The Archery Club raised $2,005 on Cougstarter on March 5 for new equipment and tournament expenses and has a bake sale on the first and fourth Monday of every month in the Compton Union Building.
Members of the club recently took part in the Junior Olympic Archery Development competition in Cheney, Washington from Nov. 9–10, 2024, and won six medals.
Dillion Jaquez (1st), Wyatt Blaszak, Matthew Johnson (2nd) and Leo Ohata (3rd) participated in the Junior Male Barebow Division, Adriene Lahr (1st) participated in the Junior Female Barebow Division, Andrea Ozier (2nd) competed in the Senior Female Barebow and Adrianna Peterson was in the Junior Female Olympic Recurve Division (2nd).
“As I was the only person in the club who had experience in JOAD/USA Archery competitions, I took on the role of coaching our members participating in the competition,” said vice president Adrianna Peterson. The training involved extensive practice, ensuring everyone learned how to score their targets and use scorecards to track their total points. Basic bell drills were used to signal when to step up to the line, take shots, and retrieve arrows. Support was also provided to refine their form, improving both accuracy and muscle control.
The team is open to anyone who wants to try archery. Experienced members and officers provide knowledge on arrows, bow types and proper form. Range rules are posted in the club space and officers go over them with new members before they practice.
The club is also dedicated to having reliable equipment, which is funded through member fees, donations and fundraisers.
“I deeply value the club. It’s amazing,” Matthew Johnson, president and range master, said. “Just being able to talk with these people—whenever they show up, sometimes it’s twice a week, sometimes it’s once a month—and just growing as an archer alongside other people is such an amazing experience.”
The club currently resides in the Stephenson Down Under complex, where Johnson said it is often cold and has a weak Wi-Fi connection. He hopes to raise money to move into Smith Gym, where practice during the colder months could yield increased member turnout.
“Come for a semester, see if you enjoy it and try to have fun,” Wyatt Blaszak, a two-year club member, said. “It’s a form of stress relief for me. I like to be able to go here, turn off my brain, fire some arrows, and chat with my friends.”
The Archery Club meets Saturdays from 1–3 p.m. and Tuesdays from 6–7 p.m. each semester and is free to join for all WSU students for the first two meetings. After that, members are asked to pay a $30 semester fee, or $50 for the academic year.
