Archers young and old lined up, poised with their bows and arrows held in a concentrated position, determined to hit their targets at the U.S. National Indoor Championships March 1 at the MSU Demmer Center.
As the timer began, archers of varying levels only had a few minutes to fire their arrows 18 meters through the air, aiming at four different targets of different sizes.
The club is a registered student organization partially funded by an ASMSU grant. Several members have been involved with archery most of their lives and strive to become national and world champions, coach Glen Bennett said.
He said the university hasn’t recognized the team or accomplishments and has no plans as of yet to make it an official varsity sport.
Club President Eric Beaudry, who previously placed 9th on the USA World team in 2012, competed that day.
Despite MSU’s lack of recognition of the team’s achievements, the opportunity to compete and connect with other archers still remains rewarding, the environmental engineering senior said.
Fremont, Mich. resident Glenn Meyers, a 1984 Olympian, also tried his luck in the competition. Meyers placed 12th in the Olympics at the time and said he still shoots frequently for fun, including at the U.S. National Indoor Championships, where he shot his highest score of the year.
“It’s kind of a zen thing,” Meyers said of the sport. “You rely on yourself a lot. It’s just you and the target.”
Jamie Van Natta, an American world champion who ranked first in 2008, also competed. Van Natta said it wasn’t her strongest shooting day.
“There’s always tomorrow,” she said. “There’s always room to improve.”
The competition also welcomed younger participants, with children of all ages competing amongst adults.
Bennett said the Junior Olympic Archery Development Program is designed to help youth hone their archery skills and have fun in the process. His main goal is “grooming future Spartans” to make it to the Olympics and national teams.
“It takes a very special person to be an Olympian,” Bennett said. “The majority (of MSU team members) come out of our junior program and local clubs.”
Sarah Strickland, a member of the junior program, said she is excited to become a part of the MSU team once she arrives in the fall of 2014.
When it comes to competition, Strickland said she’s her own worst critic.
She said she hopes she can make it to the national team, but it would take a lot of practice. As a high school student, Strickland said she is still optimistic.
“I like seeing myself improve,” she said, adding that there is satisfaction of being able to physically see improvement of arrows on the board, moving closer toward the center.
