Bowmen of Guernsey president Steve Yates died at 65 following a short illness.
He joined the club in 1989 and went on to practically define the sport locally, with his individual gold at the 2003 home Island Games headlining his own successes on the range.
Surely few, if any, other Sarnian sporting stalwarts can be considered so synonymous with their discipline as Yates.
The Bowmen of Guernsey’s announcement of the sad news drew an outpouring of commiserations, including plenty testifying to how he had shaped the archery journeys of them and their family.
Nieces Lisa and Zoe Gray have both ascended to the top of Guernsey women’s archery under his leadership, achieving an enviable collection of Games medals between them.
Lisa, who focuses on the recurve, highlighted her uncle’s impact both in and out of sport.
‘There are no words to describe how incredible my uncle was,’ she said.
‘I will forever be grateful for how he got me to where I am today with my archery and how much he supported me in general life too. I will miss him beyond words every day and do everything I can to make him proud.’
Compound archer Zoe very much shared these feelings.
‘There aren’t enough words to describe my uncle and what he did for our sport,’ she said.
‘He was the most selfless, kind, incredible, caring person who gave everything to the sport of archery and his family.
‘Archery in Guernsey was Steve Yates and Steve Yates was archery for Guernsey – nobody knew more about the sport than him and he’d give his time to anyone in need.
‘To everyone in the archery world he was “Uncle Steve”, but to me he was so much more, and there will never be anyone who comes close to how amazing he was.’
In nearly four decades with the Bowmen of Guernsey, he achieved multiple medals at national and even international level.
He also owns five unbeaten Hampshire archery records and 63 local unbeaten records across multiple bow styles.
And when the classy visitors would flock to Port Soif for Guernsey’s own international tournament, he was fulfilling organisational duties.
After introducing his nieces to archery in 2008, he supported them to an equally international level.
It was in 2010 that he moved from his Bowmen of Guernsey secretary position to take up the presidential mantle.
His sister Rosemary could not escape his influence, being introduced to archery by him in 2018.
Paul Taylor highlighted how the stalwart’s impact went well beyond his club presidency, also being ‘a great friend’.
‘We regularly shared terrible dad jokes that fellow archers had to listen to, and I will miss our regular Sunday morning breakfast at Vistas,’ Taylor said.
‘His dedication to the club was incredible.
‘He would always help me and others, including my daughter [Morgan], who he coached from the age of 12 until she competed in the Island Games in Guernsey.
‘Words can’t describe the loss to the club or the loss of someone I considered a very close friend – his memory will continue forever in the club that he truly loved, and all the people in it.’
Various club members have also highlighted how he was ‘always willing to help and teach to pass on his words of wisdom’, how he ‘was archery and the Bowmen of Guernsey’, was ‘one in a million’, and ‘always went above and beyond’.
Yates’ extensive involvement in the Island Games – racking up 14 both as competitor and manager – is another defining characteristic of his sporting service.
He made his bow at Isle of Wight 1993, the first year in which archery was contested.
It was 10 years later, in front of a home crowd at Guernsey 2003, that he hit that coveted individual gold in winning the compound head-to-head knockout.
Yates handed over the baton to his nieces at the Isle of Wight 2011, his competitive Games swansong syncing up with their debuts.
He had since focused on a range of other roles. This included being the flag-bearer at Jersey 2015 and tournament organiser for Guernsey 2023.
He was present in a team management capacity to see niece Zoe emulate his Games glory moment with her own individual gold at Orkney 2025, winning the women’s equivalent event.
Naturally, his expansive involvement in the Games helped create a huge network of further sporting connections.
Guernsey Island Games Association team manager Karen Buck-Archenoul is also among the many who have paid tribute.
‘Steve has been a stalwart of the Island Games community for a long time due to his involvement with archery,’ she said.
‘What he didn’t know about his sport was not worth knowing. He was always willing to spend time with you and divulge his wealth of knowledge to help you understand it more and this never felt rushed, he was always just keen for everyone to learn about his sport, his passion.
‘He was a great sports manager to work with and always willing to go above and beyond to help the wider Team Guernsey contingent.
‘He became a good friend and he was the most kind and generous person you could ever meet. We will really miss him as part of our Island Games family.’
His contributions as a volunteer did not go unrecognised and this led to him being crowned, in the aftermath of a successful home Games, the Michael Lucas Sporting Hero for 2023.
He is the most recent winner of this prestigious honour, presented at the currently-discontinued CI Sports Awards.
‘I’m amazed,’ he said. ‘I did not expect it at all. I put my heart and soul into archery and it’s nice to be recognised for that.’
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