What started as an interest with my daughter wanting to shoot competitive archery has become a much larger vision. I started trying to find a way for Karlee to get involved in a sport she had a true interest just before COVID shut everything down. With not being able to join a team and attend events things got delayed. I first signed on to be a 4H archery coach, and I will move forward with 4H as I am able to attend their training. However, 4H only offers a couple of competitions a year. After some research and visiting with many people in bow shops and in archery groups, I came across Scholastic 3-D Archery. It is not connected to school but an emphasis on being a good student will be part of the program. There will be many opportunities for competitions through our organization’s partnerships. We will be able to accommodate ages 7 to 18 or 19, depending on when their birthday falls. The scholarships and possibilities to compete as an adult are endless.
There will be an information meeting where we will talk about what the vision is for our Waurika Discover Archery team. The meeting will take place on November 4th, 2021, at 6:00 pm at the Jefferson County Fair Building. I will have what it will cost for registration in the organization and other dues to make this program a possibility. Archery is a fantastic way to focus our minds on things and discover who we are and how we can center ourselves and compete only against ourselves. It important to remember that hunting wildlife is a part of archery, but it does not have to be for some or be all there is for many.
Scholastic 3-D Archery, known as S3DA, was created by a group of leaders in the archery industry who realized there was a large gap between basic introductory archery programs and the next-step training initiatives that students are looking for. A key facet of the S3DA program is the partnerships between the Archery Shooters Association (ASA), National Field Archery Association (NFAA) and the USA Archery Association (USA Archery).
The mission of S3DA program is to foster, educate, and guide youth in the areas of 3-D, indoor target archery as well as safe, ethical bowhunting practices.
S3DA is a non-profit organization with numerous corporate sponsors. S3DA has an ever-expanding, diverse group of local, regional, state, and national organizations, archery manufacturers, archery shops, trade groups, etc., who are interested in youth outdoor education and support S3DA. The driving force behind the growth of the program has been derived from many different facets, including the R3 program, Fish & Wildlife agencies, Dep. of Natural Resources agencies and interested parties across the nation.
Students love S3DA because S3DA does not require any specific equipment to participate in the program. S3DA standardizes the tournament format instead of the equipment involved. Students can choose to shoot any bow, sight, stabilizer, release, etc., that they want as long as they are within the rules for their shooting division and class. Many students enjoy S3DA because it gives them more time with their friends and family.
I hope so see you on November 4th and to have you and your future archer as part of our club and team. If you have any questions before the meeting or cannot make it that night please feel free to email me at discoverarcherywaurika@gmail.com or by text or calling 580-227-7090.
