Darren Wandy's days of archery are over.
Luckily for the MCS, they aren't over for good.
The current athletics director is leaving the YRHS.
That means he's also leaving behind the archery team.
As of Sunday, April 21, all the kids that go to Melville's Comprehensive School are in for a bit of a surprise.
Especially the ones that happen to be archery fanatics.
There were 235 participants at the YRHS's annual archery which was held two weekends ago in the Yorkton Regional High School's (YRHS) gym.
With a little work, Wandy might be able to get those numbers, or numbers similar to them, gathered at the Melville Comprehensive School when he takes over as principal there next school year.
Wandy has been holding these archery shoots each year at the Regional.
Until this year, this past month actually, it was a good way for shooters to get 'on their game' in preparation for the provincial shoot.
This year, the YRHS tournament came after the provincials.
"Usually it's a warm up to provincials."
Teams came in from MC Knoll, Dr. Brass and Columbia School in Yorkton, as well as Churchbridge, Saltcoats, Canora, Sturgis, Esterhazy, Langenburg, as well as Canora High and the Yorkton Regional High School.
If he's able to do what he's done with volleyball at the YRHS and do the same thing with archery at the MCS, it should be more than enough to boost those numbers too.
"We have a really good farm system," he said of the youngest shooters that have been competing at the YRHS archery events in recent years.
He wishes to send a big 'thanks' to all of the volunteers". The staff here at the Regional, Mike Jarvis who was the main official.
Saturday afternoon marked the end of his archery time in Yorkton.
For the past couple of years, Wandy has held an archery shoot within the Regional's gym.
After this past weekend, he won't be around anymore.
Instead, he'll attempt to take what's been happening at the Yorkton Regional and attempt to re-create that in Melville.
There were small armies of helpers everywhere here on Saturday. Young boys, girls, older boys, older girls helping with this and with that.
He admitted that it's a little bittersweet knowing that the annual shoot which he held at his current school, was his last.
He said there is a good chance that someone else at the school will attempt to continue to hold the annual shoot, and possibly take up the coaching duties for the team that currently exists.
"Somebody will take it over," he says casually. "I'd hate to see it not continue."
By the looks of things, it will be as much as it was this year next year.
Instead, he'll attempt to rebuild what he built in Yorkton, only this time it will be in Melville.
With all the work that goes into it, he will admit that he's "glad it's over". His biggest concern that afternoon was making sure that everything "runs on time".
Melville's system isn't completely set up, he said but there is "more work to be done there".
Now it's just trying there what they have now at the Regional. Hopefully there will be enough of a support system at MCS as there obviously was at the YRHS.
At the YRHS, there was no way he could do it alone. At the end of every single interview he does, he always mentioned more thanks to all the people who have helped out.
There are coaches around the City that put in time just like he does. Hopefully he will find the same support in Melville.
If there's anything you'd like to see covered by Game 7, please forward your suggestions to the Yorkton This Week sportsdesk by phone (306) 782-2465, or email jeff@yorkton this week.com.
