Mike Brighton - Obituary
Initially like most of us he started with target archery but it was not to long before he took to shooting field. He shot well in both disciplines, shooting for the County Target team on many occasions and also becoming an accomplished field archer as well holding a number of County Field records.
During the nineties Trish arranged an annual coach trip for thirty archers from all over the country to partake in the Five Nations Tournament in Vertus France, the Champagne region and you could guarantee he would always be one of the first to book his place. Mike then got well into the five nations circuit and started shooting some of the others in the series. Eventually he arranged for one of the series to be shot at Crawley's ground.
His skill in Field archery managed to get him onto the National Field Squad and he took part in the Training trip to Cadeer en Keer in Holland which was the site of the World Field Championships in 1992.
Mike also became interested in Coaching and soon worked his way up to County Coach level and later took on the role of Chair of the Invicta Coaching group, a post which he held for a number of years.
Getting more into the administration of our sport he then was elected as President of Kent Archery Association, a role which he took very seriously drafting many of our policies which are in place today. During his time in this office he set up the website for the County.
The next role he was elected to was the Vice President of Archery GB again a role which he enjoyed and occasionally stood in for Trish whilst in the role of President.
Mike was very proud to have an official role in the 2012 Olympics looking after all of the International and National Technical Officials at both the Test Event and the Olympics. Shortly after the end of the Olympics he said he felt there was one thing in archery he would have loved to have done but he realised it was too late. He wished he had taken up judging and become an International Judge as having worked with them at the aforementioned events he felt there was a real camaraderie between them which he would have loved to be part of.
Mike's contribution and dedication to Archery in Kent is difficult to sum up in these few words and our thoughts are with Jane and his family at this difficult time.
