As the daylight is slowly extending and it’s actually possible to shoot for a short time in the evening after work, I’ve begun rushing home and trying to get in a few shots outside before it’s too dark. Today was no exception as I was trying to hurry to do a little chronographing for an upcoming review. Having a day job, four kids and working with the Boy Scouts leaves little time for fitting in all the duties of Archery Report. The light was fading quickly and I had only a precious few minutes to get enough shooting done and gather the data I needed to get to work on the new article.
Just as I was heading out the door, my seven year old daughter asked if she could come out and shoot her bow with me. My first inclination was to say “Sorry honey but I’ve got to rush and get my shooting done or I’ll get behind schedule!” As I opened my mouth to say just that, I looked at her longing face and couldn’t resist her charm. She came out with me and we took turns shooting our bows, her at ten yards and me at twenty with the chronograph. I wasn’t able to finish enough shots to get all of the data that I needed, but I got something much more important out of the evening, time with my daughter doing something we both love together. This taught me lesson of not only finding time for my family, but finding time to promote and teach the sport of archery. It is amazing how kids will latch onto archery given the chance to do so, especially if they have a mentor to help them.
In many ways today’s society is attacking our sport, especially the bowhunting aspect of it. The only way to preserve and grow archery and bowhunting as sports is to get more people involved, get them educated about the sport and turn them into proponents of archery, and who better than our youth! Without them the sport will surely dwindle into oblivion. Recent reports have shown declining numbers of total bowhunters and to a lesser degree archery participants. Various theories have been thrown around as to why, some of which are higher urbanization, society becoming less permissive of hunting and shooting sports and the electronification of our youth.
There are many positive things happening in the sport and there are bursts of growth here and there. NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) is a great organization that works hard to promote archery among the youth and USCA continues the promotion into universities and colleges. Many local clubs also sponsor programs and events, 4H and the Boy Scouts of America offer shooting at camps and other events, and JOAD is working hard at teach kids that archery can be fun and very competitive at the same time. My home club, the Fort Collins Archery Association, has an annual “Archery Day” that focuses on introducing as many people as possible to the sport of archery. We usually have a few hundred people come throughout the day, most of 
whom are youth and it has always been a great event. Quite often mom or dad will bring the kids to come shoot and end up participating themselves. Not only do adults have influence on kids, but quite often the reverse happens as well!
If you are reading ArcheryReport.com you are most likely someone who is fairly involved in archery and you have the chance to help spread and promote the sport. Take a kid, whether it be your own or someone else’s and introduce them to the sport. Teach them the basics of how to shoot and how to be safe; share your experiences of shooting and hunting. Show them how to tie a peep, check the poundage of a bow and how to make sure your draw length is correct. There is nothing more rewarding than a smile and a “thank you.” The opportunities abound, it’s up to us to take them.
What do you do to help promote archery?
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