Lily Fraser is earning a stellar reputation for hard work and perseverance at just 15 years old according to her coach Al Campsall.
Lily won three gold medals at the Canadian Archery Championships in 2023, and continues to be very active in improving her skill-set, said Campsall.
Lily is now working on qualifying for the B.C. Winter Games (BCWG) in Quesnel in 2024.
As a member of the Williams Lake Sportsmen’s Association (WLSA) Junior Olympian Program (JOP), Lily shoots regularly on Thursday nights, but she also shoots Wednesday nights in the 260+ Club, an enrichment program Campsall started to provide more individualized coaching.
Additionally, Campsall said she also practices two to four other nights per week at the WLSA venue and has also often travelled to Quesnel to take part in their JOP Program on Tuesday nights.
Female archers’ scores from across the province are being compiled from a number of qualifying events over the Dec. 2 and 3 weekend, to see who will be heading to Quesnel to compete in the 2024 BC Winter Games.
“I am confident that Lily Fraser’s scores will elevate her to qualification status (from Zone 8) for the games,” said Campsall.
Lily is the current B.C. champion, and shot her personal best score in Prince George during the weekend’s playdowns. Campsal said 24 out of 30 of Lily’s arrows hit the dime sized inner ‘10’ from 20 yards away.
He said the other six arrows only narrowly missed the dime-sized centre of the target.
Campsall said Lily is “on track” to emulate her 260+ Club predecessors’ BC Winter Games achievements.
“The last time our 260+ Club was represented at the games, our kids won every gold medal they could have,” said Campsall. In 202 at the BC Games in Fort St. John, Kylie Sharman won both gold medals available, Ty Thurow and Isaac Bedford defeated each other to each win one gold and Ty also won silver.
Isaac has since gone professional and is now ranked among the top 10 professional archers in the United States, said Campsall.
The 260+ Club requires potential members to shoot 260/300 on the 40 cm targets at 20 yards. While Campsall said the highly successful club was doing well prior to Covid, he said the shut downs during the pandemic decimated their membership. However, so far, three JOP archers have now qualified, Lily being one, along with Hudson Huska and Cameron Prest.
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