Introducing our new feature series “Inside USA Archery” – get to know USA Archery staff, take a peek inside some of our big projects and catch a glimpse of daily life on our team. USA Archery, headquartered in Colorado Springs, was formed in 1879 to foster and promote the sport of archery. As the National Governing Body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of archery, we are a member-driven organization and our work towards our mission is driven by strategic plans that keep us on track with specific, measurable goals. Get to know our hard-working team and explore some of the larger projects we’re prioritizing throughout the year.
Leticia Malavasi has been with USA Archery since 2017. She is our High Performance Manager and has the exciting responsibility of accompanying Team USA Archery to international events as Team Leader. Born in Oregon, but raised in Brazil, Malavasi’s life has been anything but ordinary.
“I’m actually from Brazil, but this is my Oregon accent,” Malavasi comically introduced herself. “I completed my undergraduate degree in Sports Science, and my master’s degree in Physical Education in Brazil, but I moved to the U.S. to complete a PhD in Kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.”
After finishing her PhD, Malavasi moved to the Silicon Valley where she began her professional career at Equinox while teaching at California State University. A colleague later introduced her to a job opening at Facebook, where Malavasi began training and educating their personal trainers.
After leaving Facebook, Malavasi relocated to Washington. She obtained a second master’s degree from Washington State University in Sports Management, where she was also a teacher. She was later a volunteer for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). After her volunteer position with USOPC ended, Malavasi landed a position with Basketball Travelers Inc., where she assisted with planning and logistics of World University Games for Team USA, and it was the closing of that door, that led her to USA Archery.
“USA Archery assigned me to work in Chula Vista with the Resident Athlete Program, and that was really fun. I enjoy working with the coaches and the athletes. That’s what I always liked to do. That’s what I always wanted to do,” Malavasi said.
However, Malavasi’s position has since expanded to include other responsibilities in addition to her work as Team Leader. With the added responsibilities came a relocation to Colorado Springs, Colo. to work at the USA Archery headquarters.
Malavasi now coordinates logistics for athletes, personal coaches, and staff for funded and self-funded international trips such as registration, travel logistics, uniforms and more. She also assists in providing administrative assistance for the Resident Athlete Program and the Regional Elite and National Elite Development Programs.
In 2019 Malavasi became USA Archery’s Team Leader, which means she travels to international events with the U.S. team, including the Pan American Games, World Cups, World Championships and the Olympic Games. At these events, her responsibilities vary from managing schedules, transportation, security and credentials, to pulling arrows, assisting athletes and filing protests for the team as needed.
One of her favorite experiences as a Team Leader was at the Final Olympic Qualification Tournament in Paris in 2021. The U.S. recurve women’s team needed to finish in the top three to earn their quota spots for Tokyo; their quarterfinal match against Turkey came down to a shoot off. “The teams shot the same shoot off score and it came down to the closest arrow to the center to determine the winning team,” shared Malavasi. “As a result of a caliper measurement which I questioned, the judge determined the U.S. was the winner and we ended up earning our spots for Tokyo.”
Being a part of USA Archery has allowed Malavasi to fulfill her professional goals and provides our team with her expertise and diverse skills. It is apparent in speaking with Malavasi that she loves what she does and is passionate about the athletes she works with.
“It’s very gratifying to see people who have gone through a grassroots program make it to the Senior division and compete at a funded international trip. Because I don’t get to see them train, I love to see how they’ve improved. It’s fulfilling to see where they started and where they are now,” said Malavasi.
Learn more about USA Archery and its strategic plans.
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