About Us
The Archery Academy was started in 1963 by John and Gretel Dabovich and operated from their home until 1984 when the business moved to the present location in Melrose Park, South Australia.
JOHN DABOVICH
John began shooting in 1953 and celebrated 56 years in the sport in 2009.
Initially a barebow shooter but subsequently changed to freestyle and has won numerous State titles in South Australia and places in National championships.
Changed from left to right hand in 1960 and was a member of the first full Australian team for a FITA world championships in Interlaken, Switzerland in 1975.
Moved to compound division in 1981 and as well as many State titles was National target champion in 1983.
John has been a Life Member of Eden Field Archers since 1977.
GRETEL DABOVICH
Gretel began shooting in 1955 and has won numerous State and National titles, as well as being in several National teams representing both Archery Australia and IFAA, competing in New Zealand, The United States and Great Britain.
She was National Archery Australia compound target champion in 1981 and 1982, and National compound field champion in 1981, 1982 and 1983.
In 1983 she won the amateur unlimited freesstyle division in the Las Vegas indoor tournament after having been runner up in the previous year.
A broken wrist sustained at the 1994 ABA national championships made continued shooting impossible so directed her efforts to administration in Archery Australia and Archery S.A. as a qualified judge, a member of the AA officials committee, a member of the AA awards comittee and Vice President and President of Archery S.A, the position of President for 9 years from 2000 and a member of the Sport S.A. awards committee.
Gretel was granted life membership with her own club Eden Field Archers in 1977, is a life member of Archery S.A. and in 2009 was also granted life membership of Archery Australia.
Photo shows Gretel (left) receiving her Archery Australia life membership award from AA board member Lyn Greenham at the opening of the open national championships in Adelaide in 2009.
In 2010 she was awarded an Austalian Archery Hall of Fame medal.
Gretel was surprised and delighted to be awarded an Order of Australia Medal ( OAM ) in the Queens birthday honours in June 2011
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