and technique improve. “Every archer has a bow that’s set to them, fit to their weight, height, strength, and preferences,” says Mandie.
It’s easy to hit the bullseye
“That’s the laugh of the day,” giggles Mandie. “It’s a bit like footballers saying every time they kick the ball, it’s going in the goal. It takes a lot of practice and time, and even then you won’t get it every time.”
Mandie describes how even the best archers in the world don’t score a bullseye every shot. Archery is about consistency over hundreds, sometimes thousands, of arrows. Hitting gold once is satisfying; hitting it regularly is the result of years of disciplined training. “Look at our elite archers. They don’t necessarily hit the gold every single time.”
It’s only for adults
Archery can be adapted for almost any age. Soft archery uses suction-cup arrows and smaller bows, allowing children as young as four to learn the basics in a safe, engaging way. At the other end of the spectrum, as Mandies says, there are competitive archers in their eighties still shooting strong.
“Generally at clubs, it’s from eight up to whatever. We have a member who’s 83 years young, very fit and healthy. For juniors, in Archery GB, it’s eight, but it’s left to the club’s discretion. I’ve taught and shown archery to children as young as four and five years old through soft archery. We treat it exactly the same as if they were going to a beginners’ course or a club. The rules, the setup, the field captain – everything is the same.”
It’s more of a casual hobby than a serious sport
It’s true that thousands of people enjoy archery in a relaxing and informal manner, but this is not the only way to engage with the sport. For those who want to take it up a notch, there are many ways into competitive and elite archery, as 18-year-old star archer Holly Linfield attests.
“I wish when I’d first started out that it was more transparent. I think there’s so much potential in young archers that don’t know anything about the pathway and would love the opportunity to progress. As a kid I did a lot of local, low-level comps, but it wasn’t until after lockdown that I found a coach that was able to show me the route onto the pathway. This then enabled me to work my way up onto squad and gave me more of a clear progression.
“I would tell someone wanting to start archery that it is what you make it. Anyone can do it, it’s a very inclusive sport and you can do it for a bit of fun, or you can be competitive in it, so there’s really nothing stopping you.”
The sport is outdated and old-fashioned
Archery isn’t just about standing on a field shooting at a target face. From 3D archery in woodland settings to run archery (a cross-country race with shooting stations) and even the dodgeball-inspired Archery Tag, the sport has evolved into a huge variety of formats. Whether you want to play, compete, or just socialise, there’s a modern version for you.
“There’s a whole world of archery out there that could suit lots of different types,” says Mandie. “Which people don’t appreciate and realise is out there.”
