January – My name is Eden, and I am a junior at a small high school in Southeast Iowa. I have been a member of my school’s archery team since 4th grade. My other interests include band, church, 4-H, and FFA.
To me, archery is about being part of a community and connecting with others. I love having the opportunity to meet new people. Without archery, I would not have made connections with kids from different parts of the state. I enjoy talking with kids of all ages at archery tournaments and having conversations with people I wouldn’t normally talk to. I’ve had the chance to shoot with kids from all different schools and age groups and have built friendships that wouldn’t have happened without archery.
Archery allows me to show my talent and skill while helping others improve theirs. Being part of an archery program with many new and younger members, I think it’s important to shoot with them during practice so I can encourage them. I try to give them tips and tricks to help improve their scores or suggest small changes they can make to succeed.
Archery has had a very positive impact on my life. It has taught me how to help others and given me a better understanding of what it means to serve and encourage people. Archery has improved my communication skills, made me more patient, and shown me what it means to be a team player. I really like that archery is an individual sport but also has a team component.
One of the things I enjoy most about archery is the perseverance it takes to keep going when you have a bad practice or don’t get the score you wanted at a tournament. Archery has taught me how important it is to keep trying—not just in archery but in everyday life. It has shown me how to push forward when things don’t go your way or when expectations aren’t met. This has been such a positive lesson because I’ve learned that not winning isn’t always a bad thing—you can learn a lot from mistakes and experiences.
I’m glad my school has an archery program, and I hope to continue being a positive promoter of archery in schools.
