Veterans and their families were able to test their skills at Tuggeranong Archery Club, ACT, thanks to the establishment of a national partnership between Veteran Sport Australia and Archery Australia.

The family fun day – which fell on the first anniversary of the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 –  saw more than 100 budding archers, including many veterans and their families, attend to learn more about the sport and try it for themselves. With a tailor-made archery range setup, everyone had a go and coaches were on hand to give rookies a few tips.

Attendees were also treated to a special exhibition match by Invictus Games legends Garry Robinson and Pete Marchant, who wowed the crowd with their precision.

The event wasn’t just a whole lot of fun for the adults – kids were able to get in on the action, using toy bow and arrows to shoot inflatable archery targets.

“It was a really exciting day and it was fantastic to see the whole community come together,” says Local Federal Member David Smith.

“It was a way of bringing active sporting groups, associations and clubs together with veterans. Events and programs like this are key to re-engaging and building much stronger individuals and communities.”

The ‘come and try archery day’ was held to celebrate the launch of a partnership between VSA and Archery Australia, which recently received a government grant that will enable 10,000 veterans and their families to get involved with archery nationally across 140 clubs – a nod to the immense impact sport plays in improving veterans’ mental and physical health.  

“It’s really important that there are great connections formed while veterans are transitioning out of the armed forces, so that the transition into civilian life can be as effective and as easy as possible for them and their families,” added Michael Hartung, General Manager, Veteran Sport Australia.

“Sport is so powerful and there are so many opportunities to engage and connect with fellow veterans and the broader community.” 

If you’re interested in finding out more about opportunities available to veterans and their families, get in touch.

To find out more about Archery Australia, visit archery.org.au