Stadtwerke Gießen is continuing its "Play your game" campaign in 2024. The 1st Giessen Archery Club is kicking things off this year.
Originally designed for hunting, feared for centuries as weapons of war at long range, today they are sports equipment in many different forms: Bows and arrows have undergone an astonishing development, have shaped human history and are very much in vogue. More and more people are discovering archery for themselves. Here in the region too. 180 enthusiastic archers meet regularly at the 1st Archery Club Giessen e. V. to train for competitions, to relax or to experience nature together with friends on the archery field or just for fun. This joy is probably the most important reason for the 18 children and young people between the ages of four and 17 who now shoot at the large targets with the black, blue and red rings around the yellow target circle at the 1st BSC Gießen.
"Many people are fascinated by the bow and arrow," says Dr Thomas Volk, 1st Chairman of the 1st BSC, adding: "Our sport also has many positive effects on health and well-being." It is precisely these effects on body and mind that are a key reason why Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG) is supporting 1. BSC as part of its "Play your game" campaign. "We were also surprised at how much children and young people in particular benefit from archery," says Stephanie Orlik, responsible for the project in SWG Marketing, explaining the decision. The company donated a youth bow, various arrows, a target, protective equipment from Bogensport Kramer and T-shirts with a total value of around 1,000 euros to the 1st BSC. "We are delighted that we were able to impress with our application and were awarded the donation. We can make very good use of the material for our popular taster courses and training sessions," summarises youth manager Jörg Heinemann.
Just give it a try
In order to really shoot a bow competitively, you naturally need your own personalised equipment. But if you want to start, you don't have to invest straight away. At least not at 1.BSC Gießen. "We have the right bow for everyone to borrow for our taster courses," promises Jörg Heinemann. The sports equipment differs in size, of course. But above all in the so-called draw weight. This refers to the force that needs to be applied to pull the string into the optimum shooting position. The higher the draw weight, the further the arrow flies through the air.
Because the distance to the target is specified in the various competitions - in Olympic archery, the target has a diameter of 1.22 metres and stands at an impressive 70 metres - all participants must be able to cope with the necessary draw weights. And this is where the first health-promoting aspect comes into play: Those who regularly shoot bows train their muscles, become stronger and gradually develop the ability to shoot stronger bows and cover longer distances with their arrows. Of course, the increase in strength and muscle mass mainly affects the shoulder area. But the muscles of the arms, torso and legs are also automatically trained. "A stable stance is a basic requirement for good hits. And in order to maintain the necessary tension, strength is needed in practically all areas of the body," says Dr Thomas Volk, explaining the connection.
Even more positives
What might surprise most laypeople: Archery burns a lot of calories and is therefore also a workout for the metabolism. The reason for this is easy to explain: archers have to repeat their arrows from the target. On foot. On a normal competition day in the Olympic discipline, they can easily cover eight kilometres. The brain also needs a lot of energy. "Being able to focus and block out distractions is a key success factor in our beautiful sport," adds Jörg Heinemann.
Conversely, this means that regular archery also promotes the ability to concentrate. "An effect that is particularly important in youth work," says the youth warden. The fact that this also increases frustration tolerance and stamina also speaks in favour of introducing children to the sport. Getting started is actually relatively easy and often involves steep learning curves. Achieving the desired perfection, on the other hand, requires disciplined training - usually over a longer period of time.
Last but not least, archery scores with its inclusive character. Basically, almost everyone can have fun together or compete against each other. Gender plays no role, age only a subordinate one. Fast movements or reactions are not required. What's more, archery is also a real option for people with physical disabilities. A wheelchair is simply not a problem. There are only a few other sports where this is the case.
Encouraging development
All these positive aspects ensure that youth work at 1. BSC is constantly developing - both in terms of the number of young members and their sporting successes. For example, four of the eight children taking part in the district championships have already qualified for the Hessian championships. In 2021, a 13-year-old shot his way to the German Championships and finished in the top 20.
However, much more important than titles and qualifications for those responsible at 1. BSC is that the children enjoy coming to training. "Having fun is always our top priority. Then success comes naturally," says Jörg Heinemann, describing the basic idea. The club also pursues the same approach with the club at the Sophie Scholl School. Here, seven enthusiastic kids learn the important basics and hone their technique under the expert guidance of a coach from the 1st BSC. Before corona, there were 15. "We are doing everything we can to achieve this again," explains Jörg Heinemann. "It is precisely this commitment that we want to support with our 'Play your game' campaign. The 1st Archery Club Giessen is a prime example of what good youth work in a club can look like," says Stephanie Orlik.