Photo courtesy of the Archery Club
The Archery Club at Mason is distinguished for its competitiveness and achievements
BY VALENTINA FALA, STAFF WRITER
When the Mason Archery Club started in 2022, members aimed to put archery on the map by competing in various tournaments. Their competitive spirit has propelled the club two steps ahead of other teams, earning records, prizes, medals and significant accomplishments in just three years.
Archery primarily exercises the upper body but is adaptable to meet the needs of every athlete, emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility. “Archery is very dependent on both form and also physical ability,” Tiya Maroboina, the Club’s President said. “Of course there are many adjustments that can be made. Paralympic archery is a growing field of many people… For us, because we are a university club, we try our best to accommodate everybody.”
Skill levels vary among members–some started in the beginning of the Fall semester, while others have years of experience under their belt. With around 30 club members, each has competed at least once in the past year. Training is individualized due to the nature of the sport, and scores recorded at big competitions help members identify areas for improvement.
“We have three bow divisions we shoot in: recurve, which is what you’ve seen in the Olympics; barebow which looks very similar to a recurve…You take a basic recurve bow and take the gear off; and then compound is another division with the wheels,” Maroboina explained. “The most popular division is the barebow division, followed by recurve and compound.”
From Feb. 21 to Feb. 23, the club competed in the 56th JOAD Indoor Nationals, where student Kyle George won bronze in the Recurve Collegiate Men’s division and ranked in the national Top 25. At the Virginia State Indoor Championship, every club participant won a medal, and archer Ellalee Bullock set a state record in the Barebow Collegiate Women’s division.
Most competitions are external or collegiate-level events, but many are local and within a short drive from Mason’s Fairfax campus. The club typically practices at the Bull Run Shooting Center, approximately 20 minutes from the Fairfax campus.
Recruiting only happens during the Fall semester, with interested students participating in a two-week tryout period that includes four practices. During this period, they learn the National Training System’s 11 steps in shooting, safety procedures and fundamental techniques.
After the tryout period, interested members pay a membership fee ranging from $60 to $75, depending on the funds raised through events like the Taco Fundraiser held on Feb. 28 at University Mall. Membership dues cover equipment, equipment repairs, fees and range expenses.
“The beginner equipment weighs between 20 to 26 pounds because you are contorting your body in a way that isn’t necessarily natural — unless you practiced swimming, rowing, or other sports that work your back which isn’t a common overlap — we try our best to avoid injury,” Maroboina said. “It is very easy to tear the rotator cuff and hurt yourself overall with improper form, that is why we have to be a bit more selective than we’d like to be for the club.”
After learning the fundamentals of shooting and form, members improve with every session. Each practice has about 15 participants, with one professional coach supervising activities and experienced members offering their assistance.
With numerous achievements, the club is off to a strong start in 2025. As the year progresses, one can look forward to their continued success in competitions and events.