Coach

It’s going to be a long, lonely summer.

Everybody knew this was coming. We’re shut, for the moment. We’re shut for God knows how long. No more shooting. No more drunken nights. No more wanders through the woods, at least for now. Covid 19 has ended this year’s archery sessions two and a half months early.

Right now I don’t know what hurts more, the crippling, lonely weeks and months ahead or the fact that I’ve seen some of my friends for the last time. Tom? Niles? Other James? They’re all in their final years and come the autumn, when we can hopefully shoot again, they’ll all be far away and those of who are left will all be coaxing in potential new archers, moving on as we must every year, until it is our own turn to bid adieu. I’ll probably be on photo duty again, like I was last year.

I like photo duty. I could try a bit of coaching now, I think I know enough, but I’m happier not giving people (potentially) the wrong help. And don’t I teach for a living now, anyway? Well… I do for now.

There’s a thing on my office desk, a leaflet for some American Camp Leaders thing. This summer is well out of the question , but what about next year? One of the things you apply for is Archery coaching. If I could raise the money, it’s around £800, I could go out there and do that. I love the idea. And maybe, in this downtime, I can figure out how I could raise the money.