29 Apr 2026
We’ve had some fantastic feedback following our National Indoor weekend at University of Stirling. Ann Buchanan shared her grandson Jensen Davidson’s experience and it’s a brilliant example of just how positive and encouraging archery can be for young people.
Jensen (14), who shoots with Bannockburn Bowmen, only started archery just over a year ago. Since then, Ann says everyone at the club, from coaches to members, has been incredibly supportive, helping him along every step of the way.
Jensen is neurodiverse, dyslexic and moderately bilaterally deaf, so busy environments can sometimes be overwhelming for him. He can get anxious in crowds and finds social situations tricky until he gets to know people, so heading into the event, there were some understandable nerves. But on the day, Jensen rose to the challenge.
With several clubmates around him and coaches making sure he knew exactly what was happening and when, he quickly started to settle in. He was very nervous at first (even telling his gran to give him some space while he set up), but after a few practice shots, things began to change.
Other archers around him started chatting, answering his questions and including him, and his confidence just grew from there. Ann described an amazing shift. Jensen standing tall, smiling, chatting away and even singing along with someone on the target next to him. “He looked so happy, so confident and like he was having the best time ever,” she said. By the end of the day, Jensen was “almost floating”, and to top it all off, he came home with a medal.
Ann said the experience meant the world to him. He’s incredibly proud of what he achieved and is already excited about his next competition.
She also wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone involved, from organisers to volunteers to fellow archers. The support and encouragement made a real difference.
Stories like this show just how powerful our sport can be. Creating welcoming, supportive environments like this doesn’t just help young archers take part, it helps them grow in confidence, make connections and truly enjoy the experience.
Thank you Ann and Jensen for sharing this story!