Adriene Clark focuses on her target before shooting Thursday evening at the Osoyoos Traditional Archery School. Clark was one of several youth who signed up for archery lessons twice a week at the new indoor archery school. (Michele Weisz photo)

In a joint venture with the Town of Osoyoos, highly decorated archer and coach Brock Paton has brought his Osoyoos Traditional Archery School indoors for the winter.

The first session of indoor archery at Desert Park began last Tuesday. Each class can accommodate 13 students.

“Next session I can take 10 new ones,” Paton said.

Classes are held three times a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays and are divided by age, with morning classes for seniors, afternoon classes for youth and evening classes for adults.

The funding for the program comes largely from the Town of Osoyoos along with a one-time grant provided by the BC Senior Games.

Paton said that he is volunteering his time as a coach. “I’m not going to charge anything…that’s my thanks to the town,” he said.

At $32 per session, including all equipment, Paton called it “the cheapest archery in Canada. No two ways about it.”

Paton’s Osoyoos Traditional Archery School had a stellar year with several members coming away with medals.

Jacob Campol and April Westcott were named to the 2020 BC Winter Games team.

The archery competition at the BC Winter Games features athletes who are 15 to17 years old and competitors use a variety of bows.

Campol, who competed in the recurve group here at home, won a gold medal in Archery Canada’s Indoor Mail Match competition.

Paton and archery phenom Miranda Sparks competed in 3D at the BC Archery Association’s 2018 Provincial Championships in Williams Lake. Paton won a gold medal and Sparks won a silver.

Paton won two gold medals and beat five records in target longbow at the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah.

“We have very small numbers but we have smoked everybody for the last five years,” Paton said of his outdoor program.

MICHELE WEISZ

Osoyoos Times

Tom Shepley eyes the target during traditional archery classes Thursday morning. Shepley is among the first group of seniors to attend classes at the new indoor Osoyoos Traditional Archery School. (Michele Weisz photo)