LITTLE CURRENT—Given Cortes, wellness promoter at Noojmowin Teg Health Centre, began a new archery program at the NEMI Recreation Centre on Wednesday, March 12. The program saw a good number of enthusiastic archers on hand to learn the rules and work on technique. More than that, and perhaps without even realizing it, they were also learning patience, persistence and the importance of rules and guidelines in sport.
The program is offered to students from Grades 4 to 12, and most of the children who showed up at the Rec Centre seemed to fit into the Grade 4 to 7 age range. A few students were familiar with archery, most were not. Mr. Cortes gave instructions with patience and humour.
“Noojmowin Teg Health Centre has been offering the National Archery in the School Program (NASP) for the past two years, roughly,” Mr. Cortes explained. “It was an initiative that I believe was started in and around the time, just before COVID. We had instructors trained and we had the purchase of the equipment.” Though archery programs have existed on the Island for a very long time, “NASP is somewhat new,” he said. The beauty of the program is its universal rules, its standard equipment and NASP can confidently take part in NASP competitions anywhere.
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Noojmowin Teg Health Centre does not offer independent programs – whether health and wellness, or sports related, they collaborate with staff in First Nations communities and local municipalities. Usually, a town representative with a rec program, as with Espanola and Little Current, or an organization running a youth program in the community will invite Noojmowin Teg Health Centre in. “We don’t go into communities and just offer something without being asked first,” Mr. Cortes said.
This program will be running at the NEMI Rec Centre for the next several weeks, with plans for further programs to be offered around the island, including summer courses. If you’d like further information about the program, you can find Noojmowin Teg Health Centre on Facebook, or contact Given Cortes at given.cortes@noojmowin-teg.ca.
by Margery Frisch
