Hitting the mark with Royal City Bowmen

In years gone by, dinner may have depended on how well you shot a bow and arrow.

Today, the sport of archery offers both physical and mental benefits, and at the Royal City Bowmen Club in Guelph, just a day of target practice outside.

Having just purchased $5,000 of equipment to coach new members, Royal City Bowmen membership chairman Chris Lafleur, says the club always looks to expand and welcomes anyone to join.

"You don’t have to have any experience," Lafleur said. “You just have to have an interest in archery, and we’ll get you the experience."

Residing on 46 acres of land rented from the Grand River Conservation Authority, the not-for-profit volunteer-run organization promotes a safe archery experience in a wilderness setting.

"I enjoy meeting with people, engaging their interest in archery, and showing them around. It really is a beautiful property,” Lafleur said.

The club’s 20-target loop is open to members year-round with an assortment of box and 3D targets, as wells as 40-yard outdoor range.

The club operates year-round and holds three archery tournaments a year.

“We just held our first tournament of the season in the spring. We had 85 archers come out,” Lafleur said.

With about 80 members currently, the Royal City Bowmen has been in operation for over 46 years.

“The executive is made up of seven people who also assign directors who do some of the work around the property to maintain it by cutting the grass. We also have in-house programming, which my wife does a lot of here especially in the summer,” Lafleur said.

Lafleur encourages beginners to try archery out for a couple of days before making a commitment.

“Usually, you know right away if you are going to like it or not. For kids, we offer a $5 beginner lesson that includes basic training on how to hold a bow, and how to shoot it,” he said.

“Usually if someone is keen enough, I can get them shooting a target in about 15 minutes. And they are very happy at the end when they pop that balloon."

Lafleur has been a member of Royal City Bowmen since the onset of COVID-19.

"I used to do lot of archery when I was younger. When I was 16, I took the sport up. It was a lot different back then. Bows have come a long way. They can almost shoot themselves,” Lafleur said.

Growing up in Sudbury and coming from a First Nations background, Lafleur said his father instilled in him a passion for the great outdoors.

“My dad always loved being outside, fishing and hunting. I wanted to try bow hunting, so I bought my own bow,” Lafleur said.

“I practiced, and I got quite good. And I was able to hit targets from far way. I got into it and really loved it.”

Once married and with kids, Lafleur's love of archery became a family affair.

“When I got married and had kids and we started getting back into the outdoor stuff,” he said.

“When COVID hit, I couldn’t stand sitting inside the house. My wife said let’s do archery. So, we bought some bows and we’ve been doing it ever since. My wife is actually a better shot than I am and has placed second and third in the provincials.”

Lafleur said the sport can offer an opportunity for meditation where the archer can clear their mind, and focus solely on their form and on the target.

"When I was younger, I read the book, Zen and the Art of Archery. In Japan, one of the arts of Zen is archery. You really do have to focus. You are almost meditating with motion. If I’m in the middle of a shot and I think of what I have to make for dinner, I will miss. Guaranteed, I will not hit the target. Archery is about being in the moment. And I don’t think we have enough of that anymore," Lafleur said.

"And I have met so many people through this sport. When you come out and someone from the club sees you struggling, they will stop shooting and offer help. I’ve never experienced another sport like this."

For more information or to join the Royal City Bowmen Club, visit here.

"We’ll set up a time to meet you on the site. We can run through a quick lesson. If you're already familiar with it, I'll let you know the safety rules, watch you take a couple shots, and you’re good to go," Lafleur said.

Personally, Lafleur says archery has brought positive change into his life.

"I love this sport. It has helped me change a lot of things in my own life. It’s gotten my outside," he said.

"And I’ve always been an introvert. This has helped me get over that as well. I do like new challenges which is why I took the membership chair position."

The club's mission is to continue to grow a great community of people.

"Everybody here, you can talk to. It’s a wonderful community and it’s a lot of fun," Lafleur said. 

"If you need help on your archery journey, I’m more than happy to help anyone with tournaments, competitions or just learning how to shoot a bow. That’s my passion and the passion of everybody here."