Young local archers score well at state competition

Members of the Waseca Archery Club junior team scored exceptionally well at the Minnesota State Archery Association (MSAA) indoor tournament the weekend of April 11 and 12 in Hutchinson with 10 members taking first, second or third place in their divisions. According to the MSAA, the tournament drew nearly 140 competitors in youth divisions from around the state.

 

Club youth coach Aaron Hanson comments he is deeply impressed by the whole team’s dedication, focus, and hard work. “It’s been tremendous watching their progress,” he says. “There’s been a lot of growth since the beginning of the season.”

 

Hanson explains archery competitions are divided between an indoor and outdoor season. Each setting poses slightly different challenges, but focus and self control are always central to aiming and shooting with consistency. “The pressure is real,” he observes. “It can be very daunting.” Doing well, he says, requires “a way of calming yourself and shutting everything else out.”

 

Along with that come the physical coordination and stamina that are built through practice; Hanson notes that youth members have a weekly group practice, and that participants who also choose to practice on their own tend to show the most success. 

 

“I am super proud of this team,” he comments, noting that members not only performed well as competitors, but enjoyed the social aspects of the gathering, spending time with young archers from around the state, sharing their ideas and experiences, and showing respect for their fellow competitors and the rules and expectations of the tournament.

 

Listed below are the name, placing, class and score achieved by each of the junior team members who placed. In youth divisions, participants shoot 60 times, with a possible score of 5 earned by touching or being within the center circle of the target. For further refinement of scores, it is noted how many times the arrow touches the “x” at the very center of the target. When the numbered score is identical, the count of times the x was touched becomes a determining factor.

 

Placings:

Wanli Chen, first in cub male freestyle with a perfect score of 300 and touching the x 59 out of a possible 60 times. 

 

Josie Hagre, first in young adult female freestyle with a score of 293 and touching the x 34 times.

 

Payton Smith, first in Cub female bowhunter freestyle with a score of 288 and touching the x 21 times.

 

Cadence Stenzel, first in youth female bowhunter freestyle with a score of 282 and touching the x 25 times; also second in youth female freestyle with a score of 291 and touching the x 25 times.

 

Danika Hanson, in young adult female bowhunter freestyle with a score of 291 and touching the x 32 times.

 

Nolan Monson, second in cub male bowhunter freestyle with a score of 278 and touching the x 17 times.

 

Hugh Courtney, second in cub male bowhunter freestyle with a score of 295 and touching the x 24 times.

 

Austin Smith, third in young adult male freestyle with a score of 299 and touching the x 54 times.

 

Nolan Hanson, third in youth male bowhunter freestyle with a score of 291 and touching the x 32 times.