Some area youth will be going on the trip of a lifetime, and representing their country this summer.
Three student archers and an alumni archer from the Wm. E. Hay Secondary School Nockbusters Archery team and a pair of students from the Castor Raiders Archery program have been selected to represent Team Canada at an international archery competition in Wallis Bay, Namibia at the end of July.
Stettler students Grayson LaRose, Megan Schrijver, and Daniel Enyedy, along with Castor students Piper Dennie and Annabelle Stirling will be five of 32 students from Canada's National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP).
Josh Morris, who was in archery from Grades 7-12, is going as the lone alumni to the shoot.
The tournament is hosted by African Genesis Archery, an offshoot of NASP.
According to archery coach Tanja Heatherington, the five archers will be competing on the "All Star" team, going over, one of three teams Canada is sending to Africa. Canada will also be sending over a developmental team, consisting of new archers, and a 16-person alumni team.
Heatherington notes that it will be a challenge for the archers – not only are they going to be competing on the opposite side of the world, during the tournament they will be shooting considerably more than at home tournaments.
While archers at home normally take to the firing line once or twice per day (one or two flights), at the African tournament they will be participating in four to five flights per day.
The group is scheduled to depart around July 17, and the first week they are gone will be team building with other Team Canada members and the tournament itself.
According to Schrijver, team building activities potentially planned include sand surfing and riding all terrain vehicles in the desert.
"I'm looking forward to going and shooting," said Enyedy, a third year archery member.
For Castor team member Annabelle Stirling, she's "excited and honoured to be able to go" with the Canadian team.
Stirling says she is looking forward to the culture of Africa, and the new environment for shooting.
"It's exciting," said teammate Piper Dennie.
Once the tournament is over, youth and their accompanying caregivers have the option of either extending their trip a few days and playing tourist, or heading home.
"I'm looking forward to a safari," said LaRose, who is headed to Port Elizabeth after the tournament.
While the students are grateful for the ask to the national team, it comes at a price. The price for each student and parent to head to Africa is around $8,000 each, plus extras.
The Stettler Nockbusters have some fundraising initiatives in the works for their members. Contact Heatherington at Wm. E Hay School or watch the Nockbusters Facebook page for more details or to support the team.
Castor's archers are fundraising as well, with the pair going around to the local businesses and service clubs. Additionally, donation boxes are set up at a couple of Castor businesses. For more information or to donate to the pair directly, contact Tara Jenkins.
