The University of Arizona Archery Club’s 30 or so members are close. They’re also competitive. 

“Archery is an independent sport, so we can get quite competitive with each other when we’re going head-to-head, but we try to keep the club as friendly as we can,” said club co-president Brynn Atonna.

Still, she called the group “tight knit.” 

About 20 core members regularly attend practices – held Friday through Monday – and 10 to 15 others join in occasionally. The group welcomes newbies to the sport as well as experienced archers who competed in high school.

“We all love that we have a community of people learning how to shoot or continuing to shoot,” said club secretary Ian Gold.

Co-president Nataliana Ferrara added that the club is also a great place to meet people while improving a skill.

Ferrara, who began archery when she was 11, said she loves to see people join the club with little experience and watch how much they learn.  Now in her second year as a president, she said her goal is to make tournaments more accessible to club members, because archery can be expensive. 

In the past, all tournament costs were self-funded by students. She has helped the club cover expenses such as travel, entry fees and lodging through community fundraising.

“We’re trying to ramp up how many competitions we go to,” Gold said.

This academic year, the club has attended several events, including the State Outdoor Championship in Phoenix and the Regional Indoor Competition in Albuquerque. 

Outdoor competitions consist of 72 arrows shot in six-arrow ends, while indoor tournaments involve 30 arrows in three-arrow ends. The club competes in both formats.

Last month, the club competed for the first time in the Arizona Cup, one of the largest archery tournaments in the country held annually since 1989.

“It was a fantastic experience,” Gold said. 

Gold was a standout of the event, finishing in 16th out of 48th place in his group. 

The event drew about 750 participants competing in categories based on bow type: recurve or compound. 

Recurve bows are traditionally shaped and allow for faster draw speed, while compound bows use cables and pulleys for greater precision.

The team is supported by five coaches: head coach Darryl Tersey; Diana and Terry LeBeau, who oversee equipment faculty advisor Sandra Bernal; and longtime coach Lawrence Owens.

The club started in 1998, then revamped in 2021 after a pandemic lull with the support from coaches Dianna and Terry LeBeau. 

Later this month, the club will compete at nationals in East Lansing, Mich., from May 15-18. 

Participating in nationals last year in Statesboro, Ga., is Atonna’s favorite memory of the club, she said. 

“I was shooting with the same two girls who won first and second at the competition,” she said. “The whole time they were encouraging me and saying how well I shot.” 

To contact the UA archery club, email the team at [email protected] 

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.