Take Aim: Archery Tryouts Are This Week!

4 minutes ago

3 min read

As we enter our second year of archery on campus, we are excited to see just how much this program has grown in such a short time!

What began as a club and an opportunity for students to experience archery through PE has now grown into the start of our first official Junior High and High School Archery Team for the 2026-2027 school year!

The program was started by Mr. and Coach Carignan, who have worked to introduce students to the sport, build interest, and create opportunities for students to develop their skills.

Their dedication to growing the program has gone beyond our campus. This summer, they volunteered at the NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) World Championships, gaining valuable experience, learning new ideas, and preparing to take our program to the next level.

From Club to Competitive Team

Over the last year, students have been introduced to archery through a combination of our archery club and PE archery unit. This allowed students to learn the fundamentals, practice proper technique, and discover whether archery was a sport they enjoyed. As interest and participation continued to grow, so did the vision for the program.

Now, in 2026-2027, we are excited to take that next step and establish our first Junior High and High School Archery Team.

It is exciting to see how something that started with a small group of students and a club has developed into an opportunity for students to compete as part of an official school team.

More Than Just Hitting a Target

Archery is a sport that teaches students skills that extend far beyond the range. It requires focus, patience, discipline, concentration, coordination, and consistency.

Every shot requires students to slow down, control their breathing, focus on their technique, and trust the process. Students learn to set goals, work through challenges, make adjustments, and remain focused even when things don't go exactly as planned.

These are skills that can benefit students in the classroom, in athletics, and in life.

One of the unique aspects of archery is that students don't have to be the fastest or strongest athlete to find success. It is a sport where students can compete against themselves, work toward personal goals, and contribute to a team.

Leading Up to Tryouts

Our 6-12 PE students have already been getting a taste of archery through their current archery unit, learning the fundamentals, practicing proper technique, and discovering what it takes to hit the target.

We've even had some exciting moments along the way! Siblings Lily and Liam Dees both hit a bullseye while learning archery in PE.

What a great accomplishment and a perfect example of what can happen when students focus, practice, and give something new a try!

These experiences are helping build excitement for tryouts and giving students the opportunity to discover a sport they may not have considered before.

Preparing Students for the Future

Competitive archery can also provide opportunities beyond high school. Colleges and universities across the country offer competitive archery programs, and dedicated student-athletes may have opportunities to pursue college competition and potential scholarships.

While scholarships are never guaranteed, being part of a competitive archery program can give students another avenue to explore as they prepare for college and their future careers.

Archery Tryouts Are This Week!

Students in grades 6-12 interested in becoming part of our new Junior High/High School team are invited to attend tryouts this week.

📅 September 15th & 17th

⏰ 3:45-6:15 PM

📍 School Gym

No sign-up is necessary. No experience is necessary. No equipment is needed. Everything students need for tryouts will be provided.

We are incredibly excited to see how far this program can go. What started just one year ago as a club and PE opportunity has grown into something much bigger, and we are proud to take the next step toward building a strong and competitive archery program on our campus.