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Admirals Archery Hits the Mark for Lower, Middle and Upper School Students
Sports programs at Severn involve much more than athleticism. Through individual and team sports, our students learn sportsmanship and perseverance, self-confidence and integrity. Our archery program offers a place for any student to thrive, regardless of age, physical strength, skill level or experience. Founded and led by Teel Campus Athletic Trainer and Middle School Physical Education Teacher Mr. Dan Mahoney, the program grows each year as this unconventional sport proves to be right on target for our students.
A History of Archery at Severn
In 2008 our previous Head of Middle School approached Mr. Mahoney with the idea of starting an archery enrichment class for our Middle School. Undeterred by his initial lack of personal experience with the sport, Mr. Mahoney enthusiastically rose to the challenge. He sought training and certification from the National Archery in Schools Program (NASP) and used their framework to develop our Admiral Archery program. After gaining popularity among Middle School students, the program expanded to include an Archery Club for Upper School students and a six-week archery program for 5th graders on Chesapeake Campus.
Admirals Archery Builds Character and Self-Confidence
Archery is a unique sport in that there is a low barrier to entry for students with little to no experience or even physical limitations. NASP’s program complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) being a truly inclusive sport for all ages and ability levels. Following NASP’s Eleven Steps to Archery Success, a student who has never held a bow can progress from novice to intermediate and even expert in a short amount of time.Archery demands a high level of focus and discipline. Our students learn that each step is critical for a successful result once the arrow is in the air. They must be patient, follow through with every shot, and review their technique before reaching for the next arrow. This takes a keen level of self-awareness and the ability to handle defeat when inevitably an errant arrow flies off target. Archers have to quickly reflect, refocus and try again.
“Archery provides an opportunity for every student, regardless of skill level, age, or athleticism, to participate. Through the sport, our students build internal motivation, focus, and a sense of self-esteem. And it’s a great sport to develop physical core strength and endurance too. Most of all, it helps build character and perseverance. I love watching students grow to be proud of themselves, knowing they can succeed if they put the work in.” — Mr. Mahoney
Admirals Archery Competes
Although archery is an individualized sport, there are opportunities for competition with other students locally and nationally. Our 2018 archery tournament line-up includes:- Wildcat Open, October 2017 in Clarksburg, MD
- Reagan Buck Buster 3D Tournament, November 2017 in Haymarket, VA
- Reindeer Games, December 2017 at Severn School
- Cupid Classic, February 2018 in Haymarket, VA
- Holly Grove Shootout, February 2018 in Princess Anne, MD
- MD State NASP® Bullseye & IBO/3D, March 2018 in Westminster, MD
- Admiral's Cup, April at Severn School
- Ocean City Open, May 2018 in Ocean City, MD
- 2018 NASP® Nationals, May 2018 in Louisville, KY
- 2018 NASP/IBO World Outdoor 3D, August 2018 in WV
The Admiral's Cup is a tournament hosted by Severn for our regional archery community. Mr. Mahoney organizes the event each year enlisting volunteer support from our students and parents to make sure it goes off without a hitch. Held this past Saturday, April 21st, the 4th-annual competition drew over 300 archers from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC with some teams traveling from as far as New York.
