How archery is experiencing a rebirth
“It’s like golf with guns!” exclaimed my 13-year-old Jack, describing why he loves archery club in school. Twice a month, he learns how to shoot at targets using a variety of bows and arrows. Even with poor vision (he’s worn glasses since he was 4), he seems to be doing well; he nailed enough bullseyes to win a free training session with the club’s coaches at Southern Archers (Soar).
Soar runs archery classes at the Palms Country Club Alabang and the AGC Lifestyle Center in Versailles, Daang Hari, Las Piñas. We visited the latter, a spartan setup at the side parking lot with tents and targets. Classes are held on Saturdays and Sundays from 4 p.m. onward.
“Many don’t realize that we don’t care if you hit the bullseye,” said Rotary Club Alabang president Alvin Gilladoga. “If I gave you 20 arrows, you’re bound to hit the center somehow. It’s meaningless. It’s the form we’re after.”
Hmm. Doesn’t form follow function? He explained that as you perfect your form, shooting the bullseye will be effortless. True enough, I saw Gilladoga, 51, use his compound bow to shoot multiple arrows at the farthest, smallest off-center target, all hitting the mark.
Fifteen years ago, Gilladoga was into clay shooting and many of his co-hobbyists were also into archery. “Peer pressure and curiosity got the best of me, and it was cool,” he said.
Instagrammable
Gilladoga has been actively involved in Soar as the club’s relations officer since 2020.
Soar founding president Edward Lamberte said that while archery can be traced as far back as the tribes in many countries, including the Philippines, it was confined to an Olympic sport, and getting into it was challenging because access to ranges and equipment was scarce.
“When we started, there weren’t many archers south of Manila, let alone venues or tournaments,” he said. But due to social media (shooting an arrow is so Instagrammable), shows depicting archers (Legolas, Merida, Hawkeye, Katniss, Daryl Dixon) and easier access to gear online, archery is experiencing a rebirth.
A friend introduced archery to Lamberte. “Coming from a practical shooting background, the sport challenged me because of the complexity and the physical and mental requirements to become good at it, especially at a competitive level,” he said.
In 2018, after a lot of backyard shooting, Lamberte entered a tournament. He also joined the Philippine Barebow Archers Association, where he saw how few the members were from southern Manila. He established Soar in 2019 with other enthusiasts to promote the sport by bringing archery to schools, offices and social media. Soar holds tournaments for recreational and pro-archers in public places to boost awareness.
In archery, various divisions use slightly different setups of bows, and Soar strives to introduce each type to their students to see which suits them best. Gilladoga explained that the three most common kinds of bows are the recurve (a stick, string and sighting instrument), compound (mechanically assisted with pulleys, magnified sights and trigger release aids; it demands even more precision and accuracy) and barebow (a stick and a string without sights). Each bow has sizes or specifications to suit anyone.
The student’s goal determines what bow Soar would recommend them to use. “What’s important is that they enjoy the sport enough to become passionate about it. From there, it will be easier for them to understand the work it demands to truly excel at the sport and give it their 100 percent,” said Lamberte.Survival skill
Archery is a good pastime and stress reliever from school or work. For kids, aside from developing upper body strength, it enhances their focus and builds self-confidence and sportsmanship. It can even bring shy kids out of their shells as they make new friends at practice or tournaments.
Lamberte said no specific personalities do well in this sport as diverse people are drawn to it, from executives, lawyers and doctors, to senior citizens, parents and kids. As with any sport, excelling depends on how much time, dedication and work practitioners put into it.
Newbies just need curiosity and the willingness to try despite how hard archery may seem at first. Equipment will depend on how much you’re willing to shell out and how serious you intend to be. The time needed to train will depend on your competitiveness.
Apprehensions come either from safety concerns or that it might be an expensive hobby. But Lamberte assured that so long as students are coached properly, injuries are preventable, adding that there may be more injuries in other sports than in archery. Soar also teaches their archers to respect their gear’s capabilities and observe safety.
“Expensive gear will probably give you only a 10- to 15-percent advantage over an archer with entry-level gear. Entering competitions will cost more, but gear-wise, ‘It’s in the Indian, not the pana (arrow),’” he said with a laugh. Prices start at P250 (for a 25-arrow fun shoot package).
“Don’t be afraid to try it. You might just get hooked. Archery is not just a sport, it’s also a survival skill,” he said.
