At first, it might might be easy to miss Jacob Ball on the archery range.
The 10-year-old doesnB次元官网网址檛 say much, and at 4B次元官网网址�6B次元官网网址�, his bow is almost as tall as he is. But when he steps onto range, eyes the target, and draws the bow string, his talents make the Central Saanich resident stand out in the crowd.
B次元官网网址淔rom the very minute he picked up the bow, he had this beautiful form, a nice strong bow arm nice followthrough,B次元官网网址� said father Jarrod Ball. B次元官网网址淚t was almost something that was hereditary born with a bow in his hands, it was almost something that was just meant to be.B次元官网网址�
Jarrod said the Grade 5 student at Keating Elementary has made it three generations of archers in the Ball family. JacobB次元官网网址檚 grandfather Dave started in the sixties, Jarrod himself following in his fatherB次元官网网址檚 footsteps in the eighties, and with Jacob joining them both in 2012 at five years old. All three practice together at the Victoria Bowmen archery range in View Royal and Jacob still reaches for his fatherB次元官网网址檚 hand as they make their way to and from the targets.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nice because the three of us have all been together shooting and it is pretty cool. ItB次元官网网址檚 three generation shooting together, there arenB次元官网网址檛 a lot of sports where you can do that,B次元官网网址� Jarrod said. B次元官网网址淎rchery is pretty much in the familyB次元官网网址� even when I was young we were shooting, we were pretty much born on the shooting line.B次元官网网址�
Both Jarrod and Jacob still compete, Jacob securing gold at the 2017 B.C. Indoor provincial Championships in Armstrong and 13th place at the 2017 Vegas Shoot. He will be representing Vancouver Island as he makes his way to the Canadian Archery Championship in Brossard Quebec Aug. 7-11. But Jacob says he doesnB次元官网网址檛 do it just for the competition, he does itB次元官网网址檚 fun, and he enjoys spending time with family.
B次元官网网址淣o one I know who does archery (their) dad is a coach and I just think that is really cool,B次元官网网址� Jacob said. B次元官网网址淚t is fun because usually other kids would just be dropped off and just shoot arrows and do the same thing for a long time and I am just lucky to have a dad for a coach.B次元官网网址�
A member of the junior Olympian program through the Victoria Bowmen, he also trains out of the Saanich Commonwealth Place, said itB次元官网网址檚 a privilege to shoot archery and plans to keep on shooting for the rest of his life.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 in most of the family tree my dad did it my grandpa and my grandma did itB次元官网网址� I want to make my family proud, but not jealous, I want to make them happy for me,B次元官网网址� he said.
