The Algoma Rod and Gun Club will be hosting the Ontario Archery Provincial Youth Challenge — also known as the Junior Challenge — June 15 and 16.
The tournament’s location — Rocky DiPietro Field, adjacent to the John Rhodes Community Centre — makes this a first for the club.
“We’ve never hosted anything off site before. This is the first time we’ve hosted anything that wasn’t held entirely at the Algoma Rod and Gun Club. This is the first time we’ll have a lot of space for spectators,” said Lana Perry, Junior Challenge organizer.
Perry said 33 Sault youngsters — 18 males and 15 females — were registered to compete as of Friday’s deadline.
“This one doesn't require qualifications like the Ontario Summer Games does. They just needed to register in advance and be a member of Archery Ontario,” Perry said.
Competitors are separated by gender and by age categories of U13, U15, U18 and U21.
The Junior Challenge is hosted in five different zones across Ontario annually on a rotation basis. The Sault lies in Ontario Archery’s Northwestern Zone.
Competition will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.
Archers will use compound and recurve bows.
Perry said that competitors will come from many communities all across Ontario including Bruce Mines, Dubreuilville, Elliot Lake, North Bay, Thunder Bay, Peterborough, Bracebridge, Hamilton, Windsor, Toronto and Hamilton.
“It’s a whole range of experience coming,” Perry said.
“We have kids who have been shooting for weeks or months right through to kids who have competed in the Junior Pan American Games. We do have a few fairly high profile athletes competing.”
Binoculars are recommended for spectators.
“If people are coming to watch they may appreciate having a pair of binoculars because the targets are set from 30 to 70 metres away so if they want to see where arrows are landing binoculars can be very helpful. The majority of the kids are shooting 50 metres away, some are shooting 70 and the younger kids shoot closer,” Perry said.
The Junior Challenge will be preceded by a fun team event from 5 p.m.to 8 p.m. Friday, June 14.
“That’ll be interesting because some of the parents are going to join some of the teams. It’s an unofficial, friendly, fun event where parents can shoot with their kids,” Perry said.
Prizes will be given at that event.
Admission to all three days of activity at Rocky DiPietro Field is free.
“It’s taken a lot of work and a committee of fantastic people to put it together between the City, our board of directors and the parents of our competitive kids that hold fundraisers for the event. The City of Sault Ste. Marie has been helping us out with the prep work for the field. The City’s been pretty integral with this one. There’ve been tons of local businesses that are sponsors and have put together items for swag bags. Every child that registers will get a bag of goodies,” Perry said.
For Perry, the Junior Challenge is a source of personal achievement and pride.
Perry’s son Asher will be competing in the tournament.
The tournament will also be a credit to her own experience and organizational skills.
“I’ve run this tournament a number of times because I used to travel to help run it at different clubs back when I was a board member with Ontario Archery but this is the first time I’ve got to actually run it and host it personally.”