INNISFAIL - The town has nailed a big archery bull's-eye.
Innisfail was recently chosen to host the Provincial Archery Championships this spring.
"It is the second time that our club has hosted (provincial championships) but it's the first time in Innisfail," said Marina Anderson, a junior coordinator with the Central Alberta Archers Association. "We wanted a smaller community so that we could get the town involved and businesses on board that would benefit from it."
The Provincial Archery Championships take place at the Innisfail Twin Arena on April 8 and 9.
Innisfail was chosen for the event because of its central location for participants, noted Anderson, adding the club currently has members from Blackfalds, Penhold, Red Deer, Bentley, Sylvan Lake, Clive, Big Valley and Innisfail.
Competitors register and pay a small fee to compete in provincials with proceeds going back into the Central Alberta Archers Association, she said.
Participants from across the province, in both youth and adult categories, will compete in the two-day event.
"It's free for spectators to come in and watch too," said Anderson. "On Sunday (April 9) we will have the medal award ceremony for all age categories."
Anderson said she hopes to see area residents and visitors come out to watch the provincial championships and for those who may be interested, learn more about the sport.
"There's a lot of kids that really don't know what (archery) is and parents that don't know either," said Anderson. "Provincials is in our community so people can come and get a feel for the sport and see what it's all about."
Anderson noted that despite the role archery has in world sporting events and competitions, it is still not a widely publicized sport.
"It's in the Olympics. It's in a lot of these big events but there's not a lot of (awareness) of it and that it is a really competitive sport," she said, noting as an individual sport, it allows participants to improve their abilities and challenge themselves.
"You go in and you're competing against yourself as well as everybody else," said Anderson. "You go in and do your best."
To register for the provincial archery championships email [email protected] and for more information, visit Central Alberta Archers Association on Facebook.
Marina Anderson, a junior coordinator with the Central Alberta Archers Association
"We wanted a smaller community so that we could get the town involved and businesses on board that would benefit from it."
