Archery Requires Aim, Balance, and Coordination

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Recommended: Archery in pre industrial Britain

The arrow flies across the screen seeming to travel a hundred miles per hour, but it must be much less coming from so far away. The arrow misses the bull’s-eye, but darts somewhere in the nine point ring. Dissatisfied with this shot, the archer from Team USA breathes a sigh while preparing for the next arrow. He nocks his final arrow, pulls back and anchors near the crevice in the center of his lips. Ready to release, he holds for a few seconds longer to ensure an improved shot. The archer sighs slowly, then releases. The arrow seems to move through time in slow motion spiraling toward the target. His last shot has to hit the ten point ring or USA will forfeit its silver medal placement. The camera zooms in on the 70 meter target- bull’s eye! Team USA receives the silver medal.
Popularized by the Olympics and other media such as comic books, movies, and novels, archery has experienced a renewal of interest in children as well as adults during the past decade. Katniss Everdeen inspires girls to pick up a bow while comic book heroes like Hawkeye spur young men to shoot. Elements of culture such as these display archery as a difficult, intense sport that also includes an element of fun. Archery is an enjoyable and challenging sport with a rich history that provides people of all ages with rewarding health benefits.
Archery began as a method of hunting employed all over the world. The first written accounts of bow hunting appeared in 1200 B.C with the Assyrians and Hittites (Archery Equipment). Using a bow allowed hunters to kill game from greater distances, reducing the risk of scaring the prey away. These predecessors to the modern bow were constructed from animal bone and wood. Along with pursuing animals, bows were used in batt...

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...ctually be pretty good at this.”

Works Cited
"Archery Equipment and History." Olympic.org. IOC, n.d. Web. 27 Oct 2013.
Archery Team Meets and Practice. Personal experience. October 2013-March 2013
Arrington and Marshall. 11 Steps to Archery Success: WMMS Dragon Time. 2011. Video. Youtube.com, Stanardsville. Web. 2 Dec 2013.
Byers, Scott. "A Brief History of Competitive Archery." Articlesbase.com. ArticlesBase.com, 16 Aug 2006. Web. 10 Nov 2013.
Cannon, John. "archery." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 26 Oct. 2013 .
Casteele , John. "What are the health Benefits of Archery?." healthyliving.azcentral.com. azcentral.com. Web. 27 Oct 2013.
Deschaine, Robert. "11 Steps to Archery Success." lps.org. Robert Deschaine, 25 Oct 2013. Web. 26 Oct 2013.
Odom, Shondra. Personal Interview. Sept. 2013-November 2013.

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