General Archery
Archery Clubs Help Students
By Andrew Penland
Dec 16, 2005, 10:54

CANTON - Every other Wednesday morning, a group of students gathers at the Canton Middle School gymnasium to practice their shooting.

But they aren't playing basketball. These students are members of the newly formed archery club at Canton Middle, and they're aiming at a row of targets arranged against the far wall. The targets are part of a cache of archery equipment recently acquired by the Haywood County school district through the national Archery in the Schools program.

Although the Archery in the Schools program is firmly established in other states, this marks its first year in North Carolina, said Darrin Ball, a hunter education specialist with the N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission. Haywood County is one of just 10 North Carolina school districts selected to take part in the program's initial year, Ball said.

So far, as attested by the size and diversity of the early-morning group, the program has been an immense success.

"When you get 25 kids up at 6:30 in the morning to do something, you can tell there's an interest," Ball said. "I think a lot of kids are interested in participating in something that's not a traditional football- or basketball-type thing. Even if someone is not athletic ... they can still be involved in this."

Although the equipment is available for use by any public school in Haywood County, qualified personnel must be on hand to make use of the new supplies. Canton's program is overseen by school principal Greg Baileyand Pisgah High sportsman's club adviser Chip Singleton, both of whom underwent special training during the summer to become qualified safety instructors.

Singleton said the equipment made available through the Archery in the Schools program is perfectly suited to students. The bows are made so that younger people can use them, Singleton said.

Singleton said the program teaches Olympic-style archery, emphasizing fundamentals and etiquette that can be used in nearly any archery situation. In addition to using whistles to indicate when to start or stop shooting, the instructors review basic procedures at every session to ensure that the students can enjoy the sport without undue risk.

"Safety is discussed in great detail and constantly reinforced," Singleton said.

Bailey said his interest in starting an archery group at his school grew out of his own passion for the pastime.

"I am a sportsman myself and grew up shooting bows, and I just thought it would be a good opportunity to get kids involved in something they might not get a chance to do otherwise," Bailey said.

Bailey said participation in the morning archery sessions is dependent in part on behavior in school.

The principal said he thinks the opportunity to be involved in the group helps keep some students motivated to do well in school.

While some students come from homes where archery is a family tradition and are used to the bow and arrow, many are finding their first exposure to the sport more enjoyable than they expected, Singleton said. He said he hopes the interest will last.

"Hopefully it will get some of them off video games and outside doing stuff," Singleton said.

Students express a variety of motivations for wanting to be involved in the group.

Levi Holland, a sixth-grader at Canton, said the morning archery sessions help start the school day on the right note.

"This is my first year. I'm liking it a lot so far," Holland said. "It's nice to have a chance to come out early in the morning and shoot."

Parker Bailey, the principal's son, said he has already gotten a love of the outdoors from his father. The younger Bailey said he looks forward to the unique challenges of hunting with a bow.

Brooke Rhinehart, also a sixth-grader at the school, said she hopes to use her new skills when she goes bowhunting with her father.

"He thinks it's great that I'm learning to use the bow," Rhinehart said.

Greg Bailey said he has been impressed with the level of student interest so far and hopes that one day Canton Middle School can field a true archery team.

"We have talked about going to competitions, and I'd love to see that," the principal said. "It would be great to have a team of kids who wanted to go. I think that would give them a great goal."

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