Why I Started This Podcast

The simple answer? There was a clear need that wasn't being met.

After years in the Archery community, I noticed parents consistently approaching me with questions. I vividly remembered being in their shoes and realized the information gap I experienced years ago still existed. While Archers have abundant resources, parents are often left navigating this road alone.

With my experience and passion for the sport, I decided to create something that would help Archery Parents everywhere access the knowledge they need. There's so much to share, and I'm committed to bringing valuable content to parents who want to best support their archers.

My/Our Archery Journey

How It All Began

Our Archery adventure started in 2014 when my son Reece got his first compound bow.

Living in a city with limited Archery resources, we discovered an outdoor range where Reece learned the fundamentals. As our knowledge grew, he moved to an indoor range in another city and participated in his first tournament. While Reece enjoyed shooting his compound bow, he was limited to shorter distances and began losing interest by Spring 2015.

The Turning Point

Everything changed during the summer of 2015 when Toronto hosted the Pan Am Games. I purchased tickets for the Archery qualification rounds and medal matches without knowing what to expect. What's a 720? Who's that? Why does he wave like that? How many arrows would they shoot? What's an "end"? How long would we be sitting in the sun? Like many new Archery Parents, I knew practically nothing.

As a Pan Am event, it featured fifteen countries from North, Central, and South America. We attended the first of two qualification days - 72 arrows scored out of 720. Most significantly, the Archers were using recurve bows (not compound) and shooting from an astonishing 70 meters away from the targets! They were aiming to hit a target the size of compact disc (yes, I am aging myself with that reference)!

This was also my introduction to elite Archers like Crispin Duenas, Patrick Rivest Bunster, and Jay Lyons, who made up the Canadian Men's team; as well as Brady Ellison from the USA, who became the 2019 World Champion.

After watching the medal matches, I turned to Reece to gauge his reaction. His expression said everything. Looking toward the target stands, he pointed and simply stated: "I want to do that." It was kind of a movie-moment.

That's when I officially entered "Archery Mom Mode".

Where We Are Today

Now, 11 years into our Archery journey, Reece and I still travel across Canada and the USA for competitions. However, Reece is now on the Canadian National Recurve team and spent 2024 on the international circuit, which included Medellin, Colombia; Türkiye; and Korea.

Reece and teammates Brandon Xuereb, and Eric Peters made history as the first Canadian Men's team to win a World Archery medal at a World Cup event (Yecheon, Korea; May 2024). While Canada didn't secure a team spot for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Reece was an alternate. 

Next target: LA 2028.

Why This Podcast Now?

I've been fortunate enough to have accumulate experiences many others have not. As a former team manager for the Archery Canada Junior National Recurve squad working alongside Canadian National Coach Joan McDonald for two years and my time as an Archery Mom, I've gained valuable insights into how the Archery community functions in other countries and what goes on behind the scenes of some of the biggest events on the planet.

We've travelled to competitions in 9 Canadian provinces and 14 US states, often visiting multiple times. As an Archery Mom, I've become skilled at being a tour guide, travel agent, concierge, registration co-ordinator, chef, driver, and logistics co-ordinator. Check out our upcoming blog post: "THE UNOFFICIAL C-SUITE OF Archery ParentING".

Throughout these years, I've connected with countless people across North America and learned invaluable lessons. Seasoned Archery parents often direct newcomers to me with questions, and I've become a trusted resource. This podcast is my way of sharing that knowledge with a broader audience.

Archery Parent Pro Tip

Never leave home without your wagon. (We'll have a whole episode about wagons - trust me, they're essential!)

I Want to Hear From You

This podcast isn't just about my experiences - it's about building a community of Archery Parents supporting each other.

Have ideas to share? Topics you'd like discussed? Questions that need answers? Contact the podcast through direct message, email, or leave a voice message through our website.

If you find something helpful, learn something new, or hear something interesting, please pass it along to another Archery Parent. Together, we can make this journey more rewarding for our Archers and ourselves.

We're doing this One Arrow at a Time.