Youth Archery

Beginner archers are those who have little-to-no experience with archery. Equipment and instruction will be provided to youth to ensure they safely shoot a light poundage recurve bow using basic National Training System (NTS) form. The instruction is designed to be adequate for those looking only for recreational shooting, while also establishing a baseline for those interested in pursuing a deeper understanding of archery.
Each class consists of warmups, scoring rounds, and archery games that provide a fun way of practicing basic skills. Additionally, on the last day of each session, we will hold a mock tournament. The bows provided are practice bows with light poundage to learn the NTS shooting technique and are not suitable for competition (long distances). 

The archery range is located on Golden Bear Recreation Center’s softball field, which can become wet and muddy from the morning fog or inclement weather. Always wear close-toed shoes. Weather in Berkeley can be inconsistent, so be sure to dress appropriately for the day‘s forecast. Dress in layers and make sure not to wear clothing that can catch on the bow string. Jackets with long zipper pull tabs, bulky pockets, or anything that sticks out are not advised. Please avoid wearing dangling necklaces, long earrings, or facial and jewelry if they can interfere with shooting. Bring a hat and sunscreen on sunny days, as well as a reusable water bottle. We encourage archers to bring snacks that are easy to eat in between shooting, but they are not required.
Parents and/or guardians are welcome to stay and observe. We recommend parents/guardians bring their own folding chairs if they elect to stay. Restrooms are available on site, and a water fountain is next to the softball field where the classes are held.

Equipment is provided for all archers. Please do not bring your own equipment. Note: Youth Archery is a recurve-only program. Compound bows are not permitted on the archery range.

Difference Between Recurve and Compound Bows
A recurve bow looks much like a traditional bow except at the very ends the tips curve forward. A compound bow has a series of off-round pulleys or cams at the ends of the bow limbs that store energy in the string itself as well as the limbs. The cam or cams (in a double cam) create far more power than the same-length limbs in a recurve. The arrows from a compound bow, therefore, penetrate deeper into the target bale than from a recurve bow.

On most days, there is free and unlimited street parking available on Dwight Way, as well as metered parking along Sports Lane, and the lot at the end of Sports Lane, across from the sand volleyball courts. During the Cal football season, home games restrict parking access, causing street parking to be tow-away and metered parking to be closed to the public. For these session dates, a special parking pass will be provided to participants that will allow parking in the metered parking stalls as normal. However, Dwight Way will still be tow-away.