Sunset Coast Archers.
The only Metropolitan WA Club to have Regular Sunday Shoots.

A word from former Club President Katherine Brett.

The 'Sunset Coast Archers' club was formed following a decision on the part of the YMCA Archery Club, located at Bold Park in Floreat, to close down in early 1999.  At that time there were a small number of members, and several interested juniors, who wanted to continue their archery. Following some discussion a vote was held on a new name for the club and we became the Sunset Coast Archers.

Then we had to search for a new home.

The Perth Netball Association and the Town of Cambridge agreed to our move to the lower grassed area at Matthews Netball Centre, a fantastic, safe and ideal archery location. The location meant that as netball players were using the grounds on Saturdays we became a Sunday club, something that has proved to be quite satisfactory.

We have been there ever since despite ongoing problems with lack of storage (at one time all our belongings were stored at a member's home – 45 minutes from the club grounds - and transported to and fro by trailer with much associated stress on the part of that member who couldn't back a trailer – and still can't). A sea container was purchased which solved our storage problems for the moment, and this was initially financed by club members paying shooting fees for years in advance, and by personal loans from members. 

The dedication and hard work of the few members, and the pleading of a junior who was shooting competitively and doing very well at the time, meant that the club teetered on the edge of closure for several years but survived. A great deal of encouragement was given to us by ASWA members who would support us and encouraged us to persist. 

Gradually numbers grew and adult members came along to support and to take on official roles. We continue to move forward, as all clubs are – faced with the need for dedicated members to take on the onerous and often thankless tasks – that are however vital to the continued existence of a club in these days of increasing paper work and administration, and that so often gets in the way of simply pursuing our sport.

A growth in numbers, and a lot of hard work has seen the club this year (2006/2007) reach a membership of over 30 archers, a club member achieving 1^st place at National and International level and to hosting our second GP event on Sunday 21^st January 2007– milestones that this President would never have envisaged in 1999. 

We have an active junior membership and have restructured our coaching programme in accordance with the Archery Instructor Manual. Our course runs over 5 weeks, with beginners starting at 9.30am and ending at 11.30pm. Members are from 9am. ASWA members are welcome to join us on a Sunday.

New members to the club have also recently introduced us to new archery fields and a strong interest is growing in bare-bow and traditional archery. 

Our club was recently targeted by thieves and we lost a large percentage of our equipment.  A fellow archer heard of our losses and was instrumental in arranging the donation of a large number of old bows from Edith Cowan University Joondalup.

These donations, and other donations from members and supporters, were much appreciated gifts and ensured, once again, that the Club was rescued from a dire situation, and reinforced for us the great support that archers give each other. 

We look forward with much confidence to the future, however we face the possibility of perhaps needing to once again find a new home but I am sure that this obstacle will be overcome, as have all the others in the past.

Katherine Brett.
Former President.
Sunset Coast Archers. 

Katherine being presented with Life Membership to Sunset Coast Archers by Club President Ian Revie.