Warrnambool Target Sports Club welcome community support

Club committee member Jim Burrell said it would host a competition in November, after running a trial last year. Club members often compete at other ranges.

"Not everyone likes competing, but for many they really do like to compete," Burrell said. "So we are trying to get better at competition."

He said the details of the event would be discussed at an upcoming committee meeting.

The club will continue its come-and-try events on Saturday mornings, as well as its junior development program, William Tell Club.

"The kids, we'll do pin the tail on the donkey or the archery snakes and ladders or shoot balloons," Burrell said. "Or design your own zombie and shoot that to try and engage the kids so they're not just shooting at a target."

The club, which runs out of the Lake Gillear-based Warrnambool Target Sports Centre, is one of seven sporting groups located at the 100-acre property. The centre offers indoor and outdoor ranges, including an archery field course made up of 24 targets differing in distance.

The facility has run under a shared management structure since 2020, with each club represented on its board. Warrnambool Small Bore Rifle Club secretary Chris Preston, who is also the centre's secretary, said the structure was working well.

"Everyone's getting along well," he said. "We're working together as best we can."

Burrell said Archers of Warrnambool was moving past previous COVID-19 restrictions, which limited members' ability to practice their craft.

"Our numbers got down to high-20s but now we're up to about 50 members again," he said.

Preston said the Warrnambool Small Bore Rifle Club was also the "up-and-up again".

"We've got regular weekly shoots we do every Wednesday and Thursday nights," Preston said. "We participate in a lot of competitions with other clubs, we do postal competitions so that makes it exciting."

The club starts a new 50-metre pennant season on Thursday, which runs for 10 weeks, as well as a Commonwealth Ladies Pennant competition starting from October 3 to give prospective shooters a taste for the sport.

Preston praised his sport's inclusiveness.

"In the small bore, the women and men compete as an equal," Preston said. "Not many people do that."It's a mind game. It doesn't rely on strength, it's patience."

This week the Warrnambool Rifle Club, Warrnambool Small Bore Rifle Club and Archers of Warrnambool welcomed the delivery of a new commercial-grade lawn mower, purchased through community business support and a development grant.

Burrell, who spearheaded the grant process, said it would make life easier for club members to then spend more time enjoying their sports. He thanked the businesses for their support.

Preston said the shared initiative showcased how the different clubs worked together.

"We help each other out, and I suppose this is part of it all, the camaraderie of the three clubs, to do this together," he said.

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