• Archery

AGA Namibia calls on learners to take up archery

• 2 Weeks Ago 05 February 2025

African Genesis Archery (AGA) Namibia president Poenie Weakley is calling on school-going archery enthusiasts and amateurs across the country to take up the sport competitively and to join AGA Namibia.

He made the remarks following AGA Namibia's first shoot of the year in Stampriet during January.

Weakley emphasised that joining AGA Namibia is simple and accessible.

“So far 16 schools nationwide are already part of AGA, so learners can join through their school. However, if a school does not offer archery as a sport, there is also a club in Windhoek – Central Elite Archery Club – where most homeschoolers and others can join,” he explained.

The contact person for the club is Anita Park at 081 263 0036, while Weakley himself is also available at 081 262 7958 to assist interested learners in finding a suitable place to sign up.



No special requirements

One of the sport’s biggest appeals, according to Weakley, is its inclusivity.

“That’s the beauty of archery – no special skills or requirements are needed. This sport is for everybody, and it is disability-friendly too,” he said.

AGA Namibia ensures that all clubs and schools have trained coaches who specialise in guiding beginners. “They know exactly how to train new archers and help them fall in love with the sport.”



Benefits for school-going children

Highlighting the physical and mental advantages of archery for learners, Weakley indicated that the sport teaches individuals focus, patience and self-discipline.

“It’s a sport that can be practiced all year round. Many children who take up archery have reported improvements in balance, stability, coordination and concentration. Plus, they get to spend time outdoors, make new friends and stay physically active,” he noted.



Making archery more accessible

AGA Namibia actively works to make the sport more inclusive and rewarding. Each year, it selects 32 school-going and 16 adult archers based on a well-developed ranking system to compete in international events.

From 24 to 26 July, AGA Namibia will host the AGA World Tournament in Walvis Bay. Here, local archers will go up against five African countries, along with Canada, to compete for the World Champion title.

“Around 250 archers – young and old – are expected to participate. This is where the competition is at its best and where legends are made. Namibia will be represented by 48 of its best archers,” Weakley said.

He says during next year AGA Namibia will travel to either Botswana or Zimbabwe for an African tournament.

Adding to the excitement, Weakley noted that the top 16 school archers across all competitions earn full Namibian national colours, while the next 16 receive full Namibia Schools Sport Union (NSSU) colours.



Strong start to the year

AGA Namibia recently hosted its first competition of the year at Roots Gymnasium in Stampriet, where some archers set new records to kick off the year.

“This shoot provides a record for every category, including Adult Archery Generation (AAG), AGA Juniors and AGA Seniors. From here on, there will always be a record to break,” Weakley said.

The event saw the participation of archers from as far as Moria in Outjo and Pro-Ed Akademie in Swakopmund. “It was very hot, with temperatures reaching 43 degrees, making the competition quite challenging.

“But it was a very successful shoot. Since points are extremely important this year with the World Tournament coming up, archers are scrambling to qualify for the big event.”

A standout aspect of the first shoot was the presence of 20 officials who completed the Basic Archery Instructor (BAI) certification in December, with an additional clinic held in January by Wilhelm Greeff, chief executive officer of AGA South Africa.

“The BAI training made a huge difference, ensuring that all our officials are aligned with the rules and can make more decisive and accurate decisions during competition,” Weakley noted.

AGA Namibia has an exciting year ahead, with the Windhoek Afrikaans Private School (WAP) shoot scheduled for 22 February, among many other upcoming events.

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