Current members of the USA Archery Junior Dream Team (JDT) will participate in a competitive training camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. this week, in preparation for the upcoming SoCal Showdown and Gator Cup tournaments. The JDT Red Team will additionally be preparing for an upcoming competition in Guadalajara, Mexico, later this month. There are 24 archers expected to attend this week's camp, which will be overseen by some of the nation's top coaches, including National Head Coach KiSik Lee. Coach observers, who gain valuable experience working alongside JDT coaching staff, are also expected to participate.
In November, applicants to the Junior Dream Team will attend a Selection Camp, the purpose of which is to select new team members based on the number of positions available, skill level, past scores and other objective criteria, which will be outlined in a forthcoming camp packet. Those invited to join the team will be joining some of the nation's brightest and best young archers, who train extensively toward the goal of eventual invitation to the prestigious USA Archery Resident Athlete program.
The Junior Dream Team was developed to bridge the gap between Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) and the Resident Athlete program in an effort to fast track those archers who show early potential. Selection is limited to athletes between the ages of 12 and 18. The Team consists of 24 of the most promising cadet and junior recurve archers in the nation, who travel to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista once per quarter for an intensive weeklong training camp. Between camps, archers are held to exceptionally high standards in terms of practice and training, and benefit from continued work with JDT coaches through the use of video and internet video conferencing.
The top three male and female junior recurve athletes from the JOAD National Championships receive an automatic invitation for evaluation, as do the top two male and female cadet recurve shooters from the same tournament. The cadet and junior athletes occupying the same top spots at the Youth World Championships Team Trials (or the National Target Championships, in even years) receive a similar invitation. The remaining spots are filled at the discretion of the National Head Coach. Discretionary selection factors include the athlete's skill level, potential for future success as determined by the National Head Coach, the athlete's attitude, maturity and work ethic.
Once athletes are selected to the JDT, there is an ongoing review process that takes into account adherence to program training requirements, compliance with the USA Archery Athlete Code of Conduct, and qualities such as maturity, honesty, integrity and positive attitude. "Selection to the JDT is a great honor, but it also comes with significant responsibility," explains National Head Coach KiSik Lee. "It is only through dedication to training and very hard work that our athletes can hope to realize their potential."
Questions regarding the Junior Dream Team, including the application process, may be directed to Guy Krueger: [email protected].
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