1st coaching seminar focused on para archery takes place in Africa

Africa’s first para archery seminar took place in the Egyptian capital of Cairo on 29 October to 10 November, with 25 participants from 11 nations across the continent in attendance.

The seminar was split into two parts. The first week consisted of a level one training course conducted by World Archery’s development agent in Africa, Khaled Lamandé, and Egyptian coach trainer Ahmed Hassan, and the second was focused specifically on coaching para archery.

“The goal was to give coaches the confidence and knowledge to get anyone to shoot regardless of impairment, and be able to make simple adaptations to enable people to shoot,” said Kieran Carr, one of the visiting tutors.

Carr was joined by fellow Brit Andy Rikunenko and Vincent Hybois of France to lead the para archery portion of the course.

The programme began with theoretical lessons covering the types of impairments and ways to overcome obstacles to shooting, as well as explaining the Paralympic classification procedures.

Using the knowledge learned in the classroom, the coaches were put in real-life situations with individuals with impairments – some with no archery experience at all – to put the training into practice.

Shooting that first arrow proved emotional, both for the new archers and the new coaches.

“Coaching para archery is similar to all archery except the athlete may not physically be able to do part or all they are asked, so patience is needed and a quick-thinking brain to work out ways to get them to shoot,” said Carr.

“The course was a huge success. All the attendees left with the knowledge and confidence to start coaching Paralympic archery.”

The event was hosted by the Egyptian Archery Federation and supported by World Archery, Archery GB, UK Sport, the French Handisport Federation and the Egyptian Paralympic Committee.

It is hoped that the project will significantly boost the growing support for para archery across the continent with qualified instructors to support para programmes.