NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/498175
increasingly difficult certifications and eventually was certified a Level 4 coach by Lee himself. Nowadays, Robertson focuses much of his attention on identifying promising archers and helping them develop into excellent ones. Last year, one of his students was invited to take part in a select camp at the U.S. Archery training facility in California. Only the best of the best are invited to the camp. Now, that student's dream is to make the Olympic team. "My goal is to get someone there," Robertson said. "Most of them aren't going to. I've worked with several students who have developed very well, but they were typically young and they get into something else like volleyball or drama. Or they get a boyfriend or girlfriend. Suddenly, archery is not so interesting anymore." Even with those students, though, it's worth it, he said. "It's really fun to find someone with that potential," Robertson said. "No matter how far they go, it's rewarding to see how far they progress." Rawlinson, too, would love to see one of Robertson's students compete at the national level. Even more important, though, is the range of opportunities Robertson's involvement in the Outdoor Education Center makes possible for archers of all levels. "Now that the facility is open and Jan is here, what he's allowing us to do is have a complete archery program that appeals to the newest archers, all the way up to coaches," Rawlinson said. "We're really in a great position here to make archery widely available to anyone who wants to be involved in it, at whatever level they want to be involved." ■ Jan Robertson assists Aliece Aylor at the Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln. Jan is one of fewer than 150 coaches to hold a Level 4 Olympic Archery Coach designation – and the only one in Nebraska. MAY 2015 • NEBRASKAland 53 PHOTO BY AMY KUCERA The Nebraska Outdoor Education Center opened last April and has been a huge success because of its family-friendly atmosphere and variety of activities. Indoor Complex Hours: Mon., Tues., Fri.: 12 pm-8 pm (closed Wed. & Thurs.) Sat.: 10 am-8 pm Sun.: 12 pm-6 pm Outdoor Range Hours: Open 365 days/year, sunrise to sunset For more information visit Outdoornebraska.org and search Outdoor Education Center. The Center