IN a bold move Bermuda is entering a full archery squad for the Island Games next year — although team manager Jeane Butterfield admits the side is far from settled.She is hoping hotshots Paul Harshaw and Alan Blakemore will make the trip to Rhodes but she is working on filling the rest of the four-man men’s ticket although father and son pairing Colin and Ron Campbell could fit the bill.

“They have been shooting fairly well and fairly consistently,” she said.

The two female slots are up for grabs. But, despite once being one of the top college archers in the US, Butterfield is doubtful as a competitor because she is still suffering from the effects of a skiing injury.

But she is working on her strength in the hope she can be ready for summer tournament.

And her lack of tournament practice could be a blessing as she worked out long ago that over-practising proves counterproductive for her.

She came eighth last time in Shetland and would have done better had not nerves got the better of her and she sent one arrow into the ground.

“I have been working on that,” she said adding that she has also been studying films of Olympic archers to pick up tips for both herself and the team in an effort to fill in for the lack of coaching on the island.

But she admits the dual managing/playing role is too much of a strain having left her exhausted last time around in Shetland and she would welcome some help.

Butterfield admits archery is a difficult sport to persevere with because proper kit can cost up $2,500. Club equipment is available for beginners but even natural sharpshooters can find themselves outstripped by those with better equipment and so soon get discouraged.

Around 20 archers are involved with club events on Sundays at the Government Quarry in Hamilton Parish and she says some of the families who come via the Community Education Programme are showing some promise as potential Island Games recruits. She cites Roz Kneeland and her daughter Natasha and the DeRosa family.

Bermuda conditions will prove the ideal training ground for the sweltering heat of mid-summer Rhodes said Butterfield.

“Traditionally in the last several Games the Isle of Man has been the big competitor.” But the northern Europeans islands might find sweltering Mediterranean heat testing.

“It will be hot and humid which may work to our advantage,” she said.

Last time Bermuda warmed up with a postal shoot — taking on some of the competitor islands without anyone leaving their home turf.

Butterfield hopes something can be arranged again but she notes many of the islands archers have stopped for the winter.

Although the sport only made its first appearance on the island of Rhodes in 2002, due to the efforts of the Rhodes Island Games Association, it already has many fans and Rhodes participate for the first time in Shetland 2005 with four athletes.

Since archery is an Olympic Sport, Rhodes had the honour of hosting the Taiwan archery Olympic team for a two week Pre-Olympic training camp before the 2004 Games in Athens. The team went on to win one silver and one bronze medal in those Olympics.

The venue that will host the sport next summer will be the “Municipal Field of Fitorio” — an ideal field for archery. It is located close to the athletes’ accommodation area.

The Prefecture of the Dodecanese has taken the initiative to upgrade the facility. Archery coordinator Evangelos Leventis and his team are responsible for organising the archery competition for the NatWest Island Games XII, Rhodes 2007.

Archery is still a “new” sport to Rhodes.

Due to the efforts of the Rhodes Island Games Association the first archery athletes started to train the last few years. Evaggelos, a lawyer first got involved with the sport as an athlete and due to his enthusiasm he has contributed to the organisation and development of the sport since its first steps and is now the Sport Coordinator for Archery.

[obox] Anyone interested in archery should contact Butterfield via email at scooter@northrock.bm