While moments like these brought humour, Bakker says his father’s support has been vital in helping him pursue the sport seriously.
Although there is less income now that he has left engineering, Bakker no longer pays rent while living with his parents. He also credits his mother for helping him mentally, while his entrepreneurial father assists with sponsorship opportunities.
Together, it has allowed Bakker to focus fully on archery instead of worrying about training volume and fatigue after work – an important shift in a sport built on consistency.
“It is pretty contingent that I do have full preparation and that everything is working right,” said the World Games bronze medallist. “Because if something’s off, then it’s going to be hard to perform.”
“I don’t think everything has to be perfect to perform, but it’s nicer to compete with confidence rather than, ‘Let’s hope this works,’ which I’ve done in the past.”
“I think I’ve managed to develop the mindset of getting the most out of it regardless, but feeling prepared and feeling good at the start of competition is really nice.”
