My family and I were exploring different sports I could pursue back in elementary school. Conventional sports like basketball, soccer, and swimming never really stuck with me since team sports weren’t my thing. One day, I casually decided to try out recreational archery at a place in downtown San Jose, but little did I know this would become an enduring passion. I continued archery at this local archery range for half a year until my dad’s coworker recommended an archery coach to me. I thoroughly enjoyed taking lessons with my new coach, and under her instruction, I made the switch to competitive archery, which I have been doing ever since.

I love many aspects of archery, but one of my favorites is undoubtedly shooting. I appreciate the satisfaction that comes with shooting long distances and watching the arrows fly and hit the target. Archery can also possess soothing, relaxing properties that especially shine through when in an isolated space that cultivates focus and concentration. It serves as an easy means for me to get my mind off other thoughts and recenter my focus.

However, I have struggled with archery before, both in the past and at present. When I first started doing archery, I wasn’t very strong, so I had to do strength training with weights to help with my shooting. I am still working on issues with my form, a very meticulous aspect of archery: if one thing is off, the whole shot will be ruined. Shots also have to be very precise, especially long distance ones, which leaves minimal room for error.

Throughout my competitive journey in archery, I have been able to achieve multiple accomplishments: in elementary and middle school, I usually placed top 3 at competitions, and currently I maintain a state ranking of second in my age division. While this type of competitive success can be very rewarding, archery has also led me to learn many values and morals that I hold true to each day. For instance, when I am faced with difficult situations, it is easy for me to get frustrated. In such situations, archery helps me understand how important having patience is; I have learned to stay calm and focused on solving the problems at hand rather than retreating to anger and frustration. My passion for archery also teaches me to see room for improvement in every aspect of my life just as there is always room for improvement in archery.

 I am dedicated to enhancing my skills through practicing at least 30 minutes a day. Once a week I also take lessons with my coach, whether it’s at an archery range during outdoor season or at her house during indoor season. However, this past year, I have become more occupied with school work which has made it challenging for me to find time for practice. Currently, my goal is to persevere in my archery journey to at least my senior year and hopefully in college as well. From my experiences, I can confidently say that archery can be a really wonderful experience for those who give it a shot. I recommend that those who want to pursue competitive archery start from a young age because I have witnessed first hand how commitment becomes a greater issue later on. Regardless, I will always be able to use archery as a hobby and a means to unwind and relax.

I know archery might not be very well recognized as a sport, but I treasure the diverse and seemingly endless possibilities it has to offer. You can shoot any kind of bow with a variety of modifications at a multitude of targets and truly decide how you want to shape your shot—your one of a kind experience.