Wolverines aiming high at state archery

Having fun and competing at the best of their ability are the goals for a large group of Nodaway Valley archers heading to this weekend’s state tournament at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

With more than 70 members, archery is the largest student organization at Nodaway Valley. The Wolverines are coached by Bill Newbury, along with a number of assistant coaches.

Four teams — middle school and high school squads in both 3D and bullseye — will represent Nodaway Valley at state, something Newbury said speaks to the program’s growth in recent years. There are also elementary-age archers who have qualified individually. Seniors who have led this year’s team are Briley Bates, Harlea Hanscom, Maddyson Rubio and Lakota Whitney.

In the past, the high school program didn’t always have the numbers to qualify a full team. That has changed as younger archers have continued competing as they moved up through the ranks. Newbury said that consistency has led to steady improvement and an even stronger overall program.

“It shows the hard work the kids are putting in and their willingness to stick with it,” Newbury said. “It’s really neat to watch them grow up in the sport.”

While archery doesn’t necessarily require elite athleticism, it does demand discipline and consistency. Newbury said physical growth can sometimes disrupt an archer’s muscle memory, requiring constant adjustments to maintain form as they mature.

The National Archery in the Schools Program, which governs school archery in Iowa, changed its state qualification format this season, moving from a score-based system to a ranking system. Newbury said the shift has had mixed results, with some archers benefiting while others have felt added pressure.

“Some can handle that, but others tend to worry about whether their scores are good enough,” he said. “That’s not always good for the archer or the program.”

Another change at this year’s state tournament is an increase in the number of targets, creating more available time slots. In previous years, some Nodaway Valley archers had qualifying scores but were unable to compete due to limited space. Newbury said he hopes that issue has been addressed.

Despite the larger venue and increased number of participants that state brings, Newbury wants his archers to approach the state tournament like any other meet.

“There will be more targets, more shooters and a bigger crowd,” he said. “But they need to stay focused, take it one arrow at a time and go through their routine like they always do.”

No matter the outcome, Newbury said he is proud of what his archers have accomplished to reach this point.

“Every one of these kids has a chance to do something outstanding,” he said. “I’m proud of them no matter where they place, just for making it this far.”