Sartell Archery Takes Aim At Nationals

(KNSI) – Sartell’s elementary archery team is looking to notch a win at nationals, ensuring their trophy case is as full as their quiver.

Eighteen athletes from fourth through sixth grades will travel to Utah at the end of the month. They qualified thanks to a first place finish in 3D archery and a silver in bullseye at states.

Coach Bob Brezinka talks about the differences between the two categories. “On the bullseye target, you might be able to aim at a certain ring or a certain color and know where you’re going to hit. Whereas, if you’re aiming at a certain animal, you might be aiming in empty space. So, trying to figure out exactly how to do that and then where to adjust becomes a little bit more difficult.”

The program has been met with incredible enthusiasm from students, hitting capacity in just its second year. “We have 90 currently. We, actually, unfortunately, had to turn a few away. We just weren’t able to accommodate all of the demand this season,” Brezinka explained.

Sartell is only the most recent example of enthusiasm for the sport. Brezinka says Foley has a well-established program, and Becker’s team is the largest in the country, with over 270 students.

Brezinka revealed he only became an avid archer in the past three to four years and feels there may be several reasons it has proven so popular. “Some of the archers on the team are interested in being outdoors and shooting sports in general, but then there’s also some kids that maybe have traditionally done more of the gaming and stuff like that. I think it’s accessible to such a variety of kids that may not excel in certain other sports.”

Brezinka consulted with other area schools with established archery teams when launching the Sartell program, which he said helped Sartell hit the ground running.

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