Women in IFAA
From the Chair of Women in IFAA – Fransisca van Zyl
What started as a way for my husband and me to spend more time together turned into a lifelong passion. We bought ourselves compound bows with the simple idea of sharing a new hobby. Life, however, had other plans — my husband was soon sent overseas for work, and my bow found a resting place under the bed for nearly five years.
It wasn’t until a family friend encouraged my daughter, then 15, to take up archery at school that everything changed. We dusted off my old bow, fixed a few things, and she quickly fell in love with the sport. Her natural talent and determination soon saw her competing and thriving. As I accompanied her to practices and competitions, my own curiosity grew. I began reading, asking questions, and learning all I could — discovering that archery is far more than a sport. It’s a way of life, built on camaraderie, friendship, discipline, and focus.
In 2024 and 2025, I had the privilege of serving as Chairperson of the Schools Archery Program. My role included educating young archers and their parents about different competition formats, organizing practice sessions, planning indoor competitions, and overseeing team performance. One of my proudest achievements was helping to establish the very first Interschools Archery Championship — a new and successful initiative that has been running for two years.
My involvement expanded in 2024 when I joined SANIFAA as their Marketing and Communications representative, giving me greater insight into archery at a national level. Later that year, I became part of the Women in IFAA Work Group as the South African representative for the WBHC 2025. Hosting the Women in IFAA event during the World Bowhunter Championships was a highlight — an opportunity to connect with incredible women from around the globe who share the same passion for archery. Following that event, I was invited to remain on the Work Group and also joined SANIFAA as an Executive Member.
Throughout these experiences, I’ve realized how much work still lies ahead — especially in empowering women in sport. As the new Chairperson for Women in IFAA, I’m deeply honored to continue the legacy of those who came before me. With the support of extraordinary women, I hope to uplift, encourage, and inspire others to aim forward together. We are stronger when we support one another — and in doing so, we allow both ourselves and our sport to grow
How to Contact Fransisca
If you would like to contact Fransisca and share some ideas about how you think we can encourage more women to join in and participate in this wonderful sport please contact her via the following :-
With the introduction of the Workgroup “Women in IFAA” a number of activities have been implemented to support women in our sport and in particular the IFAA.
The listed documents may be of assistance to a wider variety of women in our sport , but also to all archers.
