Para Archery ion South Africa
Catherine has been involved with archery for 16 years. "I started at competition level taking part in as much competition as possible. When I had my first child it became impossible for me to keep competitive because of the pressures of motherhood.
It was then that a school for the disabled in the Eastern Province contacted me and asked if I would be interested to help them in the training of the children in archery. I had never coached anyone before but the prospect of once again being involved with my sport was too tempting. I thus started at Cape Recife School for the Disabled and within 1 year we had 2 South African Champions in their category.
Eastern Province also took the trophy for junior archery that year. A fire had been started within me and I proceeded to look for other schools in the region and found 2 more. I approached them and soon we had them going also. This is when I met Loet Smit. He came to visit our area and was happy at the development happening here.
A year later when he had to leave he nominated me to take over the post of National Convenor for Archery. Once the executive of the National Association accepted the motion, my work for the disabled on a National basis started. I have been doing it for 5 years." ARCHERY EXPERIENCE

• Professional archer for 4 years – top ranking No 4.
• Coaching archery since 1992
• Involvement with archery for the disabled from 1993 till present

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Various medals in competitive archery
• Meeting Mr. Mandela
• Management of National Able body Compound team to America 1994
• Part of management team to Junior Australian team 2003
• Organized All Africa Archery Championships 2000
• Achieving Level 2 archery coaching qualification 2002
• Provincial Judge for archery

ADVANCEMENT We have a qualified National Archery Classifyer in SA in the person of Sal Bartis. We have both qualified at the Archery World Champs for the disabled in Korea in 2007. The course was ran for IPC by Ann Webb who now represents IPC Archery on FITA. I qualified as a National Technical Delegate for Archery. My job is to complement the judge's equipment inspection at Champs in the light of equipment allowed in specific disabilities. My qualification includes Archery for the blind which has now also been accepted as a valid archery category and will be allowed at 2012.
Catherine can be emailed or contacted on 0845053632
Sources: SASAPD Londt Park Archery Club SASAPD Newsletter Info




Catherine van Zijl 14 Centenary Road Lorraine Port Elizabeth 6070 cvanzijl@absamail.co.za 041 368 5870 H 041 363 0615 F 084 505 3632