Archery GB recently delivered a successful Introduction to Soft Archery course to coaches in Maldon, Essex, marking a significant step in bringing the sport to local primary schools.
Little Sportster Coaching provide sports coaches to schools, nurseries, and the community. They are now qualified to add soft archery to their existing sport offer.
The session introduced sports coaches to Arrows Archery - a safe, inclusive archery programme designed for young learners.
Neil Corley, Coaching Excellence and Education Manager for Little Sportster Coaches, said: "Our team had a fantastic morning with a fully engaging course where everyone was able to be involved and learn something new and interesting. Our team were able to take the learning straight into our camp delivered during Easter and actively use what was learnt. We are now looking forward to growing this deliver as part of our coaching programme."
Soft archery uses lightweight bows and suction-cup arrows, making it ideal for indoor spaces and accessible to children of all abilities. The course provided hands-on training in setting up a rapid range, teaching safety rules, guiding students in shooting techniques, and delivering engaging games and mini-tournaments. Participants are left equipped to run their own sessions using Arrows kits or similar equipment.
The Introduction to Soft Archery course is tailored for teachers and sports coordinators. It takes around two hours and can be delivered in a small hall or outdoor space, weather permitting. The course supports educators in delivering soft archery to young people, enhancing their physical education offerings.
For young people aged 11–16, Archery GB offers the Soft Archery Young Leaders Award. This 3.5-hour course prepares young leaders to organise safe and enjoyable soft archery sessions for 7-11-year-olds, using Arrows equipment or similar. It also encourages them to set up and run their own soft archery club with staff support.
For more information on soft archery training and resources, click the button below or email gayle.pink@archerygb.org.
