The South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District’s longtime archery coach, Glen Harris, is retiring.

Harris, whose career as a professional archery coach spanned nearly 40 years and includes being a United Sports Athletic Association Level IV Coach and judge, president of Harris Coaching International, director of Emerald City Archery Academy and Chairperson of Disabled Archery USA, has been teaching archery to students on Whidbey for six years.

“We are losing a great instructor which we are sad about,” said Doug Coutts, parks director.

South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District board members said in a meeting Wednesday evening that they intend to continue the program upon hire of a new instructor, a decision they said is possible due to the district’s ownership of class materials, which they must now maintain in Harris’ absence.

Harris’ final day teaching the archery class, and the final day of the 4-day archery camps for the 2014 season, was Thursday, Aug. 21.