UK Student Archery Association

2020 Regional Vision [20/Sep/19]

And now for the news in your area.

Five clubs are set to move in to the regional league firmament this year - one for each league. A new(-ish) club at Royal Holloway will join SEAL, bringing that league up to a new high of 15 teams. Royal Holloway entered 6 archers in to BUCS Indoor Qualifying last year and played a varsity match against SEAL regulars Surrey.

De Montfort are making the jump in to the main BUTTS division, having taken a lead role in organising a meaningful BUTTS Division 2 calendar last year. They won all 3 of those fixtures and also beat 3 of the 8 existing BUTTS clubs at BUTTS Indoor Champs. BUTTS has not had new club join the main division for 9 years - since Nottingham Trent back in 2010/11.

BUTTS have re-jigged their format slightly with the number of BUTTS league matches is dropping from 4 to 3, with 3 teams now jointly hosting each match, instead of 2.

Glasgow and Bournemouth are set to take a fuller part in SSS and SWWU, having fielded solo archers in previous (recent) years. Glasgow would be the 9th full club in Scotland, whilst Bournemouth would bring SWWU up to 8 teams.

SSS began running a parallel compound league in 2016/17, the only league to do so. This season however, SWWU will also add a compound league this season. The SSS compound league has provided a competitive focus for compounds, but it has frequently struggled with participation levels. Last year only Edinburgh fielded two compounds in every match. SWWU has also added a free standing Indoor Championships and ball.

A new club at Manchester is poised to join NEUAL, bringing that league up to a mammoth 18 sides. Manchester will slot in to NEUAL's Western Conference. Manchester have also been added to the Club Directory and are the 15th club to have their contact information updated since the start of September. Please email in any Club Directory updates to UKSAA.

The post of NEUAL organiser for 2019/20 is yet to be filled. Stephen Fawcett (SEAL) and Emma Poulton (SSS) return from last year for an 8th and 2nd tour of duty respectively. Tim Jackson has taken over at BUTTS, whilst SWWU is being jointly run by a SWWUrumvirate of Connor Williams, Matt Butler and Tom Braxton.