In this article from the Winter 2013 edition of Recreation Family Fun Guide, contributor Maureen Wilson explores one of the fastest growing youth sports in the nation - archery! Find out why it's also one of the safest youth sports, then sign up at two locations.
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I know you?ve seen it. Everyone has?well at least every teenager in America has. Arrows, bows, and kids with cool leather quivers are showing up everywhere! The youth of America have targeted archery, making it one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. Archery has been around since sports where about surviving, and not just competition. Now, a new set of movies highlighting the sport, from Hunger Games to Brave, have brought archery back in into the forefront of athletics.
Roanoke County public schools are among the many localities that have been including archery as part of their athletic curriculum, thanks to a nationwide effort to promote the sport. The National Archery in the Schools Program (N.A.S.P.) setup an initiative about 10 years ago to promote, train, and encourage youth to pick up a bow. Today, more than two-million students nationwide will experience archery in gym class, and judging by its popularity among students, they?ve really hit the mark!
Bob Shelton has taught archery in Roanoke County public schools for the past 6 years. He says that the sport attracts a wide range of kids and is among the safest sports taught in physical education classes, surpassing even table tennis! ?We teach the kids to be responsible, careful, respectful of equipment and procedures. If you can follow the steps to archery, you can follow the steps to almost any kind of work. Even better, it gives them a chance to have success without it being a matter of strength. Boys and girls are evenly matched, and often girls do better than boys.?
It?s not just a gym class trend either. Archery offers kids who might not excel in more traditional sports a chance to shine and perform. These kids don?t have to be fast runners, or outstanding athletes. Youth who don?t like or are not interested in traditional ball and bat sports can get together with other kids just like them and have fun!
Archery is a unique sport that is particularly good at promoting self confidence among youth. Why? When you shoot an arrow, your competing against your personal best, rather than a direct competition with your peers. You?re trying to better yourself. Lisa Sink, a Roanoke County Archery Instructor, wants parents and youth to know that there are no real physical boundaries with this sport. ?It doesn?t matter if you?re male or female, in a wheel chair, or even deaf. I?ve taught every kind of student there is and it still works out the same. The kids love it. Some of them even end up asking their parents for bows for Christmas.?
Archery provides a chance for your child to really grow in areas where they may be lacking due to not being involved in sports or athletics. Instructors and parents are happy to see kids develop strong Hand/Eye coordination and motor skills. Archery also tends to help kids with attention disorders focus and can help build upper body strength in all kids, especially children with special needs. Overall, it can really be a great avenue for your child to take part in sports without having the athletic background.
Archery isn?t just for hunting anymore. It?s a lifelong sport that can be a great option for a child who is not interested in traditional sports. To excel at archery you need to learn patience, focus and perseverance. Archers are independent, and target shooting gives immediate feedback ? either you hit the target or you didn?t. There?s no need to wait around to hear from the coach. Archery can be a great hobby and, if there?s an interest, can also be used for hunting. There are special hunting seasons reserved just for bow hunters.
Want to know more? Roanoke County now offers a series of weekend classes for beginner level youth, designed to take that next step past gym class instruction. N.A.S.P. has competitions locally, nationally and internationally so the possibilities are endless. Get your kids signed up today! Courses are held on Sunday afternoons at both Brambleton and Green Ridge Recreation Centers.
Source: http://www.roanokecountyva.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1000
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