Mykel receive a silver medal and Ella received a gold medal…Congratulations to them both and to all our youth archers who braved the heat to compete with their peers.
Here are just a few words from a couple of our archers.
From Matthew He 10years old
My experience in the JOAD nationals is very good. My feeling during the tournament was very exciting but I am also nervous at the same time since it’s my first major tournament. The archers and judges are very friendly and the environment there is hot and sunny. But it is good that there is wind to stay cool and grass that helps keep the dust from arising.
Clovis Hung 14 years old
This is Clovis HUNG, who has joined JOAD at Oranco for a year.
I feel honored to participate in the JOAD Target Nationals Tournament 2024 in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. I have been practicing for the JOAD Nationals
throughout the last year. Coming into the competition, I was not
expecting to place well but to learn how to compete in real life.
The tournament was an exhilarating experience filled with tension and
excitement. The shooting line was anxiously silent as the arrows flew
toward the targets. Each arrow tested my skills, consistency, and
composure. Competing with skilled archers challenged me to adapt to
the new environment under high pressure. On a few ends, I reacted to
my shot because of my nervousness, which caused it to be a bad shot.
Despite the barrier, I managed to regain my composure by taking deep
breaths and talking positively to myself. This moment taught me that
archery doesn’t require not only form or skill but also mental state
and how adaptable and resilient an archer has to be. This is a
valuable experience that I cannot learn from my textbooks.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Coach Vernie for her
patience and sincere guidance throughout my archery journey and the
volunteers of Oranco for providing such an affordable and neat outdoor
practice range. I could see the volunteers removing weeds so I could
spot my lost arrows with ease and pruning branches from falling. This
is the hard work of volunteers behind the scenes. Thank you!
“Rest at the end, not in the middle” by Kobe Bryant. I will keep
practicing hard on my archery form and look forward to better results
at the 2025 national JOAD tournament. Yes, I can do it!
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