Archery Club Teaches life lessons and boosts confidence

by Liddia Waterbury

Captain Tobey Wilder of the Archery Club walks up to the bow rack. Coach Robert Russell blows the whistle twice, and Wilder grabs a bow from the rack. They then walk to the line, standing in front of the quiver with the bow to their toe. 

When Russell blows the whistle once, Wilder grabs an arrow, moves it up and over the bow, and nocks it onto the string. They then shoot at the target. After quickly shooting five arrows, Russell blows the whistle three times, and Wilder heads to the target to pull the arrows out. 

Once a week, kids like Wilder from every grade, just starting or shooting for the last year, walk into the cheer room. They help the coaches set up the targets, and then they get out the bow rack along with the arrows.  

“Back in 2022, I signed up for a grant, and it was about a $5,000 grant, through what is called the National Archery and Schools program,” said Russell. “It was something I’ve been wanting to do for a while…I thought it would be pretty cool to have an archery program here at the high school.” 

The program has since grown, providing students with the opportunity to learn archery. Unlike many sports that focus on speed, strength, or teamwork, archery teaches players precision, patience, and focus.   

“It’s all about consistency, it’s about perseverance,” said Russell. “Archery just takes a lot more discipline, and you can’t get frustrated; you’ve got to keep on doing it because the more you do it, the better you’re going to get.” 

Russell’s advice highlights the importance of perseverance, as archery requires time to improve. Even advanced archers know that learning the harder skills means being patient. 

“Trusting the process is ending up making you get better overall and accepting that you’re not going to do a fantastic job every single time, that you’re going to struggle through some parts and accepting that,” said Wilder. 

“It’s all about consistency, it’s about perseverance. Archery just takes a lot more discipline, and you can’t get frustrated; you’ve got to keep on doing it because the more you do it, the better you’re going to get.” 

Archery Club Coach Robert Russell

Archery isn’t about instant success; it’s about patience and steady progress. For beginners, that mindset makes it easier to enjoy, like one member who shared why they joined and how they’ve loved it for a long time. 

“I’ve loved archery since I was really little, and literally for the first Christmas I can remember, I asked for a bow and arrow,” said beginner member and freshman Finch Schardine. 

To make it better, beginners don’t need any special equipment to get started. They just need a standard Genesis bow, arrows, and a safe place to practice. Coaches also provide extra guidance to help archers build more confidence.

“When I’m working with beginners,” said coach Brian Cleveland, “there are about seven elements that they have to learn to do; they have to master each element at a time.”  

Teaching archery involves breaking down the process into manageable steps, allowing new archers to focus on one skill at a time. By building confidence, he sees beginners start to see their own progress. 

“The biggest motivator in the world is the discovery that you can do something,” said Cleveland. “If I can get you on the target and shooting a group, the discovery that you can do that will motivate you. Practice makes permanent. It doesn’t make perfect, you have to make it perfect.”   

That sense of progress when practicing keeps the members motivated, and for some, it leads to trying out competitions. This is where they can test their skills in a new way, both inside and outside of school. 

“NASP, the organization that regulates the competition, does competitions regionally, locally, or statewide. They usually take place at some other school, so like on a Saturday morning, someone who’s competing would train and prepare here but then go wherever they’re having a competition,” said Cleveland.

Competitions change the atmosphere of practice, moving from regular training to a more serious focus as the members prepare for the competition ahead.  

“Near competitions, it’s very serious and all of us are really trying to get better before our final push before our competition,” said Wilder.  

Wilder then explained that being close to a person while at a competition, having fatigue, and not being able to focus are big challenges.  

For the archery team, it’s not just about hitting the target. It’s about patience, focus, and steady progress. From beginners to advanced members, each person learns that with practice, every shot brings improvement.  

Click on Behind-the-Scenes photo essay on Archery Club below: