Asher S. March – There are many archers on an archery team. Archers are very important to archery, yes, but there is one part of an archery team that most people don’t realize is just as important. Although it might not seem like it, coaches are the center of the archery team. Not only do they teach the archers how to shoot, aim, and pull arrows, but also help them when they are having a hard time shooting or if they just need help thinking positively. Because of that, I wanted to share information about some of my coaches. I gave each of them some interview questions and this is some of what they shared:
Coach Jeremy Doyle
I was born and raised in Louisville, KY. I have been married to Kelly for 20 years and we have one 13 year old daughter, Alyssa. I work at Bellarmine University as their Operations Manager for the Facilities Department. Little known fact: I have an extensive collection of vintage baseball cards.
I began coaching Archery 4 years ago, as a deal with my then 4th grade daughter. She said she wanted to try it but I had to coach if she stuck with it. Knowing that she wouldn’t like it as this was WELL outside of her normal comfort zone, I agreed. Well, we’re both still very active in it! My favorite thing about coaching archery, without a doubt, is giving Alyssa and I something to bond over. Second, I love watching these kids attain their goals whether it’s a newcomer breaking 150 or an older archer breaking 275. Everyone improves at their own pace and it’s a very rewarding journey.
The most difficult part of coaching is the sheer number of kids we have. This is the second year in a row that we’ve been maxed out at 72 archers. That means 6+ hours of practice every week and multiple hours on the weekends we shoot. Equally as difficult is trying to coach a sport that is as mentally taxing as archery. It feels as though a masters in psychology should be required to coach this sometimes. However, I will miss the archery program whenever my time here ends.
Coach Chris Wahl
I have 3 children that are or have shot archery at St. Albert. I am married and after retiring from the Louisville Fire Department, I teach STEM. I have been coaching archery at St. Albert for 6 years and I started because my oldest son was interested in shooting. I grew up shooting and it seemed like a good fit.
My absolute favorite thing about coaching is seeing the happiness that an archer has when they accomplish something that they thought was out of their reach and the growth they experience along the way. The most difficult thing about coaching is getting the archer to not doubt themselves when they are faced with adversity. Confidence and belief in yourself are needed most when you are struggling.
Coach Barbi Carpenter
I am a nurse practitioner and work with sleep and pulmonary patients. My two older children graduated college a bit ago and both are wonderfully successful! They are both St Albert alum, too! This is my 4th year coaching and I love seeing the archers improve their skills! It’s fascinating to be a part of the process. I don’t experience any difficulties! It’s a wonderful sport with great coaches who all want to see growth and development in the archers.
Coach Jason Chin
I am a husband and father of two girls (21 and 13 year old). I am a Director of Process and Analytics at a health care company. I started coaching two years ago when my daughter expressed her interest in archery. This is a way to be involved in her activities and spend time with her.
I really enjoy seeing kids improving their scores by improving technique and mental fortitude. When kids get frustrated when scores fluctuate, it is challenging to teach them to focus on the process and thinking positively.
As you have just read, coaches have jobs and families of their own, but they still volunteer their time as coaches to our archery team. Without them, there would be no archery program at our school, and so many kids wouldn’t have learned archery. Next time that you see your coach or someone who has coached you in the past, appreciate them for how they have helped you become an archer.
~Asher S. is a 2023 Student Contributor~