It was a gorgeous day

Sport: the atl-atl

An ancient and indigenous means of giving extra power to a thrown spear, the atl-atl is becoming increasingly popular as a target sport and in some places for hunting. Some of the world's best atl-atl athletes are located in, of all places, Athens County, Ohio. In the spring of 2011, a class and demonstration was conducted at Lake Hope State Park for area grade schoolers.

13 May 2011

153 visits

It was a gorgeous day

The students are all eager, as students are won't to be, to send the projectiles toward their target.

13 May 2011

192 visits

Mamerto shows how

Mamerto Tindongan, world champion atl-atlist, was among those coaching the school kids.

13 May 2011

140 visits

Concentration

This young man is rapidly learning the coordination necessary to send the spear -- called a "dart" by atl-atl experts -- downrange to the target.

13 May 2011

140 visits

Perfect form!

Many coaches -- in many sports -- will tell you that it is not power but form that produces good results, and never was that better demonstrated than here. A very small girl send her dart perfectly toward the target.

13 May 2011

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The teacher gives it a try

As with any sport, there are fine points of form involved

13 May 2011

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The darts flex in flight

One of the skills involved is compensating for and using the flexibility of the long bamboo or aluminum darts.

13 May 2011

124 visits

A demonstration from the master

Mamerto has a unique, sidearm form, and lots of body English.

13 May 2011

122 visits

The method is effective

The dart flies toward the bullseye. The penetration of the darts through thick, high-density foam shows how the atl-atl brings power to the throw, and how in millennia past it was useful in bringing down even large game.

13 May 2011

160 visits

Debbie Andrews, school administrator . . .

. . . and world-class atl-atl champion. The dart scored a bullseye.
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