A member of the Cariboo Archers has been chosen as one of three finalists for the Sport BC Master Athlete of the Year Award.
Al Campsall, after an impressive year in the sport, was notified he was selected during the weekend while competing at the Abbotsford Indoor 3D Shoot.
“I must admit I was shocked to receive both the nomination and the letter confirming I was a finalist,” Campsall said. “For me, it’s pretty exciting.”
On top of winning provincial and national archery competitions, Campsall is a dedicated volunteer.
He currently coaches roughly 60 children in the B.C. Archery Association’s Junior Olympic Archery Program and coaches 15 women in a ladies only archery program.
He’s the past treasurer and current vice president in 3D and Bowhunting for the B.C. Archery Association, and also the treasurer for the Cariboo Archers, locally.
His passion, he admits, is archery, however, he’s competed at various capacities in indoor soccer, basketball and bodybuilding over the years.
He’s also a committed coach having led the 2000 women’s basketball team to a gold medal at the BC Winter Games, and helped the local girls’ rep soccer team from 2003 to 2009 to multiple tournament victories throughout B.C.
Additionally, as a school principal and a teacher for 30 years, he coached as many as seven teams per year including cross country running, volleyball, soccer, basketball, wrestling, gymnastics, floor hockey and track and field.
In 2014 Campsall won the B.C. Outdoor Target Archery Championship (field and target archery), the Canadian 3D Archery Championships Grand Prix, the Canadian Field Archery Championships, the Canadian Outdoor Target Archery Championships, the Canadian Indoor 3D Archery Championships, the Outdoor 3D Archery Championships, the B.C. 3D Archery Championships, the Alberta Indoor 3D Archery Championships, and many other local indoor and outdoor archery events.
He also set the BC Outdoor Target Archery Field Record, the Canadian Field Record and the Canadian 50-metre 720 Round Record, plus became the archer with the most Canadian 3D Archery Championships at 12, and the most B.C. 3D Archery Championships at 10.
In 2015, Campsall will represent Team Canada at the 2015 World Archery Championships in Italy — his third time competing on the international stage.
The 49th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards Ceremony and Gala dinner is set for Thursday, March 12, at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver.
At the awards Campsall will be up against Vancouver golfer Doug Roxburgh and Vancouver’s Brian Ellis in orienteering.