LOS ANGELES, Calif. – USA Archery is the proud recipient of the prestigious Rings of Gold Program Award, which was presented on Thursday at the 2023 Olympic & Paralympic Assembly being held in Los Angeles.
Introduced in 1996, the Rings of Gold awards are given out annually to an individual or a program that is dedicated to helping children develop their Olympic or Paralympic dreams and reach their highest athletic and personal potential.
The Rings of Gold Program Award honors those programs committed to nurturing and developing the Olympic and Paralympic dreams and goals of children, teaching America’s youth valuable life skills, in addition to making a positive impact in their community.
USA Archery received the Rings of Gold Program Award for Explore Archery, which was launched in 2014. Its aim was to serve as a foundation for the development of community-based archery programs nationwide, and to grow a new generation of archers, and Olympic, Paralympic and world championship hopefuls at the grassroots level.
“We are thrilled to honor Explore Archery with the 2023 Rings of Gold Award,” said Sarah Hirshland, USOPC CEO. “Over the years, USA Archery’s program has introduced thousands across the U.S. to the sport of archery, teaching children and people of all ages and abilities Olympic and Paralympic values. We thank USA Archery for continuing to inspire Olympic and Paralympic dreams through its programming.”
Explore Archery is an innovative education program which introduces archery to beginners of all ages and abilities. The program includes low-cost, turnkey programming options that offer a comprehensive Instructor's Guide, including a full curriculum packed with classroom activities, and award and games components.
The program's unique skill-based achievement awards allow archers to earn awards through active participation in individual and team-building activities. It also provides resources to help instructors understand how to adapt existing programs to include archers of all abilities and provide education and instruction on assistive devices and other simple adaptations to make the sport inclusive of all.
As the program has grown, it has expanded to offer equipment and training grants to organizations in an effort to reach more diverse communities. Through growing partnerships with over 350 local recreation and parks departments, multi-sport organizations and archery clubs, more than 35,000 archers have been introduced to the sport through Explore Archery.
“USA Archery is honored to receive the Rings of Gold program award for the Explore Archery program,” commented Mary Emmons, Chief of Sport Performance & Operations for USA Archery.
“This recognition is a testament to the dedication and passion of USA Archery staff, countless instructors and partners who have made this program a resounding success.
“The Explore Archery program is driven by a shared vision of introducing archery to a diverse range of individuals, regardless of age or ability to experience the joy of archery in a safe and fun environment and encouraging new archers to feel successful at their first introduction so they’ll continue in the sport.”
For more information on our Explore Archery program, contact USA Archery at [email protected].
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