16 March, 2017
An update for members about the Development Squad team shirt.
The Board of Archery NZ meet over the weekend of 11th & 12th March for a general board meeting. During this meeting discussion on matters arising from the Athletes AGM 2017 occurred and one of these items was the Archery NZ Development Team Shirt. Opinions and ideas from the Athletes AGM were taken into consideration along with subsequent approaches and input from athletes on the matter.
The Board and some members strongly felt that the Black Archery NZ representative shirt is the pinnacle for our archers to strive to obtain and by introducing a shirt that was the same apart from the word Development on it was devaluing the shirt and the hard work archers have put into obtaining it.
The Development Team opportunities are to be a stepping stone (as requested by our athletes) from club or district to International representation, thus it is felt that the shirt should also be a stepping stone and a stand-alone shirt that archers aspire to obtaining and can be proud of as a step in the process to the Black Representative shirt.
With archers already wearing the black shirt obtained for World Cups, World Championships, Trans-Tasman and Oceania events adding a new group of archers also wearing the black shirt could result in them getting lost in the crowd and not stand out and not make it so special.
The Board does listen and take into consideration what its members say or ask for. We provided white shirts for Oceania Champs that athletes requested due to the location, higher tech fabrics that previous shirts that keep that archers more comfortable, a “Black shirt” at members request to replace the Black & White shirt. There are times when not all of our members agree and the Board will make a decision that not all will agree with. This may be one of them.
The Board had decided to get a prototype made and announce it and the reasons on the website with pictures to give the Development level the acknowledgement it deserves and their own identity to be proud of. Unfortunately the decision became knowledge on social media before this occurred.
We intend to continue with getting the prototype shirt ordered - and will notify you all via the website and Facebook once we have photos to share.
