Woodlands Archery Club: Always on target

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas - Already a unique and popular sport, an interest in archery has further been cultivated through the film industry. Movies like The Hunger Games, Brave, and The Avengers have turned archery into a booming sport in recent years. Understanding the importance of this sport much before, the Woodlands Archery Club works to enhance interest in archery and also prepare for competitions.

Head coach, Steve Overbeck, is a USA archery level III instructor and won gold at the U.S. national senior games in 2011. He has been passionate about archery since age 8 and also competed in college at the state and southwest conferences. He continues to show his passion for the sport through coaching The Woodlands Archery Club.

“I got back into archery in 2009 when my son got interested in the sport. After that, we both started competing together,” said Overbeck.

Woodlands Archery Club (WAC) lessons are held at Archery on Fire located at 18500 Trails End, Conroe, TX, 77385. However, they are currently looking for an open grass field area to practice at in the Woodlands or Montgomery area. Archery lessons are by appointment which can be made by email or phone call. Lessons are open to people of all ages and those interested are welcome to come out and observe archery practices.

WAC also has a Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) program, open to kids ages 8-20, for which Overbeck is certified to coach. JOAD is a charter club that falls under USA Archery and gives kids the opportunity to compete at different levels. This competitive environment also provides them with the chance to hone their skills.

“JOAD provides competitions with recurve and compound archery. It has an achievement system that does shooting and scoring in tournament-like conditions with target archery,” said Overbeck.

Informal practice sessions are on Thursday evenings and formal practice sessions occur on Sunday afternoons. Whether you are a beginner or have years of experience, WAC welcomes everyone so feel free to come enjoy and explore the sport!