Bye-Laws

1. West Borough Junior School

• Members of the Club and its visitors shall protect and respect the grounds and property of West Borough Junior School.
• Any person misbehaving, trespassing or causing nuisance or damange may have their name and address taken and be asked to leave the School grounds forthwith. If the person is a member of the Club, the Committee on receiving a complaint may discipline the member by expulsion, suspension or otherwise.
• If you are the last to leave the field, please ensure that storage/toilet facilities and the main gate are locked.
• No dogs are allowed within the school premises.

2. Field Captain

• At any shoot organised by Allington Castle Archers, one Senior archer present shall be chosen to act as Field Captain. Any shooting day may be a Club Target Day, provided that there shall be a minimum of 2 archers shooting, in addition to any target days appointed on the fixture list or other Committee notice.
• The Field Captain shall be responsible for:
  • The correct set-up of the range with the assistance of those present.
  • Proper use of equipment and adequate supervision of inexperienced archers.
  • Control of shooting, giving the signal preferably by whistle for the start and finish of each end. (Note that in any emergency e.g. stray animals, the command "Fast" indicates hold-fast and an immediate stoppage of shooting.)
  • On completion, the clearing away and storage of equipment with the assistance of those present.
  • Locking up.
• The Field Captain will be in sole charge. No shooting may take place without his permission and archers and spectators will be subject to his orders. He will have the power to ban any person from shooting if in his opinion it is undesirable for that person to shoot. He should have available copies of the Club Rules and Bye-Laws and the GNAS Rules of Shooting, for his reference and guidance of archers.

3. Safety Precautions

• Shall be as Grand National Archery Society Rules of Shooting.
• Archery Etiquette will be observed at all times (see GNAS Rules of Shooting - Appendix A.)
• No Archer may shoot on their own unless accompanied by a responsible adult.

4. Coaching and Practice

• If a member would like some coaching or instruction, he or she should ask for advice from a qualified Coach, Instructor or Senior Archer, making mutually convenient arrangements.
• Practice may take place on targets set out for the purpose when others are shooting rounds, except on match or tournament days. Some give and take is necessary when a course of instruction for beginners is being held and the Field Captain should ensure that the progress of a round is not held up unnecessarily. NB: Members intending to shoot a designated round may not practice on the ground on the same day. (See GNAS rule 104(1).)
• Inexperienced archers should not expect tuition when Instructors are themselves shooting, but any member willing to do so may help another.

5. Care of Club Equipment

• The Range and Equipment Officer is the custodian of Club equipment. Members should handle equipment with due care to avoid damage. Any damaage or loss of equipment should be reported to this Officer.
• No Junior or unqualified archer may use Club equipment unless under adequate supervision by a Senior member.

6. Matches, Tea Shoots and Visitors

• At Home MKL Matches, Members are requested to bring prepared food which can be shared. Consult the Organiser as to the type of food needed.
• Visiting teams do not pay target fees.

7. Scoring, Handicaps and Classifications

• Scores for all rounds shot should be recorded, collected and delivered promptly to the Records Officer, including scores made at away shoots.
• The Records Officer will maintain the Club records for each archer. He or she will operate the GNAS Handicap Scheme and GNAS Classification Scheme.
• Beginners who are not qualified to shoot all the rounds are restricted to shooting at shorter ranges under the Club Grading Scheme.
• Club Records may only be claimed when shot at a Club Tournament or Club Target Day or at an outside Tournament and accompanied by the original score sheet duly signed and witnessed, or an official results sheet as sent out by the Organiser(s) of the Meeting.

8. Grading Scheme

• Beginners and new members who are not classified archers will commence shooting at 20 yards until progressively qualified to shoot at the longer ranges as required in the tables shown on the Qualifying page.
• When feeling competent at a distance, they should nominate their attempts to qualify, scores being properly recorded and checked under supervision by an Instructor or Senior Archer.
• Shooting may be continued at a distance until the total score from 3 consecutive dozen in 1 session equals or exceeds the qualifying minimum. The recorded score sheet should be counter-signed, complete with name, distance and date, and retained by the archer.
• During qualification, a "St. Nicholas Round" is shot using a Club fibreglass trainer bow during a Club Tournament, for which there are annually medals for beginners at this standard. Other rounds for beginners are incorporated within the Club shoots, in order to enable the new archer to progress within the body of the Club and work towards the achievement of a handicap.
• For ladies the maximum qualifying range is 80 yards. For gentlemen the maximum qualifying range is 100 yards. For Juniors the maximum varies with age and sex. An archer may only shoot a round if he or she has qualified at the longest distance in that round. Until maximum ranges are achieved, an unqualified archer may not shoot unsupervised.

9. Rounds

Rounds for Target Archery are as contained in the current GNAS Handicap Tables.