At Meridian we are fortunate to have five coaches who instruct on the beginners courses and ensure that new members are integrated into the club. Help is always at hand.
After completing the beginner's course new members are given support as necessary, but the onus is on the archer to ask for help. Coaching etiquette requires the archer to approach the coach. This is mainly good manners - many people feel they are doing just fine and may be offended by an assertion they appear in need of help! It's also a courtesy to other coaches who may already be working with an archer on a regular basis. We can also put you in touch with an experienced archer who will act as a mentor if you feel you would like someone to shoot with, but not necessarily receive coaching at that point in time.
So, when considering the options below, remember that you, the archer, will need to take the initiative. There are several opportunities for coaching - not all will suit every archer and your needs may change over time.
The coaches run coaching days and workshops for Meridian members.
The usual club coaching day is Saturday when Sue and Emma are available to offer coaching and help to beginners and experienced archers between 10.30am and 5pm. If you would like to book a session please contact the club secretary no later than the Thursday before. Sarah is often at the club on a Monday evening indoors, and also runs the junior club on Friday evenings. Chris is often around during weekdays.
Workshops generally take place during the summer season on nominated Saturdays or Sundays, usually between 10:30am and 3:30pm (details of these are usually emailed out to members). They are run by Meridian coaches, with occasional visits by visiting coaches. The aim of these is to provide you with a one off session which helps you work on a particular area of your shooting or to get advice on equipment setup or selection. You have the option to attend as many of these as you wish. There may be a small charge to attend some workshops but you will be notified in advance if this is the case.
Don't feel that the coaching days and workshops are the only time when you can get help. If you are at the field and coaches are around they will often be able to take questions or even take a quick look at you. HOWEVER, please remember they are archers just like you and if they are shooting (particularly if they are shooting a round) you should respect their own shooting time and not disturb them.
Ad hoc advice and coaching days will for many people be sufficient to meet their needs. If on the other hand you feel you want to develop your archery in a more serious, perhaps more organised way, you might want to think about identifying and working with a personal coach. If you feel that you would like to form a coaching relationship with one of the Meridian coaches, please speak to them privately.
A personal coach does not have to be a coach from your own club - you are perfectly at liberty to get help from coaches elsewhere. The majority of Sussex coaches belong to The Martlets Guild. If you want to find out more about Sussex coaches and Martlets coaching workshops, click on the logo below to visit The Martlets Guild website. Questions about coaching should be directed to the CCO.
