Over 800 students vie for top marks with bows and arrows

NEWBERRY – Cameron O’Byrn, 11, and around 800 other students came to the Easton Newberry Sports Complex on Saturday, Feb. 22 with a goal in mind.

“I was hoping to at least beat my personal record of 262,” O’Byrne said.

He did just that at The National Archery in the Schools Program’s State Tournament.

The event featured more competitors than ever.

“I am very pleased with the turnout,” said Steven Robbins, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission archery programs coordinator.

A member of the Viking archery team from Lakeland Christian School, O’Byrne shot his personal best.

“I got a 278, so I feel really cool about that,” O’Byrne said.

Everyone was feeling the heat under their bow and arrow.

“The hardest part was halfway through. I started sweating and shaking,” O’Bryne said.

Practicing archery for about a year and a half, O’Bryne said the tournament taught him a lot.

“I learned how hard it is to just keep calm and shoot better,” he said.

The event also offered the opportunity for shooters to practice 3-D Archery. Bear Archery, located in Gainesville, donated two bows as prizes for the tournament- one for the top girl and boy in the 3-D archery.

“That’s what they were shooting for,” Robbins said.

There were up to 24 shooters on a team, and four of the members had to be of the opposite gender.

“The trip here has been real exciting for us. Our kids shot real well. Archery definitely gives children who aren’t super athletic a sport that they can compete in,” said Julie Walker, a parent in the stands rooting for Price Middle School in Putnam County.

The top 12 scores in each team were counted as the overall score for the team. There were first, second, and third place trophies for the teams with the highest score in the elementary, middle and high school division. The elementary level only includes the fourth and fifth grades.

There were also trophies available for individual males and females in the elementary, middle and high school levels with the top scores. All of the trophies were decked out in this year’s logo – the bald eagle.

“Friends and family were all here to support the students,” Robbins said.

Before the top scores were revealed, the coaches from each team got to shoot against each other.

“There’s a lot of noise. Everybody has their favorite,” Robbins said.

This event gave the coaches something to look forward to during the tournament.

Robbins also said archery is a good way for students to stay motivated in school.

“I hear stories about students who weren’t doing well in school, but they love archery. They needed to keep their grades up to stay on the team. And, they did that,” Robbins said.

To Robbins, there is something special about archery.

“If a child cannot dunk a fast ball, or run like crazy, they can still walk out there and hit a bull’s-eye,” Robbins said.

To him, the sport of archery is open to anybody who wants to give it a try. It makes the students more self-confident, he said.

“It empowers them. Now, how does that sound?” he said.

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