Archery Report on 2016–A Year of Major Growth

WSC Archers at a Tuesday Coaching and Practice session at Rodes Farm . 

There was a huge increase in participation and interest in the archery program in 2016. Practice and coaching sessions were held from May to early November every Tuesday at the Rodes Farm range and 1-2 times monthly on Sunday afternoons at the field archery trail.

We had about 30 individual participants, spectators or cheerleaders to the various events, well over a third of the archery email interest group of about 75.  This included six couples. Nearly a quarter of our participants were women. Many newcomers to the sport made heavy use of our newly-acquired recurve and compound bows, arrows, and equipment. Several club members are new to the sport, or returning to the sport, and have purchased their own equipment.

Thanks to the help of many volunteers, led by Jerry Rendich and Karl Hess, we inaugurated the first seven stations of our field archery trail course at the end of Old Stoney Creek Road. The course is about .5 mile long over heavily wooded, rocky terrain. It is designed for beginning and intermediate level archers right now. We also anticipate gradually building additional and more challenging lane at the field range, depending on demand.

Volunteers installed all-season target bags at both the range and the field course.

Given the increased participation and interest (as many as 13 individuals at some events), we plan to add an additional two lanes to the existing four lanes at our Rodes Farm Range. 

Anticipated costs: $50 for two new target bags for Rodes Farm; $100 to replace the existing four target bags, which are showing signs of excessive wear and fading; and $100 for lumber and hardware at the Rodes Farm range. About $30 is needed to install additional permanent signage at both the field course and the range at Rodes Farm. –Mike Capps, WSC Archery Lead