News

Humbled but thank you so very much ❤️🏹

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, News

I am aware that this year alone I have been nominated for awards with Archery GB, This Girl Can, Northamptonshire Sport and North Northamptonshire Council, I was privileged to be awarded a Platinum Champion Award by the Royal Voluntary Service in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

I am blessed that people see what I do, what I give and that they take the time to nominate me. This year is not any different to previous years, I receive notifications that I have been nominated for awards or recognition most years. 

Whilst it’s nice to be recognised by the people that choose who gets these awards I am actually always more interested to know who took the time, what did the say, what did I do that they felt was important enough that they would take the time to write it in a nomination, because if I can I like to thank them. 

I don’t always get to find out, for this award I had to fill in a request form, they then contacted the nominator for permission – well today I am blown away, I didn’t get one! I got 5 and not all under the same category!!

I have had details shared from each nomination, it’s not just archery, it’s about working for inclusion, it’s about the time I put in for awareness of epilepsy and the impact on my son and our amazing purple family, it’s work I have and do with Age Uk, NHS, and families who need support. 2 of them have included a lot of what I have done in the last 31 years!! 

Wow, just wow 😮 

It amazes me to read about how people see me. 

I started volunteering at the age of 16. 

At the age of 20 I went through something horrific and I promised myself I would put my life to good use and use it to help others, with no real idea of what that promise meant as I sent it out into the ether.

I am often asked why I give what I do, what do I get out of the hours I put in? 

Well I get to keep that promise to myself, I get to make a difference for others in lots of small ways and it’s different things to different people. 

But when I see someone smile, if someone takes the time to share what I meant, what I have given them or helped them to achieve,it helps me move forward on the days it doesn’t feel like I am achieving anything. It is a privilege to be allowed to take any small part in someone’s life and do any of the things that I have done these 31 years. I struggle to explain it in an answer when asked – why do you do this? 

It’s too big and it’s wrapped up in too many things. 

This week I had someone take the time to ask if I would sit and listen as they told me what they have seen me achieve and how proud of me they are, I have no idea how to answer that, at all. The details they shared – I cried and I got the biggest hugs, maybe, just maybe I am doing ok in my own small way. 

I know what a difference some people have shared with me that my helping them with arrows, sharing them, helping them stay, has made. 

I often get asked about being a coach – no I think my role as cheerleader and encourager are far more important, yes I know that some think those skills belong to a coach too! 

Thank you to those who have celebrated my news this week that I am starting my training as a disability sports coach and learning about adaptive sports. It’s exciting already that some of those working with me for archery are already considering how we can expand our combined offered sports.

I will keep spending my time volunteering and giving my time to keep my promise. 

Integr8Archery and my hybrid club are certainly a big part in enabling me to be able to do that and to allow me to work with others without ever loosing me again.

Thank you to all of those who took the time to message me this week, never do I take your support for granted. 

17 weeks, amazing schools, fantastic children and a new avenue to offer more scope.

Helen Sharpe Announcement, Event recap, Joining forces for strength, News, weekly update
Amazing children only starting but with a determination to achieve self set goals.

So another busy, busy week.

So what have I been up to?

A social evening of thanks from Northamptonshire Sports for the volunteers at events in 2022, a great way to properly chat to those we see when working together at sporting events and actually really motivating to discuss what we all do this for, so many people ask why I give my time so regularly to others. Talking about sports we personally do and those we most prefer to volunteer at, so for me archery, running and open water swimming. Outside of my own sport I have to say I think my most enjoyable event this year was probably the pride colour run, such a great atmosphere.

The second evening of PACE ( parents against child exploitation), this is a series of 4 webinars and is open to those who care for and work with children and young people. This is a topic I have covered in my working life and have had some dealings with but these sessions are so much more. Heavy topic? absolutely, but county lines is a very real issue and something we may see signs of when working with children. As a safeguarding officer I have had children disclose information as I am a safe adult.

This session was especially emotional as the amazing Kendra of Out of the Shadows told her story, another amazing person using their own experience to teach and inspire and bring about change.

Another day of archery at Wrenn school to showcase what we have planned – curriculum, after school and a club. It was great to catch up with the children we spent the day with in July and meet a couple of new children picking up a bow. They have thought so much about what they want to aim for since those conversations in the early summer and it was fantastic to speak with representatives of the trust, especially as a second school from the trust is looking to follow a similar path. Our plans with Wrenn have hit some bumps in the road not created by the school or Integr8Archery but with continuous open communication we are figuring ways around the issues whilst we await those responsible to step up and resolve. I am genuinely excited to see what these children will achieve by the summer of 2023, I will keep you updated.

2 assignments submitted for my course, grant applications submitted for some of the groups.

My induction completed and my previously completed charter confirmed for the Sport for Development Coalition, another great group of like minded people trying to bring about change through sport. I have signed up to a number of things already, so no doubt I will be sharing more information over the coming months, is there anything more important for us to focus on other than Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, access to sport for all, and advocacy?

I got to catch up with one of my out of school setting children who attended our sessions on a Monday, at that time he was an alternate placement child. He is now back in mainstream school and taking part in archery there as the school is one of the schools in my archery in education project. How fantastic to see sport help him ease back into mainstream setting with his peers.

The other piece of news, which I am really excited about is that after being on a waiting list to start my coaching course with the Inclusive Activity Leader Program with the Disability Sports Coaching group, I was interviewed and accepted and I start my 6 months course on the 12th November and after 50-60 hours of class and placement I should be all set to help deliver 5 (Boccia, Polybat, Table Cricket, New Age Kurling and Goalball) sports in an adaptive environment. Without a doubt I am passionate about my sport and all that can be achieved with archery, but inclusion and the issues around it sees one of the biggest issues being availability of providers for adaptive sports, so lets set about increasing access by learning more sports to deliver.

Pride colour run, permission to be as silly as you like – what’s not to love!

It’s Saturday again!! Another busy week but a Saturday repost ☕️

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, Health, Re-published blogs

This has been a busy week and I have a couple of things to share, especially news that I received yesterday, but I will cover all of that in Tuesday’s end of week blog.

The last few weeks have been re-posted blogs after someone asked if I could share them as they had heard about them from another archer. This one seems especially appropriate as we are moving indoors and this was originally posted towards the end of the last indoor season. So, grab a brew and have a read. A quick thank you to the archers who have reached out in the 8 months following this too, I know how hard it is to talk to someone about the changes that we fear, thank you for trusting me.

SOMEONE ELSE’S PERSPECTIVE

Originally Published 25th February 2022 by Aim4Sport.

Firstly, read all of this if you are going to read it! 

Last year I wrote about my issues with moving to seated to continue shooting. 

The response to that has blown me away, thank you to everyone who responded but especially to 5 people who reached out. Each with different issues, some were moving to seated, some a change in bow styles, but all at a point where it was to change or quit? 

Each with similar issues around the changes but chatting and sharing and a couple of archers who really let me help, we are all still shooting. That’s not to say some days are not still a struggle as we adapt to the changes. 

So, what have I learned in the last year following that blog? 

That I am not the only one struggling, that sharing your story can help others in ways you didn’t expect. 

But – also? 

I have always enjoyed competing, it’s never about anything other than competing against myself. I enjoy the company of other archers and I hope each achieve their own goals, but their outcome does not effect mine, because I am not competing against them.

So with this in mind, summer 2021 was a return to competition for many, opening back up still dealing with the pandemic. 

For me, trying to come to terms with taking the shooting stool to places and with people I don’t know, unsure how I would be received. 

My team – coach, Dave Leader and physio, Benjamin Horner – always there, when I wobble and need a word. It’s my right to shoot and we are claiming it. My club, Aim4sport AC supporting the change.

Not everyone is open to those who make the shooting line awkward, require some accommodation, but my aim when I applied to become an Archery GB ambassador was to push inclusion and I have worked hard to ensure that disability archers are not excluded, so why is it harder to push for yourself than for others? Admit it, it is for most of us! 

Some of the toughest opposition I have faced has been from entirely unexpected sources, those you’d expect to support me. 

I have had an amazing team of people prepared to work as agents for me, a role I have done for many over the last 5 years, wheelchair archers, VI archers, world transplant games! 

It took one of those archers who I had agented for, to give me firm words to have me accept it was ok to ask for help, that I am not a burden despite the words of some. 

So off I went, into the outdoor season, sometimes with an agent, sometimes not!! But determined that I would see only my aim to get that elusive first classification that had been so close but eluded me for 3 years as my body gave into the pain. 

I chose the first shoot out of county very carefully. 

Guildford Archery Club is somewhere I have enjoyed shooting and watching my children shoot, perfect. Or so I thought!!!! (My mistake not theirs)! 

I arrived the night before to realise I had left Bert (the shooting stool at home)! 

I messaged the TO and was entirely overwhelmed the following morning to arrive and find they had me a stool waiting!!!!! Wow! A little emotional and hugging the work party who were proving that I had absolutely made the right choice in my first competition out of county with no agent! 

It didn’t go so well, I couldn’t finish, though it looks very similar this taught me that all of that time working with my engineers to get my stool set for me was worth it. They are not all the same.

A learning experience so definitely no regrets. 

I was encouraged by this to go out and get on with it. 

Often finding kindness but also often finding myself sat in the very same place. Right at the end, on the right of the shooting line. Lonely, to be truthful but happy to be shooting and this is perhaps the price to pay to continue with my sport? 

The outdoors ended and the move indoors which I hate every year! New bow to celebrate getting that first classification finally!!!!! 

For a variety of reasons I haven’t managed many indoor shoots but I am booking in and trying to aim for the target I set myself. 

The indoors seems to make availability of agents less? 

So key to this is being brave enough to ask for help.

Then I struggled at a competition with my mental health, and as the work party paid attention to me because they knew I was struggling they suddenly noticed what no one ever does! 

I am on the far right of the line again, literally my nose against the brick wall for a double Portsmouth. 

What happened next however is what is most important. A conversation that they have never seen what happens, knowing they have seen it at theirs and other tournament venues but never thinking of the impact of what is happening on the archer! 

Apologies, it’s ok – it really is, or is it? 

Most of us just feel grateful that we are welcomed, that we are accepted, as a burden as we are often told and you make space for us on the line! 

But I can say that their reaction and how talking to me, talking to the judges about practicalities and ways to move us whilst meeting all the needs of everyone, means that going forward anyone seated at Archers of Raunds will be less isolated and definitely included in the shooting line. 

It also opened up an entire conversation around how we sometimes look at the easy fix but is it the most appropriate fix for the person you are trying to help, will they ask if they need more? 

Can you look at what you do and say did you just do enough or did you put a little more thought into what the individual might need? 

Did you accommodate them or did you actually welcome and include them? 

I am not asking for you to make people feel special, just considered. I also know that some archers like the very end so they can focus the mind and shut everyone out. 

All I am asking you to question is how do you feel when you look at the line, how might you be accommodating everyone. 

I know that this will annoy some, those same people who have tried to tell me I have no right to shoot if I cannot stand or if I cannot collect my own arrows. We are, after all, entitled to our own opinion, but if we can make people slightly more welcome in our sport surely it’s worth just stopping to think for a moment? 

16 weeks – time is flying by!

Helen Sharpe Health, News, weekly update
Last outdoor competition of the season

So, what’s happening?

Lots in the background and the coming weeks will see a lot of work put into action. Meetings with archers, facilities, suppliers, committees, multi sport groups, basically planning, planning and more planning.

Some exciting things in the pipeline for new groups focusing on support and inclusion and particularly showing what we already know, that our sport is amazing for helping with your head space, mental health and stress can be helped by the simple art of repetition that we all spend so many hours taking part in.

New schools, existing schools, activity partnerships, new relationships to work together and strengthen what we can achieve through the power of helping people access sports in a safe and welcoming environment. Plans for next outdoor season bubbling away and firming my list of coaches interested in helping with the goals of what I want integr8archery to achieve.

4 new people who have reached out based on what they are reading to chat about their ongoing archery and if what they want is achievable, realistic? One of who is a novice disability archer who is wondering if they can succeed at becoming a coach!
Those who know me well know that I am a huge Disney fan so ” if you can dream it, you can do it” was easy to quote.
But seriously I have two wheelchair friends who coach at different sports and one is also a personal trainer and dance instructor (though just in case he’s reading I have yet to be taught how to dance – just saying!).

So when asked why I am posting twice a week? Firstly I am a person in charge of a community interest company and I think it’s incredibly important that what I am doing can be seen, but these things I write, sometimes they strike a cord for the person reading them and they reach out and chat, the power of community is so very strong and I have spent years working on my little piece of the community in which I give, this has never meant that I need to be in the same room and I have friends that I have known for years who I have never physically met but we are so much stronger together because of the support we provide each other. So I will continue to write twice a week and share, because I am actually surprised at some of the things that are the bit that people read that connects us.

To prove this point, following Saturday’s blog, I had people thank me for sharing and also talking about the difference I have made for them in times that they were considering leaving the sport and how they are pleased I have chosen to stay and continue the work that I am doing. Never underestimate the difference that a kind word, a smile or a hug might make. I appreciate those who stay in touch to let me know how you are getting on, I enjoy your news and successes, we each measure our own success based on what we want and I celebrate with all of you.

This week? More meetings and calls to firm up some plans and some more funding applications for some of the groups, so enjoy your week and thank you for joining me so far. ❤️🏹 I never take any of you or the time you take to read what I am doing for granted. Thank you 😊

I might, one day, learn how to take a photo with a serious face – but to be fair i haven’t in the 47 years so far 🫣😂

Next in the series, following on from last weeks blog, around health and change.

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, Event recap, Health, Re-published blogs

Last week’s republished blog was around the changes created by my physical health and the pain it creates, the decision to continue to shoot or quit. This week is around the battles my mental health can create and sees a republish of a blog that I wrote and was first published by Aim4Sport on the 19th February 2022.

This seems particularly important as I have rounded off my outdoor season with a shoot for the county today and I have reflected on my personal social media how the first competition of the outdoor season saw me cry through three dozen arrows as I battled with the idea of loosing my sport completely, had a rollercoaster of emotion, successes and failures but I am reaching the end of the season in a different mind set to how I started.

So, I again, invite you to grab a cuppa and read this from earlier in the year:

MAYBE THE BIGGEST SUCCESS WAS JUST LEAVING THE HOUSE?

Published 19th February 2022

Right now life isn’t easy, there are a long list of things happening and I am waiting on tests and results on top of all of that. 
I haven’t been able to shoot properly after upsetting my back, literally 3 weeks ago today I couldn’t put my foot flat to the floor and I am blessed that my physio is also my friend and that my coach is my best friend because that is what it took to get me through that particular evening. 
So today was going to be my first real competition with Calliope (my new bow). Booked weeks ago and long before all of the things that have hit to add to the usual struggles.

I had finally managed to get my first class badge with the 2021 outdoor season – 3 years in the making and hard earned. 
So I came to the outdoor season with a goal and a new bow! 

Tried a frostbite on Boxing Day and couldn’t finish, then the back!!! 


Had a couple of issues leading up to this week, like sitting crying with my laptop because I could not press the on button and having to call the office to admit that my mental health had tanked. 
Sunday morning arrived and I love competition, I am only shooting against myself and never have an expectation of the actual event itself. 
But today it was tough, really tough, for a variety of reasons. Still struggling with the concept of sitting to shoot some days, because no matter how much support you have, some days the voices who are trying to push you down are louder.

No you can’t see what is wrong with me, no you have no right to ask or to share your opinion of me, but some feel it’s ok to tell you if you can’t stand you shouldn’t be shooting. 

So, feeling vulnerable and having a rough week, I discover my agent is not joining me. 


Why am I trying? Why am I fighting, surely just quitting would be easier!! 


But I have people in my life who know how I would view that later if I gave in!! 
So with some encouragement I took a deep breath and left the house, not easy and I have, in the past, spent weeks/months in the house unable to step outside so never underestimate the effort it may have taken to step over the threshold and go outside.


By the time I arrived I was sobbing, tears streaming down my face, but I knew there were people inside that range who would support me, and all the things in my head trying to tell me to go home would be wrong if I could just get out of the car. 
So I walked in and indeed there were people, archers who don’t need information but I just reached out and said I need your help, I need to shoot today to allow me to continue tomorrow or that may be the end of my shooting for good.

And help they did with no information, people who knew me, people who didn’t, getting me and my kit in, set up and onto the line. Three different agents over 2 sessions. 
Pretty? Not at all!! 
Though there were a lot of photos taken so I will see if I looked like I might have vaguely had a clue how to shoot! 
Scores? Who cares? First competition with a new bow, no agent and overwhelming anxiety.


I came home with 2 silver medals for the single and the double rounds but they are more like medals for surviving the day. 
I cannot thank the people who got me through today enough and I look forward to returning to the same venue in 6 weeks to shoot again, hopefully with a smile on my face. 
But also, from my day, came learning. 
A club who saw me and the issues and reached out to ask some questions about the stool and how I felt and a realisation that actually they have never really taken into account some elements around seated archers, so a conversation with the judges and some new things in place to allow them to support anyone who shoots with them to be in the most comfortable environment that they can be.


It makes a difference to know a club welcomes anyone and will work with them to get things right if they realise they can improve. 
So on a day when my biggest achievement was leaving the house and not letting the voices in my head beat me and take away my sport, a positive experience for us all and one that will hopefully help others in the future. 
My point? Be kind, always kind because you never know what someone went through just to be stood in the room with you.

AUTHOR ARCHIVES: HELEN SHARPE

Enough! Sorry but if you need Aim4Sport contact Aim4Sport.

Helen Sharpe Announcement, Blog with a message

I have spent 6 months answering questions on ranges, at Lilleshall, emails, texts, messages on many platforms. I answered what I could, whilst I could and now repeatedly reply to the same people that I cannot answer your questions, I do not have the answers.
The shop and the training centre are closed, you may still have outstanding matters – I cannot help. The business is still there – I have never been part of it, you may not be getting answers, I cannot get them either.

In fact you are much more likely to get answers than me, I am blocked on every communication platform.

I also have things I need, and so much information I need to give, but I cannot.

Yes there was so much being planned, yes some of you were going to be a part of those things.

If you have been reading here you know I have kept some of my projects, yes they had been collaborating with me, now they are not. You will know that I also had to leave some of my projects behind, along with work I had done in collaborating on theirs. Yes, some of those projects had been tied together to create amazing things and I have had to pull my work out of that.

I passionately believed in what we would achieve and what was planned from May to October would have showcased it all. I have apologised to every single person who I have had to cancel plans on, who I have had to disappoint.

You can work with me, of course you can, stop asking if I have walked away from everyone – look! Here on this website!

I cannot however, help you any further with anything in regards to aim4sport, either the business or the club.

You need to contact them, if I cannot get my own answers I certainly cannot get yours.

I did not create the issues, I am sorry that they are there for every single one of you.

Please now stop messaging me in regards to Aim4Sport, the impact on my mental health in the last 11 months has been significant and I am incredibly grateful to the circle that has formed around me since January to get me through everything so far, but I need you to stop with the messages about Aim4sport, the business and the club, the impact those messages and my inability to resolve matters for you is incredibly detrimental to my continued healing.

I am sorry to everyone of you who thinks I have failed you, I did not walk away. I did not cause any of this and if I could make it right for all of you I would.

Kindest regards and well wishes as we each continue to make a difference through the power of the sport we love.

Helen

15 weeks, the question that everyone keeps asking at the moment?

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, weekly update

Lots of meetings this week, with new groups and new plans but the latest club committee meeting saw dots on i’s and crosses on t’s – I have definitely chosen a great team and I am thankful they have agreed to run a club with me, certainly not something any of us were planning at the beginning of the year I am sure.

So the most asked questioned in the last 2 weeks is why did I choose social enterprise, community interest club over charity?

That’s easy.

Having been involved in the work of more than one charity and spending months working towards launching another, what I am aware of is how goals can be changed and how this can change how the money is used, all legally and no issues, but what was the original goal and did the donations that resulted come knowing that things might change? Would the same donation be made if the new goal had been clear?

I have been told often that I think in black and white and that I do not see grey (hilarious considering who has thrown that at me most and the grey I displayed there, but that’s a story for another day).

In order to be accepted as a Community Interest Company I had to complete paperwork.

My aim is to run grassroots projects for archery and bring sports to groups and individuals who do not know how to access it. Easy to explain and show evidence of how this has changed lives and helps individuals and communities – I have been doing it for 6 years. This might be one off sessions, a number of sessions or creating a group that is entirely self sustaining and supporting them from planning, setting up and ongoing mentoring. Where appropriate helping them source and obtain funding.

This will be done in a not for profit manner, with very little money going through the business. As with the 6 grants that I had helped clubs and groups obtain prior to setting up Integr8archery those monies go straight to the group who we applied on behalf of.

My costs? Will always be very minimal and again have been set out clearly to ensure anything that does come in is spent on projects. My two main expenses are petrol and storage costs, the kit has to live somewhere and I am grateful that Lok n Store gave me a deal to help keep the cost as low as I could.
Yes you can make a donation and this will help cover costs and also anything surplus will be spent on projects and will be clearly shown in the accounts verified by my amazing auditor at the end of each business year.

So, what does all of that mean? I cannot change the way the money is spent, now it’s all signed off. If I decided I wanted to I cannot close the business down and re-start with the money, once agreed and signed off by the government it is set in stone. I had to nominate a registered charity who would receive monies in the account if I close it, I chose Youth Sports Trust having worked with them during my time as an Archery GB ambassador.

So no matter what the future brings, who I might collaborate with, anyone who gives money to help fund projects is assured I will only be spending it in the manner set out.

For clarification, when talking about Integr8archery there is just me, no board or committee or staff, just me. Why do I say we? because people do work with me, each group or person who comes to me, what I provide takes more than me – there is the we. I get the most appropriate people for whatever I am helping achieve, often I am there to, but the business is me. Anyone who does paid work for my customers is paid directly by the customer. I am essentially a volunteer project manager, pulling my service suppliers and customers together and therefore dealing with most of the communication and planning.

How does this vary from the club? My club is a hybrid, open and school, and I have a committee of which I am one of 5 committee members, the committee are aware that if I am doing anything with the CIC that will impact or reflect on the club that I discuss things business related with them. The constitution has been very carefully written to reflect how we want to protect the club.

So, hopefully that has answered the majority of the questions around how we (I) have set things up. If not, feel free to ask me.

Something a little different, even though it’s a repeat!

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, News, Re-published blogs
Grab yourself a cuppa – I usually have one under my stool 😉 thanks to the amazing people who keep me topped up!

The next few Saturdays are going to be a little different. So on a Saturday, before you sit to read my blog, make a brew ☕️🫖.

It’s easy to see what’s happening with the projects if you have been watching the website, so I thought I could explain a little more for those who don’t know me very well about the wider picture and what you get from me if you need some support instead of a project.

It’s also going to explain we are all friends at Integr8archery, because it is key to everything that happens here, in this huge family of archers who are supportive and welcoming where differences are not an issue and we embrace each others quirks.

Just in the last couple of weeks I have been approached following people reading my blogs who want support and think they may have found it amongst these pages. Last week someone new approached me on the shooting line to ask about Bert (my shooting stool), since the blog below was first published 12 people have reached out to ask me to help them through their own change. 5 of those stay in regular contact and I am blessed to call them friends. Just because you made the change doesn’t mean some days aren’t still tough and some times the words of others make us question our place on the line. On the days you need extra strength – I will always fight for your place on the line!

WHAT IF RESISTING CHANGE MEANS HAVING TO QUIT? – BY HELEN SHARPE

First published by Aim4sport on the 19th March 2021.

I signed up to my beginners’ course in January 2018, knowing at the same time that I would have a limited amount of time available to shoot because of the restrictions to my body and the pain those restrictions create. So I guessed 2 years?

Lots of issues in lots of areas and over the previous 22 years several surgeries, physios and whatever it took bit by bit to keep me going.

Being the last person in the house to pick up a bow meant that I had been around archery long enough watching what happens to know probably my best chance to shoot was with a compound bow.

So away I went, met with some resistance from those who felt that no novice should start with a compound – whatever was I suggesting!

I was lucky enough to have a coach on my beginners’ course who was happy to go with me in that starting process, so beginners course completed off we set.

So, 2 years? What could I cram into 2 years! Cram I did, shooting every day, bow in the car – office to range.

Clear advantage to living in a house of archers, if I hadn’t gotten my bow and found myself stuck at the office, I would often get a text message to tell me my bow was waiting, set up and ready to go on the shooting line, taken by my family.

I had learned over the previous 43 years to ignore the pain (not recommended in any way) and plough on.

Perfect in my mind because I wanted to compete, my plan was 4 specific local competitions in my first outdoor season – my reality? 18 competitions – including being selected to shoot for the county!

County selection surprised me, but this amazing squad have proven immensely vital in helping me face the changes that, though I anticipated, have still been surprisingly painful on an emotional level.

I love long days of competition, but they come at a cost, I cannot sit down during the day because the moment I relax I can’t move. So, a 1440 – amazing day often with great people. Walking slower as the day goes on but pushing through and often achieving more than I had hoped.

At a cost though, those closest to me would see me when it was over – and help me find my space to lay on the floor as my body seizes up and I cry – a lot – as the pain hits. Some of those friends might pour me a beer, some might cry with me, I learned later what watching someone in great pain can feel like for those around you, but that is someone else’s story.

There are no categories in archery that allow for pain, it’s incredibly difficult to quantify pain so how would you make rules that fit it? A challenge but if someone wants to pick it up and try, there are many of us who would be grateful.

I set myself a target for that first outdoor season and surpassed it.

Indoors came and a new coach, but someone who knew me and wanted to work with the issues.

Back outdoors and by now nearing 18 months and the toll was hitting – that original predicted 2 years looming and the reality that the pain was definitely becoming unbearable. My coach found himself away often due to work commitments.

So on I tried to plod alone with increasing pain.

Until the offer of a new coach arrived, one who thought we might have ways to try to get me more than 2 years in a sport that I now loved and didn’t want to give up. With a phone call he turned our team of 2 into a team of 3, a physio to add some knowledge to the situation.

Not an easy few months as those assessments and conversations happened.

When you have fought to walk and move and do everything without giving in, to have these people come into your life who think they have answers that sound in your mind like giving into those issues – it’s not easy if you are stubborn! And I might be just a little bit stubborn, possibly.

At different points it has been suggested I sit to shoot, always met by my less than polite reply to whichever brave person suggested it.

This coach however may be slightly braver than anyone else had been because despite being warned and the reaction the first time he mentioned it, he did mention it again!!

I am an evidence-based creature so to believe it was the answer regardless of what we thought we might know, I needed to see proof. So data gather started to prove what different scenarios and arrow counts would show, with sitting, standing and with or without an agent.

I am immensely grateful to those people who lived through that process with me, coach, physio and agents because quite frankly I was unbearable, and I didn’t behave well because I saw it all as giving in and letting my broken body and pain win after always fighting it.

We all survived the process – just!

The decision discussed and agreed that if I wanted to shoot I had to sit because crying as I shoot due to pain isn’t really acceptable.

Sounds simple? Nope.

You can’t walk into a store and come out with a shooting stool and to add to the issue we found ourselves in a pandemic!

My county squad mates came out as soon as possible and spent time, session after session creating what I needed and letting me rant and stomp about in the process.

So I spent the summer of 2020 learning to bond with Bert the shooting stool.

Dealing with my own head space whilst at the same time being faced with opposition from people who had opinions about if pain, regardless of how severe, should see a shooting stool allowed on the shooting line, because after all, pain is not a disability, right?

It’s a lot to get your head around but as coach keeps telling me – laying on the ground immobilised and crying in pain means giving up shooting so get sat on the stool and get on with it or quit.

Am I that resistant to change and so impacted by other people’s opinions that I never want to shoot another arrow? No.

Am I still learning to accept that I must change to carry on shooting – yes!

But I am also very blessed to have some amazing people in my corner to support that change and a coach who has most definitely become my best friend and will let me scream and shout and stomp and then tell me to quit moaning and get on with it.

So I can and I will change and learn to accept it and contend with opinions of others because I want more than 2 years, in fact I just had the 3rd anniversary of my beginners course. So maybe if faced with the option of quitting I can, in fact, be strong enough to change instead.

Some of us fight for others because we have struggled ourselves – thank you Angela Grant ❤️🏹

14 weeks, schools, communities and coaches

Helen Sharpe News, weekly update
First competition in the shirts!

Here we are, 14 weeks, and it feels like things are starting to click into place, but so much new stuff is happening too.

It felt amazing to shoot my first competition in one of the integr8archery shirts, and I was proud to see my new club name on the target list. Even more amazing to have a friend of integr8archery on the field with me, she’s played a huge part in keeping me moving forward this last 10 months and believes in me on the days I do not. We had said 18 months ago we would shoot competition together and I am actually pleased now that we never pulled it off sooner because it being this weekend made it even more special. Word of warning though for anyone going to Dunster next year, we are there all week and it appears we laugh quite a bit on the range (though not quite as much as I do at flight with a footbow).

The good news is that things are finally starting to really settle for the 2 schools who were badly impacted by the breakdown of my collaboration. I am grateful that both took a chance and after frank and open conversations have continued to work with me and we are building the relationships stronger than ever.

One is picking up their confidence and we have two coaches to work with them and their long term plans to get the school club back on track, the other is back on track for their PE lessons, school club and new group sessions all launching in the next few weeks with the support of three fantastic coaches. We have managed to cobble together a plan with their kit issues whilst that all gets resolved with the supplier, fingers crossed that will be sorted sooner rather than later but it is out of our hands really, though good customer service is worth a fortune in word of mouth advertising.

I have been approached by a new group following the multi sport meeting last week, the first of that particular group I was invited to attend, but always motivating to be in a room with others who share the same goals and I am looking forward to sharing our sport with some amazing chaps and showing them the impact that it can have on stress and mental health. I will keep you updated with how that goes.

Leicestershire schools are bubbling on and the numbers are exciting, as is the contact who wants to work with me to get other community groups in the area using archery to get people moving.

Thank you to everyone who has ordered shirts so far, the first order is all out there now and I am starting to pull together the next order. As the weather is turning colder I have now worked with Lionhart to add hoodies to the list and with big bobble hats to add woolly hats! You know me well enough that my poor ear is never far from a bobble hat! Details are on the Integr8Archery club and friends page.

So, take care and see you soon.

1st October – new AGB year – new start & questions?

Helen Sharpe Announcement, News

Archers know what the 1st October is – the start of the new membership year with Archery GB.

I have received lots of questions this week and even more so today, so it would seem fitting that today is the day I would be doing a blog anyhow.

I have had to retire my red shirt. I now have a club of my own which was needed to fulfil the plans for the projects.

Over the coming weeks the children from my education project will have their memberships processed and their continued progress will be encouraged, especially important as a significant number have set themselves goals as both individuals and teams. I am excited to see what we can help them achieve by their self set deadlines.

Me? I am a member of my club and tomorrow I shall shoot my first competition in my new shirt! I am also thrilled to be joined by one of the friends of Integr8archery who will be shooting with me.

The club has three ranges registered and certified at the moment and there will be more added in the coming months but these are specifically for each group and not for general use.

With this in mind I will be predominately shooting at Archers of Raunds, with time also booked at Long Buckby, Bowmen of Glen, WOAC and Kestrels (double hit as my A4SAC friends are there) to shoot as a guest with my shooting buddies. Whilst the last 15 months have been difficult I have learned that the best place to shoot is with those who I am comfortable to be around and this is my focus.

Coaching? None, this was always going to be the next step if the last coach didn’t work out. I am blessed to have many coaches as friends and I have two especially, who I can call upon and have already proven that they can liaise with each other for my benefit, added in my ace physio to keep me going for as long as we can.

So, there we go, that’s what the new membership year sees me doing.

Thank you to all of you for caring enough to ask and good luck to you all as we move into the indoor season.