It’s no long shot: Youth archery is growing in Mississippi!
Archery is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. As of the 2022-23 school year, 78 colleges are registered through USA Archery, providing opportunities for students to score scholarships and have competitive experiences at the collegiate level. Archery in Mississippi Schools (AIMS) helps introduce 4th -12th-grade students to the sport of International-Style Target Archery during their Physical Education Class or as an extracurricular team sport. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) is the spearhead behind AIMS. The first statewide Archery Invitational was in Mississippi in 2011, with 400 student archers competing; now, over 7,000 student archers compete annually in the AIMS State Championship Series.
Dennis Adams, founder of Mississippi Archery Academy and father of Riley Adams, a 15-year-old archer, was introduced to archery while teaching at Flowood Elementary.
“I was a teacher when Riley was in the third grade,” shared Adams. “She saw it and wanted to give it a try. She had done other sports before, but nothing seemed to be her thing. So we got her a bow, and she took it!”
Adams started looking for opportunities outside of the classroom for Riley to grow in archery, but there were limited options then. “Students had school and 4-H,” shared Adams. “4-H is great, but their season is also limited. We wanted something year-round for Riley.”
“I contacted USA Archery and went through the process of getting certified to coach,” explained Adams. “We were lucky enough to find a building that met our needs and budget, hoping that some of Riley’s school teammates and coaches would come join.”
Mississippi Archery Academy has been open for six years. In the beginning they offered one bow to now having all four major bow types with archers competing at the highest levels. Riley, Adam’s daughter, is one of the Academy’s standout archers. She won gold at the 2024 AAE Arizona Cup in Women’s U21 Barebow, defeating the reigning champion in a one-arrow shoot-off.
“Now I shoot a barebow,” Riley Adams shared. It looks like what they shoot at the Olympics but without all the cool stuff.
A barebow is a bow used in traditional archery characterized by simplicity and lack of attachments or accessories. Unlike other types of bows, barebows do not have any sights, stabilizers, or mechanical releases, making them a pure and challenging option for traditional archers.
“I shot Olympic for a while and was having fun with it,” shared Riley Adams. But I saw other kids shooting bare and thought I wanted to try that! I went to my first barebow event and came in third out of people who had been doing it for years, and I knew this was the set-up for me.”
Four of the Academy’s archers, including Riley, will travel to compete internationally.
“Archers who participate in the USA Archery national events are ranked throughout the season,” explains Adams. “There are seven events throughout the year for archers to obtain points. The archers with the lowest points get invited to higher-level events. This year happens to be the Youth Pam Championship in El Salvador.”
Elijah Hillensbeck, Ethan Mitchell, Anthony Malik, and Riley Adams will all represent the USA National Archery team in El Salvador from May 6 to 12. When asked what she enjoys so much about archery, Riley shared.
“Of course, I love the shooting part. I feel like once you get on the line, confidence rushes over you, and it’s just you and the target,” shared Riley Adams. “But I also love the community. I have friends from all over the nation that I have met at different archery events. I know I wouldn’t have met them without archery.”
Mississippi Archery Academy aims to develop archers’ skills, love, and passion for the sport at any age. “Along the way,” shared Adams, ” we hope to teach them that the skill they learn in archery can also be used in life so that they can become people of character and compassion.”
To learn more about Archery in Mississippi Schools (AIMS) visit https://www.mdwfp.com/aims/
To learn more about Mississippi Archery Academy visit https://www.mississippiarcheryacademy.com/
