COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - The national team for USA Archery is called the "USAT," or United States Archery Team. It consists of the best senior, para, junior and cadet archers in the country, selected based on performance in several national events over a long season of hot competition. View the complete 2016 USAT Selection Procedures.
At just 18 years old, David Houser (Creekside, Pennsylvania) is the youngest man to make compound senior USAT this year. In one of the toughest brackets in the nation, Houser had an incredible rookie season shooting as a senior, including taking the National Champion title at U.S. National Target Championships this past summer.
On making the team, Houser shared: "I'm pretty excited. Basically, it's the result of all the hours I put in, all the hours spent at the range, in airports, traveling around, working towards my goal. I still came up a little short of what I wanted to do this year - I wanted to be in the top 4 to make the World Cup Team, but there's always next year to try for that piece. This is my rookie year as a pro and I want to work off of that, go to shoots, make the best shots I can, and do everything to the best of my abilities. Whatever that is, I'm going to be happy with it."
Archery continues to grow in the U.S., especially within the youth divisions. USA Archery was pleased to host over 900 archers at the 2015 Outdoor Nationals, and to see the increased level of competition among archers of all ages. Texas A&M first-year student Karissa Yamaguchi (Phoenix, Arizona) shared: "I feel really blessed to have qualified for this year's Junior USAT. It took a lot of training and dedication, and sometimes sacrifice, but it is all worth it."
Excited about the opportunities Junior USAT offers, including the USAT jersey and chance to compete internationally, Yamaguchi commented: "The jersey is so much more than a new shirt. Wearing 'USA' unifies the individual with a team that shares the same strive for excellence and encourages each member to be their best. Competing with this team in an international event similarly is an incredible opportunity to represent my country and showcase what being an American is all about."
USA Archery congratulates our archers on another amazing season, especially those who excelled to the highest level and made the USAT selection. See full 2016 USAT here. For any questions on USAT, please contact National High Performance Manager Guy Krueger at [email protected].
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