Harlequin Bowmen

Beginners Course

Beginners courses are held from the beginning of April to mid-August only
The current cost of a course is £30.00. There is no discount for children.
Children younger than 8 years are not normally accepted ona course due to their small size. Occaisionally slightly older children may also be asked to wait another year or two for the same reason. If in doubnt, please visit on a club evening to discuss the situation with a coach.
Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. It is not neccessary for this person to also undergo the course, but they must reamin at the venue whnever the child is present.
Do not purchase any specialised equipment prior to the start of the course. All neccessary equipment will be provided for the duration of the course.
Courses consist of four sessions. The first session run from 0900 to 1200 on a Saturday, with the remaining sessions on Tuesday evenings from 1700 till dusk. Attendace on Tuesdays does not have to be for the whole indicated time period.
The above times and days are not absolute, and allowances can sometimes be made to suit an individual's availability.
Courses do not commence every Saturday. Theya re arranged according to coach and beginner availability.
After the first session, attendance need not be on consecutive Tuesday evenings. This allows for postponements due to bad weather or immovable personal commitments. A note is kept of each attendance date to esnure delivery of four sessions in total.
The first session will normally have between one and four beginners per coach. The number is kept low to maximise interaction between the beginner and the coach. There are normally no other archer presents. On Tuesday evenings, the beginners will be on the field with other members of the club, and will still receive coaching, but at a less intensive level as the coaches will be looking after additional people.
Clothing: Please wear footwear suitable for the weather. trainers are fine except after recent rain, as the field can become waterlogged. On the top half of the body, please wear 'close-fitting' clothing. Tight clothing can restrict movement, while very loose or bulky clothing can foul the bowstring. Also please avoid wearing clothing with drawstrings arounf the neck.
Jewellry: Please keep this to a minimum. Large items can foul the bowstring. Facila piercings, except stud earrings, must be removed prior to shooting.
On completion of the course, you must decide whether you wish to continue with the sport. If you do, you must become a member of the club and pay the annual membership fees and normal shooting fees. Asa a member, coaching will still continue and after another few weeks, you will be advised on the equipment you need to obtain.
Contact Mick Tappen, Coaching Officer, at beginners@harlequinbowmen.org.uk or on 01235 202500 to arrange a course. If you wish to visit the club first to see what archery is all about, please just turn up on a club session and ask for Mick, Chris or Lynn.