Coaching Programme 2024

New for 2024!

Hertfordshire Archery Association is running a coaching programme aimed at both archers and coaches.  The sessions will cover a range of themes, covering masterclasses in bow styles; to introductions to new disciplines; and equipment tuning.

Below is a list of the sessions, including information such as location, date, and the presenter if known.  This page will be updated as soon as workshops & masterclasses have been confirmed.  The booking form will be released shortly.

Coaches:  If you attend as a coach, and work with a higher level coach as part of a session, this will count towards your CPD.

Please note there is a non-refundable booking fee of £5 per attendee per session unless otherwise stated.  This goes towards venues & refreshments

Convenors: Mr. Stuart Barber and Miss Rebecca Bourne

Barebow Masterclass

(Introduction to Barebow)

17th March 2024 // St. Mary's Catholic School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

Presented by Nikki Ledwick of Eagle Bowmen (Bedfordshire), this masterclass serves to introduce archers to barebow archery and explain the basics.  Nikki is considered to be one of the leading barebow coaches within SCAS.

Bow set up and practice time is included in the session.  Please bring your kit with you.  Refreshments will be provided.

Introduction to Clout

24th March 2024 // Jobber's Wood, Much Hadham // 13:30-16:00

Curious about Clout?  This session is designed to provide archers with basic Clout instruction and a taste for the discipline.  The session is presented by current County Clout Champions Stuart Barber (Gents Compound), Rebecca Bourne (Ladies Longbow), and experienced former County Champion Peter Sweetman (Gents Barebow).

Please bring your kit with you, this will be outdoors so please wrap up warm!  The site will be open from 13:00.

Participation in this session enables you to enter the Stortford Spring Clout (13th & 14th April 2024) and the County Clout Championships (26th & 27th October 2024).

Junior coaching & National Talent Development Pathway (NTDP)

6th April // A4S Archery Club, Sandy, Beds // 10:00-12:00

Hertfordshire Senior Coach Gaynor Hutchison runs both the SCAS Junior Academy and is involved in the Youth National Talent Development Pathway.  This session is to provide information to juniors and their parents, guardians, and carers interested in finding out more about these pathways.

Bring your bows and be ready to receive some coaching!

Please note this workshop will take place within a SCAS Academy session.  SCAS Academy costs £10.50 per archer per session. Full address for the session is: Hatch Farm, Hatch Common, Hatch Sandy Beds SG19 1PS

Coaching archers with hypermobility & EDS

21st April 2024 // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

This workshop is lead by Michael Hockaday, a Hertfordshire County Coach with extensive experience in coaching archers with hypermobility & related conditions such as EDS.

Refreshments will be provided.

Masterclass: Recurve

21st April 2024 // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 14:30-17:30

This masterclass will be presented by Hertfordshire & Team GB archer Neil Bridgewater.  We are extremely grateful to Neil for giving up his time for the session alongside his GB duties.

Neil will deliver a presentation on recurve archery at the highest level, followed by a bow tuning session.

Please bring your own kit.  Numbers will be limited.

Bow tuning for beginners: knowing the essentials

27th April // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 10:00-13:00

Join Mike Hockaday (County Coach), Stuart Barber (Level 2), and John Meischke (Level 2) for a workshop covering the basics of bow tuning.  This is a particularly useful workshop for relatively new beginners, or archers wishing to set up new equipment.

Refreshments will be provided.

Preparing for tournaments

28th April 2024 // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

This session will include talks on tournaments from the perspectives of Hertfordshire judge Paul Jackson; seasoned tournament organiser Stuart Barber, and Abi Speltinckx, one of our younger experienced tournament attendees.

Refreshments will be provided.

Coaching archers with physical disabilities - An Introduction

4th May 2024 // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

Deb Horne is the SCAS Disability Liaison Officer, Senior Coach, and a National Judge, and Paul Browne is a World Championship  Silver Medallist and a European Gold Medallist.  Join us for a session on the basics of how to coach archers with physical disabilities, and hear from Paul first-hand what it is like to shoot for TeamGB as a wheelchair user.

Refreshments will be provided.

Introduction to Field Archery

1st June // Avalon Archers

This session will be presented by John Hartfield, GB & European Champion in Field, and Michael Hockaday (County Coach).  John was formerly ranked 5th in the world for field archery, and 12th in the world indoor rankings for compound.  The workshop will take archers through the fundamentals of field archery - bring your kit, stout boots and money for a hearty breakfast!

Please note this session will cost £10 and booking for this workshop will close three weeks prior to the event on 11th May.

Introduction to Tournament Organising

12th June // online via Zoom // 19:00-21:00

Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at a tournament?  Join seasoned Tournament Organiser Stuart Barber for an introduction to the world of tournament organising.

Barebow Masterclass

(Intermediate Barebow - outside)

23rd June 2024 // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

Presented by Nikki Ledwick of Eagle Bowmen (Bedfordshire), this masterclass serves to build upon archers' existing knowledge of barebow archery.  Nikki is considered to be one of the leading barebow coaches within SCAS.

Bow set up and practice time is included in the session.  Please bring your kit with you.  Refreshments will be provided.

Safeguarding

26th June 2024 // online // 19:00-22:00

This is an online tutor-led course run by Archery GB approved Coaching UK.  This safeguarding course is ideal for coaches due to renew their license and in need of a tutor-led course as per AGB requirements.

Places are limited to 15, and price is £23 per person.

First Aid Course

20th July // Jobber's Wood, Much Hadham // 09:00-17:00

This one day first aid course run by Maynard Support Services is HSE approved and covers the syllabus for first aid at work appointed persons course.  Spaces will be limited.  Bring your questions, comfy chairs, and a cup for tea/coffee.

Refreshments will be provided.  Price is £35 per person.

Masterclass: Longbow

28th July // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

This session will be led by an experienced team in making, shooting and coaching Longbow: Ben Ledwick, Dave Chudley, and Steve Weston.  Bring your questions, bows, comfy chairs, and a cup for tea/coffee.

Refreshments will be provided.

Bow tuning for beginners: knowing the essentials

31st August // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 14:00-17:00

Join Mike Hockaday (County Coach), Stuart Barber (Level 2), and John Meischke (Level 2) for a workshop covering the basics of bow tuning.  This is a particularly useful workshop for relatively new beginners, or archers wishing to set up new equipment.

Refreshments will be provided.

Candidate Coach Development

21st September 2024 // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-16:30

Calling all candidate coaches!  This is an ideal opportunity to observe and take part in a workshop with the extremely experienced Trish Lovell.  Development Coach Candidates are welcome to bring their archers to coach.

Refreshments will be provided.

String making & arrow maintenance

22nd September 2024 // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

Join us at Stortford Archery Club for a morning of string making and arrow maintenance lead by Stuart Barber.

Refreshments will be provided.

Coaching archers with physical disabilities - Intermediate

28th September 2024 // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

Deb Horne is the SCAS Disability Liaison Officer, Senior Coach, and a National Judge, and Paul Browne is a World Championship  Silver Medallist and a European Gold Medallist..  Join us for a more in-depth session on how to coach archers with physical disabilities.

Refreshments will be provided.

Coaching the visually & hearing impaired

19th October 2024 // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

This workshop will be cover coaching archers with visual and hearing impairments.  Presented by SCAS Disability Liaison Officer, Deb Horne experienced Level 2 Coach Stuart Barber, and Level 1 Coach Rebecca Bourne.

Refreshments will be provided.

Masterclass: Compound

20th October // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

This session will be delivered by Hertfordshire, Team GB archer & European Gold medalist Neil Bridgewater and John Hartfield, former world #12.  The session will cover a range of themes, such as equipment, tuning and technique.

Bow tuning for beginners: knowing the essentials

1st December // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

Join Mike Hockaday (County Coach), Stuart Barber (Level 2), and John Hartfield (former national squad coach) for a workshop covering the basics of bow tuning.  This is a particularly useful workshop for relatively new beginners, or archers wishing to set up new equipment.

Refreshments will be provided.

Barebow Masterclass

8th December // St. Mary's School, Bishop's Stortford // 09:30-12:30

Presented by John Hartfield, former national squad coach, the session will introduce archers to the practicalities of shooting barebow, as well as building on archers' existing knowledge of the bow style.

Bow set up and practice time is included in the session.  Please bring your kit with you.  Refreshments will be provided.

Coaching archers with autism & SEND

19th January 2025 // Venue TBC

This session will provide coaches with an understanding of how to better work with archers with autism and SEND.

A Conversation with Trish Lovell: Mental Preparation & Personal Action Plans

TBC

Join us in this workshop for a morning with Senior Coach Trish Lovell, former President of AGB; the first workshop of its kind for Hertfordshire.  Hear Trish's story of how she became a GB archer and went on to win two World Championships, and two European Championships.  The workshop will also have a break out session to work on your own personal action plan and mindfulness strategies.

Observational Skills

TBC

Introduction to Judging

TBC