The Williams Lake Sportsmen’s Association took some special time Saturday night during its Wild Game Banquet to recognize the achievements and skills of several, young Junior Olympian Program archers.
One of the group’s JOP coaches, Al Campsall, took the mic to talk about each athlete, running down a list of their accomplishments.
Introduced were Kylie Sharman, Isaac Bedford, Ty Waterhouse, Ty Thurow and Joelle Thurow.
He said since catalyst Ed Oliver restarted the program nine years ago and himself and Lorne Barron jumped on board to teach, JOP has been thriving. Along with the coaching help of David Corless and Ted Matoga, and logistical support of Mary Thurow, Becky Waterhouse and Lynn Sharman, it has been a complete team effort, Campsall said.
“In the last four years our kids have stood on the podium at BC Archery Championships and the Canadian Archery Championships 72 times,” he said during his speech. “No other JOP club in B.C. or Canada can match that record.
“Setting a B.C. or Canadian archery record is a milestone event. Three of the young people have (collectively) set 13 such records. The other two are on their way to setting similar records.”
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Campsall first introduced Kylie Sharman to the sold-out audience of 250 guests, where he told the crowd she’d won two silver medals and one bronze medal at the 2019 BC Archery Championships and shot her way to being selected to the BC Winter Games Zone 8 team.
Bedford, meanwhile, also won two silver medals at the 2019 BC Championships, competed at the BC Winter Games and recently recorded a perfect 300/300 indoor score (30 arrows in a row into a toonie-sized target from 18 metres).
Campsall then said Waterhouse won six gold medals at the 2018 and 2019 BC Championships, two golds and one silver at the 2019 Canadian Championships and set a new B.C. record in field archery.
“He’s only been beaten once in his last nine B.C. and Canadian championships,” Campsall said.
Joelle, he noted, is the most dominant cub-aged female archer in Canada.
“She’s won 13 gold medals at BC Championships, eight gold and two silver medals at Canadian Championships, as well as setting four B.C. archery records and four Canadian archery records.”
Joelle has also never been beaten in the Canadian 3D Championships or BC 3D Championships, the BC Field Archery Championships and the BC Indoor Target Championships.
Joelle’s brother Ty, lastly, was recognized for winning 13 gold medals at BC championships, six gold, three silver and one bronze medal at the Canadian championships, and setting two B.C. archery records and two Canadian archery records.
Recently, after outshooting all other archers, he was selected to the BC Winter Games Zone 8 Team and has shot six perfect 300/300 indoor scores in the past few months, Campsall said.
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“Not to be outdone by his little sister, this fellow has never been beaten in the Canadian 3D Championships or BC 3D Championships, the BC Field Archery Championships and the BC Indoor Target Championships.”
Each archer was called up to the stage individually to receive an award — much to the delight and applause of the audience.
Campsall, noted the Cariboo Archers and the JOP program, in particular, is fortunate to have the support from the WLSA, which allows its young archers an opportunity to excel in the sport.
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