Team Manitoba archer prepares for North American Indigenous Games

Among the over 500 Indigenous athletes traveling from Manitoba to Nova Scotiafor the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG)are four 3D archers, including 15-year-old Mtis competitor Ethan Hall.

Hailing from Oak Lake, Man., 250 kilometres west of Winnipeg,Hall saidhe's excited to represent Manitoba at the Games, slated to run July 15-23.

"I'm feeling confident going into it, a bit nervous. I'm excited to go," saidHall.

"I'm showing that there's people here that can shoot."

Over 5,000 Indigenous athletes ages13 to 19 are set to compete at NAIG. The games will be held in 21venues in Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Dartmouth, and Millbrookand Sipekne'katik First Nations.

Team Manitoba has 30 teams competing in 16 different sports. The 3D archery event is one of three billed astraditional Indigenous sports and those sports will have a special opening ceremony, according to NAIG's website.

In the 3D archery competition, whichhas female and male 16U and 19U categories,teams will be going out into the bushattheir venue to shoot at fake 3D animal targets.

Hall first started archeryabout fiveyears ago, through school. Since thenhe's learned more from other prominent athletes near his home in southwestern Manitoba. But his favourite part, he said, is that he gets to be outdoors.

Hall saidarchery only gets cancelled if there is thunder and lightning so he and his teammates have to work with whatever may come into play with the weather.

"I have my own 3D targets and I'll go set them outside and I'll go shoot at them for hours," saidHall.

"I just shoot until I feel like I'm good for that day and the next day I'll repeat the process."

To focus, Hall saidhe zeroes in on his target and doesn't pay attention to any of his surroundings.

"I'm nervous to get out there and shoot the first arrow,"saidHall.

"Once the first arrow is done, then I become more confident. But that first arrow is always the worst one."

Archery a growing sport

Matthew Trudeau, a a physical education teacher from Winnipeg and the head coach for Team Manitoba's archery team, saidarchery is a growing sport in Manitoba, particularly in schools.

"A huge part of it to me is a mental preparation for it," saidHall.

Each participantgets 20 arrows and however long they need to shoot at three targets perround with two rounds per day, he said.

Trudeau saidNAIGwillbe a chance for the four archersto show off their talents andwhen the team isn't competing,they will be cheering on other Manitoba athletes.