Resilient Paul Wallace in tandem with the innovative coaching input of Garry Porter have ensured the Para archer has made some huge gains in his first year of the sport and the pair have now set their sights on some big ambitions in the future.
Paul, who suffered a stroke triggered by a blood clot following a skiing accident seven years ago, consequently developed aphasia, a language disorder caused by damage in the area of the brain that controls language expression and comprehension. Also paralysed on his right side he has the use of only one arm.
After a five-year rehabilitation process, he later transitioned to the Community Care Trust Team to give life more meaning. Expressing an interest in archery he reached out to Dunedin Archery Club, where he first met Garry, a coach for more than 20 years.
The pair instantly connected, although it has required some agile thinking from Garry to make sure Paul is equipped to best shoot arrows.
“When I first met Paul and I realised he only had one arm in which he could shoot the bow, it was something I hadn’t encountered before,” explains Garry. “So, I went on YouTube and found out how to make a mouth tab for him. Paul uses a stand to help load the bow and his back teeth are used to draw the bowstring before releasing the arrow to the target. But because he uses the mouth tab attached to a string, I had to learn a lot. This meant the bow needed to be tuned completely differently – it has been a huge learning curve for me.
“I also quickly became aware that Paul because of his condition gets tired very quickly, so I had to start him off with a low poundage bow and increased the draw weight as he got fitter.”
Garry’s interest in coaching Para archery was sparked by a friendship with Paralympian #8 Graham Maratt – a Paralympic archer. – and Garry has previously coached athletes with cerebral palsy and brain injuries, so was not fazed when introduced to Paul.
To help understand more about coaching athletes with a disability, Garry has completed the Paralympics New Zealand Level Up programme supported by ACC. Offering a series of free online modules for coaching disabled athletes no matter whether you are just starting out or want to grow your skills, the programme has helped Garry gain confidence, knowledge and capability as a coach to support Para athletes.
“It gave me a real insight into disabled people,” explains Garry. “Paul understands everything but struggles to verbalise his thoughts. Sometimes he uses one word sentences, so I spend some time with his speech therapist. We use a lot of drawings and images about how we shoot a bow and aim, and this is then converted into text on to his iPad. If he ever has difficulty, he presses one of those phrases to help communication.”
For Paul, having the support of Garry and being introduced to Para archery – and making his competitive debut at the ‘Rookie Invasion 2024’ event at Christchurch Archery Club – has played a huge part in improving his overall wellbeing.
Paul’s wife, Janne, said: “Before his stroke, Paul, who worked as a supermarket store manager, was a workaholic, often working long hours and driven by his determination to succeed. He approached his rehabilitation with the same determination, working hard for five years. When that phase ended, we were concerned about what the next step would be for Paul. Living with aphasia can be isolating, making it a challenging journey.
“Archery has given him a new lease on life. He’s met new people and found himself in situations where he needs to communicate independently, which has boosted his confidence. He is happier and much more motivated at home.”
A key component in his Para archery journey has been coach Garry.
“I cannot speak highly enough of Garry,” explains Paul, 51. “He is passionate about archery and has shared that enthusiasm with me. Whenever a challenge has come along with my disability, he has come up with a solution. I am very grateful for all Garry has done.”
Since taking up Para archery as part of the Dunedin Archery Club and training three-and-a-half hours a week the sport has given him a “renewed sense of purpose.” Also adding two to three gym sessions a week to build strength and endurance, Paul has gradually improved his shooting distance from 10m to 40m but that is not the limit of his ambition.
“I would like to continue to increase my shooting distance to get to 70 metres and represent New Zealand internationally,” says Paul. “My ultimate goal would be to win selection in Para archery at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.”
With Garry in his corner, anything is possible.
