COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – So much success was enjoyed by USA archers on the international stage this year, from the Pan Am and Para Pan Am Championships to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and with so much more in between.
The end result of hours and hours of tireless commitment can be seen beaming out at the cameras, the smiling faces an indicator of that hard work paying off. What few of us see and even less of us hear about is the incredible support network, beyond coaches, family and friends.
Take, for example, the World Archery Field Championships, which took place in Lac La Biche, Canada in September and the World Archery 3D Championships in Mokrice, Slovenia in early October. Those two world tournaments produced a combined total of 19 medals for the USA, helped in no small way by the Lancaster Archery Foundation.
Each of the 59 archers, 35 of which competed at the World Field Championships and 24 at the World 3D, were supported with $500 to help offset travel costs by the Foundation.
"Attending the World Field Championships was a major goal of mine, and the financial support like that provided by the Lancaster Archery Foundation helped make that trip possible," said Andrew Cousins, who was on the US team for the World Archery Field Championships. "Lancaster's continued support of the discipline has done so much to help grow barebow in the United States."
Those sentiments were echoed by compound archer, Heather Gore, who was also in Canada for the World Field Championships, "The support from Lancaster Archery Foundation shows their commitment to the sport and support of all the athletes, as well as their commitment to the growth of the sport we all love so much."
Shiloh Butts brought home silver in the men's team event and bronze in the longbow mixed team from the World Archery 3D Championships. He added, "Receiving funding for the World Archery 3D Championship was not just a generous act, but a powerful statement about the Lancaster Archery Foundation's belief in the pursuit of excellence and the value of supporting others' dreams.
"Their generosity not only helped to ease part of the financial burden but also helped in motivating me to train harder and give it my all. I'm incredibly thankful for the Foundation's support and what it says about their kindness and faith in archers all over."
American archers repaid the generosity with an impressive haul of five gold, five silver and six bronze medals at the World Field in Lac La Biche, including a third win in a row for Paige Pearce. USA's archers finished fifth in the medals table at the World 3D, returning with one silver and two bronze, equaling the haul from Lac La Biche in 2019.
