Daniel Ebner, February – Archery means a lot to me, but what does it mean to be an archer? There are many things that come with being an archer and the first one that comes to mind is responsibility. Responsibility is a major aspect of archery as you are completely responsible for how safe you are with your equipment and how you use it. You are also responsible for how much effort you put into the sport, how much you practice, how you represent yourself, school and team, and your dedication to improving as an archer.
Commitment also comes to mind when I think about being an archer. If you do not have commitment to practice and continual learning, it may be very challenging to improve. I have found that with setbacks I have had as an archer, commitment and consistency can almost always fix it.
Consistency, with practice, mental focus, and a positive attitude are necessary when you are an archer. In order to have consistent shots and scores you have to shoot every arrow the same, and in a program like NASP® where you shoot a bow that doesn’t have extra equipment on it (like a stabilizer or sight), your well executed shots rely on your consistency and aiming. If you put in the work, you’ll see improvement.
When you become an archer you become part of a really great community. You have your archery community which includes teammates, other archers, coaches, and volunteers of the program. Being an archer also gives you an opportunity to help in your local and state community. You may have the chance to represent your school or town at a State Tournament, or maybe even a National Tournament. Being an archer gives you the chance to volunteer, fundraise, and be a mentor to other archers. It is a great feeling to help another person, and being an archer gives you this opportunity. Archers can greatly help others by sharing their experiences and things they have done to improve.
Having fun is also very important when you are an archer. Having fun can have impacts that you may not even realize at the time. It can impact other archers, how you shoot, and your overall enjoyment of the sport. Having fun, being committed, working hard, and being a positive community member is what being an archer is all about. It’s not about getting a trophy, or winning a competition (although those can be very fun experiences and a great reward of hard work), but it’s about having fun and enjoying the sport. What I would like to conclude with is that being an archer is more than just shooting a bow, it’s having the responsibility, commitment, motivation and great attitude to be a positive participant in the sport. NASP® has taught me so much about what it means to be an archer, and these are qualities that will positively impact the rest of my life.
