Bullseye! P.E.I. archery program hitting big targets
After only four years, program has brought home several national medals
Some young archers on P.E.I. are hitting some big targets in their sport, despite only starting a few years ago.
Fourteen-year-old Kristen Arsenault will represent Canada on the world stage in Argentina next October, having recently secured a berth to the World Archery Youth Championships — just three years after she picked up a bow for the first time.
"I think that's just crazy," said the 14-year-old.
"Whenever people are talking to me about it it's like...my mind just tells me, 'Whoa, you're actually doing this,'" she said.
Proud of achievements
Arsenault is a product of the program launched in 2012 by head coach Duncan Crawford.
At the moment, he has six kids on the competitive team and about 20 more who are up and coming. He said he is beyond proud of achievements like Arsenault's.
"It's the most rewarding thing that can happen as a coach. I mean there's a certain element of luck when talent walks through the door and you're able to retain it, especially when dealing with young kids," he said
"It's a testament to hard work and programming and development when your archers or any athlete succeed in their given sport."
Kristen Arsenault competed in the Canada Games after shooting for only one year and placed 9th overall.
Then she went on to bring home medals, including a gold, at two national competitions.
She had to go up a competition level in order to qualify for Argentina, but it was worth it to her. She said she loves the competitions and the camaraderie.
"I look forward to meeting new people, seeing that there's so many other people doing this sport not just me," she said.
"I get to like talk to these people and they know what I'm talking about, like it's really neat."
Her teammate Keegan Crawford comes by his talent honestly. He's Duncan Crawford's son and has also been trying his hand at the sport for three years.
After many asks his dad promised to take him to nationals if he practiced hard. All that practice paid off — Keegan took home a silver and a gold medal.
"I'm really proud of myself for doing it." he said.
It's successes like these that Duncan Crawford hopes will bring more young talent through the door.
"When we have kids come to this range and they see the newspaper articles up on the wall and they see them on TV or they hear them on the radio, you know like 'holy cow, I know that kid, I go to school with that kid,'" he said.
"The Island being as small as it is, it's very easy for the kids to know somebody in the program and see how well they're doing, so it's huge we'll have more people come and try it because of these kids' acheivements."
Arsenault is now focused on fundraising for her trip to Argentina. As for the rest of the team, Crawford would like to focus on bringing more kids to nationals, and on gearing up for the next Canada Games in 2019.