Whilst being a professional athlete makes for a fantastic career, it does not last forever.
Whilst a career as a professional athlete can be hugely rewarding, it does not last forever. Careers vary in length across sports, but advances in medical and sports science have helped athletes remain competitive for longer by adapting their training programmes and routines as they age.
Eventually, however, the time comes to step away from international competition. For many archers, that means staying involved in the sport as a coach or official, or returning to a career they pursued before prioritising shooting.
For former Italian recurve archer Antonella Ballarin, retirement from senior international competition opened the door to an unexpected creative pursuit: illustrating children’s activity books.
Ballarin spent 10 years as a young learner teacher before working at a museum in Venice for 26 years. It was her experience in education, however, that has had the biggest impact on her life in archery since she stepped away from senior competition, although she has continued to shoot in masters events.
The idea for her first activity book came when she bought an iPad and discovered a drawing app.
“A new world opened up to me, like a magic world,” said Ballarin, who represented Italy at the Antalya 1993 and Jakarta 1995 World Archery Championships. “I decided to do some of these activity books for children who get bored when they go with their parents to the post office, the bank or the supermarket.”
She initially created an activity book about Iceland, a country she often visits on holiday. She then turned to a subject she knew equally well: archery.
Have Fun with Archery is a 64-page activity book for children aged six to eight. It features basic written and numerical tasks that young learners can complete while accompanying their parents to the range or at home and elsewhere.
