INSIDE THE KAA

The Korea Archery Association (KAA) is perhaps the only transdisciplinary organisation dedicated to the sport of archery on the elite level. Its organisational structure and principles are not novel. Some of its key strategic policies derive from the former Eastern Bloc, some are borrowed from the modern West.

Many elite sports today share many structural similarities and are seen as relatively homogenous in their operations; what makes them work in their respective fields is more than just what is ‘on paper’. In the case of the KAA, the success is often attributed to multiple factors: close connections to and financial support from the Korean business elite – the Hyundai Group in particular; provisions for the development and nurture of full-time athletes, including talent identification programmes; and systematic elite-level competition opportunities, and a particularly rigorous national team selection process. That list should also cite a close collaboration with sports, medical and technological sciences (domestic and foreign), including equipment and coach development.

But above all, what accounts for the continued success is that from its inception, it has operated on a system of mutually beneficial reward schemes across all levels, from the board of directors to the athletes, and everyone in between. The KAA is very article from in 2019, available online). Sources of information are limited, and opinions often swayed by political considerations. Nevertheless, I would like to share a few reflections on the organisation and some of its policies.