Archery News

State-of-the-Art Archery Facility Opens at Olympic Training Center

http://timesofsandiego.com/sports/2015/10/22/state-of-the-art-archery-facility-opens-at-olympic-training-center/

Bill Kelly has been selected as 2012 Sunshine State Games Male Athlete of the year by the Florida Sports Foundation.  He is an outstanding archer who shoots both Freestyle and Olympic Recurve (Freestyle Limited Recurve) events.  Bill has been an active competitor since he was 15 years old.


FLORIDA ARCHERY ASSOCIATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 30, 2013

Contact: Nick Gandy (850) 488-1422 or ngandy@flasports.com

 

Sunshine State Games Archer and Artistic Roller-skater selected as Athletes of the Year

 

TALLAHASSEE - The 2012 Sunshine State Games Athletes of the Year come from sports featuring precision and accuracy and style and grace.

 

The precision and accuracy was displayed by archer Bill Kelly and the style and grace was show by artistic roller-skater Jessicah O’Rourke.

 

Lakeland’s Bill Kelly posted two of the highest scores of the 2012 Archery competition at the Easton Newberry Complex.  He shot a record-setting 1389 in the Adult Male Compound Release and an 889 in the Adult Male Freestyle event.  While Kelly topped the second place finisher by 30 points in the Compound Release event, it took a tiebreaker to defeat Robert Turner, of Newberry, by four points in the Freestyle event.

 

Since 2009, Kelly has won seven gold medals in the two events.  His average score in the Compound Release is 1362 over those four years and his Freestyle average score is 886.

 

Earlier this year, Kelly finished first in the Adult Male Olympic Recurve competition at the National Field Archery Association National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky.  Prior to competing in the 2013 Sunshine State Games at the Alachua County Festival, June 7-9, Kelly will spend the previous two weekends in Gainesville for archery events.  He is shooting at the Gator Cup, one of five events to select the eight-member USA Archery team.  He is shooting in the event as practice in an effort to earn a spot on the 2014 USA Team

 

When not on the archery range, Kelly works in the accounting department at the Publix corporate offices in Lakeland.  He will be presented the award on Sunday, June 9 at the Easton Newberry Sports Complex at the Sunshine State Games Archery competition.

 

FLORIDA ARCHERY ASSOCIATION


25145 NW 8th Pl, Suite 60
Newberry, FL 32669
352-472-2388
352-472-2375 fax

August 13, 2009

The new Easton-Newberry Sports Complex, which will be the home of one of the Easton Archery Centers of Excellence, has completed construction---pending final hook-up to the local utilities and telephone service and inspections.
NADA, along with the Newberry Parks and Recreation will be moving in shortly after Labor Day. The resident coach, Bob Romero, (hired recently by Easton Sports Development Foundation) has been busy arranging for the installation of training equipment that will turn this facility into a world-class leader in the training of elite archers and coaches.
This training center will be open to serve all archers and coaches.
Schedules will soon be posted online, and all archers and coaches are encouraged to request programs and events that interest them.
GRAND OPENING
The Grand Opening is Friday, October 30, 2009. All archers and instructors and coaches of all archery organizations are invited to attend. We'll have tours of the facility and the outdoor ranges, open shooting, meet-n-greet with Bob and the NADA staff and with leaders of the archery industry. Open shooting will be in the indoor range, the outdoor practice range, and at the wooded field/3D range. A bowhunting training center is being built onsite by the Florida Wildlife Commission and may be open in time for tours by the Grand Opening.
COACHES SYMPOSIUM
In the morning, will be a 4-hour coaches' symposium for any USAA/NFAA/4-H/NASP/Scout certified instructor or coach to attend (RSVP in advance to NADA). This will be hosted by Doug Engh of NADA, and will feature discussions led by Kisik Lee, the National Coach for USA Archery, Bob Romero and others. The symposium will focus on several topics: Bob and Kisik will discuss the national coaching system of USAA. Bob will review the trainings and events to be available at the facility, and Doug will focus on NADAs role, and on the coaching opportunities for other instructors and coaches to come and host regional/national specialty camps, to teach community archery out of the facility, and to act as "visiting resident coaches" during the times Bob is traveling. Also will be information on how the ESDF Regional Training Centers network will begin to share scheduling and training programs across the country. This will be a first-hand look for coaches wanting to be an early part of the Archery Center of Excellence team.
RIBBON CUTTING
The Opening Ceremony will be at noon. Jim Easton and other Easton leaders will be attendance for the ribbon cutting, along with City and local representatives. Everyone is invited to come and share in the fun. Open shooting will last until mid-afternoon.
GETTING TO EASTON-NEWBERRY SPORTS COMPLEX Newberry is about 14 miles west of Gainesville, Florida, which is served by a regional airport with connections through Atlanta and Charlotte.
Interstate I-75 runs north/south a few miles east of Newberry, and is the main location strip for the closest hotels and restaurants. NADA will be working with the Gainesville Sports Commission to create a list of hotels that are offering decent rates and services. Contact NADA if you need help finding one.
The Easton-Newberry Sports Complex is located 1 mile north of downtown Newberry. "Google Maps" shows its location and GPS.
If you have any questions about the facility or the Grand Opening, please contact NADA. We look forward to seeing you there!
Regards,
Doug Engh, NADA
National Alliance for the Development of Archery (NADA)
25145 NW 8th Place, Suite 60
Newberry, FL 32669
(352) 472-2388 phone
(352) 472-2375 fax
www.teacharchery.org
www.WorldArcheryCenter.com

11/30/07

National Field Archery Association & Easton Sports Development Foundation Announce a Regional Center of Archery Excellence in Yankton South Dakota

            Yankton, South Dakota, November 2007.  The National Field Archery Association (NFAA) and Easton Sports Development Foundation (ESDF) have teamed up with the City & County of Yankton to create a Regional Archery Center of Excellence in Yankton, South Dakota.  The Center will be built on 40 acres of land donated to the NFAA by the City & County of Yankton, and include a 13,000 square foot building to house the NFAA national office, a museum, and an indoor archery range.  The Center and surrounding City property will include five permanent outdoor field o! r 3-D archery ranges, youth shooting and bowhunting practice areas, plus an Olympic archery training and competition field.  

Bruce Cull, President of the National Field Archery Association, said, “The incredible land donation and financial incentives we received from the City and County of Yankton, plus additional support from the Governor’s Office made it a very easy decision for the NFAA to move our National Headquarters to South Dakota.  Their support plus major funding from the Easton Sports Development Foundation allows us to expand from our preliminary relocation plan, and become an ESDF Regional Archery Center.  We are very excited with the opportunity to create a World Class Archery facility to support youth programs, Field, 3-D, Target, Bowhunting, and Olympic style archery training and events."

Erik Watts, CEO of Easton-Hoyt stated, “The Easton Sports Development Foundation, has been funded for the past 25 years by Easton, and has donated over three million dollars to support youth archery programs.  We were very impressed by the joint effort and outstanding cooperation between the NFAA and the City of Yankton, and pleased that our contribution to the NFAA Foundation allowed them to include an Olympic style archery focus and become a Regional Archery Center of Excellence.  The primary purpose of the ESDF is to develop a competitive Olympic archery program that helps young archers improve their skills as they progress through NASP, JOAD, middle school, high school, and college archery programs, and on to National Olympic team training.”

Curt Bernard, Yankton City Mayor said, “This is a great opportunity to bring Archery, related businesses, athletes, visitors and positive National attention to our community.  It will be a real asset to the University of South Dakota, Mount Marty College and many local and regional schools.  Clearly the investment by the Easton Foundation is a huge step forward in creating World Class Olympic Archers through a state of the art training facility.  Many thanks to the Easton Foundation Board for their vision and assistance with this Project.  NFAA President Bruce Cull and the NFAA Board have been a key driving force in this Project.  Through their knowledge, pro-active thinking and industry relations, this Project has become a reality.  It is a great example of a strong public-private partnership.  Support from the City, County, Yankton Area Progressive Growth, Economic Development, Chamber of Commerce and the Governors Office of Economic Development has been outstanding and thanks to all of them.  The citizens of Yankton welcome & thank the NFAA, the Easton Foundation and all who are helping with this exemplary Project.”

“This is great news for Yankton and for all of South Dakota,” said Governor Mike Rounds.  “Hosting world-class event in Yankton will have a significant impact not only on the economy, but on our ability to promote our state.  The establishment of the Archery Center of Excellence will give us national exposure both for outdoor recreational opportunities, as well as help us attract businesses that support the industry.”

The Archery Center will focus on supporting community, interscholastic and college archery programs, South Dakota Game, Fish, & Parks, Nebraska Game & Parks bowhunter & hunter education, Scout camp support, and to provide a central location for regional collegiate and target archery competition.  Yankton hosted the NFAA National Field and 3-D Championships in the past, and the Center will serve as an ideal facility for future local, state, regional, national and international competitions.  Strong community support, outstanding facilities, and convenient competitor access from all over the country, makes Yankton the ideal location to host other organizations’ archery competitions in the future.

For further information contact: Bruce Cull, President of National Field Archery Association Foundation at 605-665-8340 or write to 2305 E. Hwy 50, Yankton, South Dakota 57078; or Erik Watts, Director of Easton Sports Development Foundation at 801-539-1400, or write to 5040 Harold Gatty Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84116.


NAA Scholarship Information
The Board of Directors have voted to award 3 scholarships for $500 each to youth athletes who will be attending and competing at JOAD Nationals in Chula Vista, CA.

Complete information is available on Clarke's website at www.clarkesinclair.org

Go to the 'Scholarships' page.

The complete applications can be emailed or snail mailed --- but all info must be provided in order to be considered. 

All applications must be RECEIVED by 10 May 2007.

I do not have addresses for many JOAD clubs throughout the country.  Please feel free to pass along this information to others. 

Thank you to all the coaches and JOAD coordinators who teach our youth!

In Honor of Clarke,
Lorretta Sinclair, President CSMAS
www.clarkesinclair.org


Article published Mar 13, 2007
Mar 12, 2007
Local bowmaker Bear Archery has hit the business bull's-eye

By ANTHONY CLARK
Sun business editor

The Bear Archery plant just west of Interstate 75 is roaring again.
In 2003, the bow manufacturer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and sold off its beloved museum.
After a few years of reorganizing under the ownership of Escalade Sports, a billiards and table tennis manufacturer based in Evansville, Ind., Bear Archery had a comeback year in 2006.
The bow manufacturer ended 2005 with 36 manufacturing jobs and $12 million in sales. By the end of 2006, the plant was up to 100 manufacturing jobs and $26 million in sales. The company purchased $500,000 in manufacturing equipment, added a line of archery accessories and reopened its pro shop.
The plant added another line of accessories in February and now has 30 more openings.
Neil Byce III, operations manager, said the company struggled through several ownership changes - Escalade being the fifth owner in 10 years - as its customers took a wait-and-see approach.
One of the owners, North American Archery Group, considered moving the operation to its Odessa, Fla., headquarters in 1999, but the Gainesville City Commission approved a 10 percent break in energy costs through Gainesville Regional Utilities for four years in exchange for staying at least 10 years and annexing into the city if the opportunity arose. The facility on Fred Bear Road/SW 41st Boulevard is still in unincorporated Alachua County.
Byce said Bear Archery also took "a big whack" when Kmart, one of its biggest customers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Escalade bought a bankrupt Bear Archery in 2003. Byce credits Escalade for the turnaround.
"Escalade is very disciplined in how we manage our company, how we deal with each little piece, so it's very organized," he said.
Escalade decided to keep the Bear Archery brand and updated the logo to a more modern look.
Larry Whiteley, spokesman for Bass Pro Shops, said the name is important.
"With Bear Archery, there's a brand awareness of a name that's been around for years and years and years. People know it for quality and at a good price," he said.
He said the company has been innovative with its product lines, and he doubted customers noticed the company's struggles.
They key to the turnaround, Byce said, has been efficiency and cost savings in the manufacturing process, allowing Bear to sell bows for $100 less than similar competitors' models.
Composite models - with an aluminum body and up to 60 parts - run from $299 to $499.
"If a customer goes into the store and let's say he's going to spend $500, and he tests this bow and that bow, and the dealer says shoot this bow here and it's $399 and it shoots as good and feels better than $499, why not save that $100, because he's going to buy an arrow rest and all the accessories," Byce said. "They're still going to spend the money, but they're able to get more of a package that they'd like."
Bear's latest high-end model, The Truth, was designed in partnership with Primos Hunting Calls. The partnership gives Bear publicity on Will Primos' hunting television show.
Byce said the company forecast sales of 1,500 of The Truth models from October to December, and ended up selling 2,500.
Escalade invested $500,000 on new equipment last year, most for three new computer numeric controlled milling center machines that cut aluminum blocks into risers - the main body of the bows - in addition to an electrostatic paint system.
Byce said with more equipment, Bear Archery could employ 190 manufacturing employees, but it outsources some of the production.
The plant is still hand-crafting traditional wood bows using the same methods and equipment as founder Fred Bear, Byce said. The traditional line grew 15 percent last year, compared to 50 percent for core products, he said.
Bear Archery has 1,400-1,500 retailers and dealers selling its products. Goals for this year are to sell 70,000 adult bows, 100,000 youth bows and 6,000 traditional bows.
Escalade is also growing the archery line through acquisitions of accessory companies now housed in the Gainesville plant.
In May 2006, Escalade bought Carolina Archery Products, known for the Whisker Biscuit Arrow Rest, bringing 20 jobs to Gainesville.
Escalade bought Trophy Ridge with its Rocket arrowheads out of Belgrade, Mont., in February. Byce said they are still setting up operations and haven't started hiring yet for that line of products.
Both accessory companies brought patented products - the Whisker Biscuit, and Trophy Ridge's sights with a vertical instead of side design and the bow rest with a straight-dropaway design.
"We have something nobody else can copy or duplicate out there in the market," Byce said of the patents.
Escalade expects the Trophy Ridge acquisition to add $4 million in revenues this year.
Bear Archery was founded by the legendary Fred Bear in 1939 in Grayland, Mich., and moved to Gainesville with Bear's museum in 1978.
Bass Pro Shops bought the museum in 2003 and moved it to Springfield, Mo.
Byce said bowhunting - the impetus behind archery sales - is growing at a slow but steady pace.
"You may have people that hunted with gun, now they do both gun and bow," he said. "And some people picked up the bow, they won't pick up a gun anymore. It doesn't have the closeness to it. Archers are probably more passionate about the wildlife and just being out there, just taking the time."
Anthony Clark can be reached at 352-374-5094 or anthony.clark@gvillesun.com.

10/9/06 - James Madison Unversity to eliminate Archery along with other sports to meet Title IX.

James Madison’s student body of 17,000 is 61 percent female, and one provision for complying with Title IX instructs institutions to have the percentage of participating athletes match the ratio of men to women on campus. At James Madison, the elimination of seven men’s sports (swimming, cross country, indoor and outdoor track, gymnastics, wrestling and archery) and three women’s sports (gymnastics, fencing and archery) will boost the proportion of female athletes to 61 percent from about 50 percent.

When the cuts take effect in July, James Madison will be left with 12 women’s sports and 6 men’s sports, the minimum required to participate in N.C.A.A. Division I competition. Three full-time coaches and eight part-time coaches will lose their jobs, and 144 athletes will be without a varsity team.

Officials conceded that the three women’s sports eliminated might not be termed exclusively Title IX cuts. Rose said that fencing had struggled with a dwindling roster, that archery was a niche sport that might be better suited as a club team, and that gymnastics was not a conference sport and had few nearby rivals for competition.


The 2007 National Senior Games (Archery portion) in Louisville, KY will be contested on the following dates:

24 June 07    Practice day
25-26 June    Recurve and Barebow Recurve competition
27 June 07    Practice day
28-29 June    Compound Fingers and Barebow Compound competition
30 June 07    Practice day
1-2 July        Compound Release competition

Archers must pre-qualify at a State Senior Games Championship to be eligible to compete.  The last qualifier in the United States will be the Florida Senior Games State Championship in Ft Myers, Florida on the first Saturday in December.  Out of state archers are welcome.

Tim Austin
Florida Senior Games Archery Chair


June 21, 2006
Just a "heads-up" on an event we will be conducting the week of the Florida/Georgia game.  Our agency is working with Florida's Department of Education to offer the National Archery in the Schools program to grades 4-12 all over the state.  We have provided grants packages worth thousands of dollars and educator training to public schools in an effort to bring target-style archery to their physical education programs.  You can read more about the program at
http://www.nasparchery.com/activea.asp.  We have over 60 schools, mostly middle schools, offering the program to every student for two weeks in their PE cirriculum.  On Thursday, October 26, Mayport Middle School will send a team of archers to Metro Park to compete against a middle school team from south Georgia.    We will be searching for booster clubs to help with trophies and a bar-b-que for the participants, and will be seeking publicity for the program in both states.  Georgia booster clubs are being contacted as well.  If you can find a way to publicize our tournament to supporters attending events in the area that day, we will be starting at 10:00 am, breaking for lunch around noon and then have the final competition shortly thereafter.  It's all in good fun, and will demonstrate that archery is a safe, enjoyable sport and that almost all children can participate, even if they are not athletically inclined.  If I can provide further information, or if you have any ideas on how to fund trophies and food for our event, I would look forward to hearing from you, thanks.  Yours in safety,


Steven R. Robbins, Regional Hunter Safety Coordinator
FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
North Central Region
3377 East U. S. Highway 90, Lake City, FL  32055
(386) 758-0525    Steven.Robbins@MyFWC.com
Visit us on the web at MyFWC.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Contact:  Nick Gandy (305) 227-8958 or ngandy@flasports.com

Governor Bush announces Polk County to Host 2007-08 Sunshine State Games
~Thousands of athletes and their families travel to participate in the annual sports competition~

TALLAHASSEE - Governor Jeb Bush today announced Florida’s Olympic-style Sports Festival, the Sunshine State Games, will return to Polk County, “Destination of Champions,” for the 2007 and 2008 Summer Games.  The Florida Sports Foundation and Polk County Sports Marketing will present the annual event for Florida’s finest amateur athletes.  Thousands of athletes and their families travel to participate in the annual sports competition, making the Sunshine State Games an economic boon for the communities that host them.

"The Sunshine State Games provide an ideal opportunity for Florida's amateur athletes to participate in a wide array of sports while promoting sportsmanship, fitness, and the spirit of competition," said Governor Bush.  "The Games also afford our talented amateur athletes of all ages an arena to refine their athletic talents prior to national and international competitions while making new friends in the process."

The Sunshine State Games are part of the National Congress of State Games that boasts competition in 32 state games throughout the nation.  Polk County hosted the Sunshine State Games competition from 2000-2003.  Polk County Sports Marketing also worked with the FSF to present the 2001 and 2002 Florida Senior Games State Championships in Lakeland and surrounding communities.

Polk County’s Lakeland Center, anchored by the 10,000 seat Jenkins Arena and 100,000 square feet of sports venue space, will serve as the major hub of the 2007 and 2008 Sunshine State Games.  Other facilities planned for use in the area include Joker Marchant Stadium and Tigertown, the Auburndale Softball Complex, Florida Southern College, Webber College and Polk Community College.  The Lakeland Center will be home to the Games’ headquarters, athlete check-in and will have an interactive games area for athletes, their families and spectators.

"Polk County is proud to bring this tremendous event back to our community and not only showcase our first class venues, but host Florida’s finest athletes in our area,” said Mark Jackson, Polk County Director of Tourism and Sports Marketing.  “The Sunshine State Games is a premiere event in the state of Florida and we are honored to be selected as the host for the next two years.  We are committed to providing the coaches, athletes and their families a first-class experience.”

Some of the more recognizable athletes from Florida who have made their way to Olympic competition through the Sunshine State Games include boxing champions Roy Jones, Jr. and Antonio Tarver, Olympic swimmers Ryan Lochte, Nicole Haislett, Nancy Hogshead, and Brooke Bennett and track & field record holder Justin Gatlin. 

Previous Sunshine State Games sites include:
 
1980-82 Gainesville
1983-84 Orlando
1985-86 Tampa
1987            St. Petersburg/Clearwater
1988            Jacksonville
1989            Gainesville
1990            Miami
1991            Bradenton
1992            West Palm Beach
1993-94 Tallahassee
1995-96 Gainesville
1997-98 Kissimmee/St. Cloud
1999            Tampa
2000            Lakeland (spring); Gainesville (summer)
2001            Lakeland (spring); Orlando (summer)
2002            Lakeland (spring); Palm Beach County (summer)
2003            Lakeland (spring); Tampa Bay area (summer)
2004            Tallahassee
2005            Broward County
2006            Miami-Dade County
2007-08 Polk County 
  
This year’s Summer Games will be held June 15-18 in Miami Dade County with approximately 6,000 athletes competing in 25 sports.  Other single sport festivals are held throughout the summer such as the Sunshine State Games Figure Skating Championships, Inline Hockey Championships, Sport Shooting Championships and Slow Pitch Softball Championships.

Overseen by the Governor's Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development, the Florida Sports Foundation was founded in 1992 as the state's lead organization in promoting and developing both amateur and professional sports.  For more information about the Florida Sports

 Foundation and the Sunshine State Games, please visit www.flasports.com or call (850) 488-8347.


June 15, 2005
 "In Search of Robyn Hode"  is available at Barnes and Noble. I hope to be back from the west coast by the 19th and available for book signing. "In Search of Robyn Hode" (Robin Hood.) by Brian Heaton-Jones, Publisher Xlibris.

To order at Barnes and Noble, Archers must quote the ISBN code.

For Hardcover ISBN 1-4134-6951-5 for Softcover ISBN 1-4134-6950-7


6/3/2005
National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP)


http://myfwc.com/huntered/nasp/
Here is some information about the hunter safety program's participation in the National Archery in the Schools Program.

Steven R. Robbins, Regional Hunter Safety Coordinator
FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Division of Hunting and Game Management
Hunter Safety & Ranges Section, North Central Region
3377 East U. S. Highway 90  Lake City, FL  32055
386 758-0525   Steven.Robbins@MyFWC.com
Visit us on the web at MyFWC.com



March 15, 2005
 "In Search of Robyn Hode"
New Book Taps Into the English Legend to Revisit the Merits of Freedom
 
"We too often take our hard-fought freedom for granted.  In doing so, it is only a matter of time before
complacency creeps in and, in our complacency, even the basic of freedoms are lost," says published author Brian Heaton-Jones.  In his new book, In Search Of Robyn Hode, he brings to light the merits of freedom in a story inspired by the legendary Robin Hood. 
In, In Search Of Robyn Hode, Heaton-Jones revisits the past-King Richard's crusades and King John's signing of the Magna Carta which led to the English Bill of rights of 1689 from which the American Bill of rights was derived and ratified in 1791.  Here, he writes how people forget their freedoms until the
evil shadow of suppression gloats in blocking out the light of right.  Soon the people are told they cannot speak freely, they can no longer make demands of their government, the freedom of the press is restricted, and their very basic rights are all but lost.  Fear is the next thing to grip the people followed by being petrified and controlled by the few radicals, who then, are able to do as they please with them.
 
"Let the people of free countries look to the Atlantic Charter signed on August 14, 1944 by President D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill," says Heaton-Jones who, in World War II recalls firsthand how freedoms were lost, a reality that keeps repeating even up to this day.  In Search Of Robyn Hode-an eye opener to the fundamental significance of freedom is arguably the most powerful evocation of every man's unalienable rights.
About the Author;
Brian Heaton-Jones was born in England but has lived more than half of his life in the United States. He has two sons, two daughters, and nine grandchildren. Heaton- Jones has written other books but In Search Of Robyn Hode is a departure from the rest.  He wrote this book out of concern for the future
of his grandchildren and of the country of his birth.  He forewarns and reminds all how hard these freedoms were come by. 
Author Brian Heaton-Jones served his native country in the Elite Royal Marine Commandos followed by serving with the Cunard Steamship Company as an Officer on board the original R.M.S. Queen Mary.  He settled down to live in the United States and is today retired and enjoys writing in Florida.
Heaton-Jones was the founder of the Royal British Legion, 1st. Florida Branch and founding President of the Royal Society of Saint George, South Florida Branch.  He still has a deep love for the freedom of the open sea and traveling.
       * In Search Of Robyn Hode * By Brian Heaton-Jones
                Publication Date: February 24, 2005
Trade Paperback; $21.99; 274 pages; ISBN 1-4134-6950-7  *
  Cloth Hardback; $31.99; 274 pages; ISBN 1-4134-6951-5  *
 
To request a complimentary paperback review copy, contact the publisher at
(888) 795-4274 Ext., 836.
Tearsheets may be sent by regular or electronic mail to Mary Misagal.
To purchase copies of the book for resale, please;
Fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0293 or
Call (888) 795-4274 Ext., 876.
 
Xlibris is a strategic partner of Random House Ventures, LLC, and a subsidiary of Random House, Inc. Xlibris books can be purchased in any major bookstore, or on-line at www.amazon.com or www.barnsandnoble.com or www.xlibris.com.
For more information, contact Xlibris at (888) 795-4274 or on the web at www.Xlibris.com.

March 30, 2004, 5:43AM

Famed archer's killers remain free a year later
Family ups reward in hunt for robbers
By CINDY HORSWELL
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
One sunny morning a year ago, a Cleveland timber company owner went to his office as usual with a briefcase filled with cash.

Charlie Langston, 57, had never feared working alone with the thousands of dollars he needed to reimburse loggers. He kept a loaded gun by his side and was a world champion archer.

Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of Langston's death. He was killed in a struggle with three robbers a week after he was inducted into the Texas Field Archery Hall of Fame, said his son, Todd Langston, of Cleveland.

The case remains unsolved.

"I can't believe whoever committed this violent crime is still walking around after a year. I doubt whoever (the robbers) victimize next will be able to defend themselves any better," he said.
The victim's sister, Dwana Langston, a 25-year veteran with the Houston Police Department, said she is taking the anniversary of Langston's death hard. She also underwent heart surgery last week.

"He would have given someone the shirt off his back," she said. "But his spirit came out to fight to the death when these men cornered him."

To solve the case, the family has added $20,000 to the $3,000 Crime Stoppers reward offered to anyone who has information that leads to an arrest.

"All we need is one person to come forward who might know something," said Texas Ranger Frank Huff.

The ranger blamed Langston's death on being "outnumbered and outgunned." Langston was armed with a small .38-caliber pistol, while his attackers had a shotgun.

Yet before Langston died, he emptied his gun and fatally wounded one of the robbers. Langston himself was wounded seven times before he collapsed on top of the dead robber, who was later identified as Darrion Ray Randles of Coldspring.

"So many bullets were flying and blood was everywhere," said Todd Langston, 39. "There was such a fight that a door was torn off its hinges. I can't understand why nobody heard anything."

The small frame house converted into Langston Timber Co. on FM 2025 was within a few hundred feet of other businesses, and the robbery occurred about 10:30 a.m. on a weekday.

But the one bystander who heard the shots thought it was only a car backfiring, officials said.

Langston's Ford pickup, dark blue with a tan stripe, was stolen by the robbers and later abandoned on a logging road off FM 2025 near the San Jacinto County line. Langston's briefcase, $3,500 in cash and a collectible 1911 gun from Springfield Armory have never been recovered.

The crime scene was checked for fingerprints but nothing was found, said Huff. Randles was wearing gloves.

Huff recently obtained a DNA sample from "a person of interest" who is being checked against blood and other specimens found inside Langston's car and business.

Another possible clue to the crime was an early morning telephone call that Langston's wife overheard, asking Langston to come to work early, the family said. The caller, authorities said, has so far refused to talk to investigators.

This was not the first attempt to steal money from Langston's business, the family said. Three months before his death, a woman collected $69,000 on bogus tickets for timber sales. The woman, Peggy Louise Sparks, has since been sentenced to prison for the theft, Huff said.

While the family is suspicious that the theft could be connected to Langston's killing, Huff said he has not found any evidence of it.

Whoever killed Langston also killed a legend, his son said.

"When you ask most archers in the National Field Archery Association that competed at the national level during the 1980s, you would be hard pressed to find any that had never heard of Charlie Langston," the Texas Field Archery Association stated on its Web site.

Between 1978 to 1989, Langston won an "astounding eight national championships" in field archery for freestyle and bowhunter freestyle, the association said. He also won the only world championship in which he ever competed in New York, the association said.

"Some of his records still stand," Todd Langston said. "He was the first to shoot over 500 points, which is equivalent to running the 4-minute mile."

Langston set six Texas Field Archery Association records, five of which are still standing, association records show.

"He loved hunting and the outdoors," Dwana Langston said. "Our family had been in the logging industry for generations."

The family asks anyone with information to call Cleveland Police at 281-592-0800.


4/15/03
This is a reminder of changes that have been made last year and this year -- For verification, view Appendix 5, Page 103 of the NFAA rule book.
    The 18 yard cub stake is on the target that is Adult 40 yards for Field, Hunter, and International rounds.
    Cubs shoot 30 yards on the target that is Adult 80W yard Field and 70W yard hunter.
    Cubs shoot 30 yards on the target that is Adult 65 yards Field & International and 64W Hunter.
    Cubs shoot 25 yards only on the target that is Adult 60 yard Field & International and 58W Hunter.
    Cubs shoot 15 yards only on the target that is Adult 35F Field (50cm face), 35 International (50cm face), and 32F (35cm face) Hunter.
 
YOUTH CHANGES FOR INTERNATIONAL ROUND EFFECTIVE 1 JUNE!   The Youth Stake for International Round is 40 yards at Adult 55 yards, 45 yards at Adult 60 yards, and 50 yards at Adult 65 yards.  This is the same as the Youth staking for the Field Round.

Please insure that your Field Ranges are properly staked for youth shooters.

Tim



Burt Reynolds/Deliverance bow presentation.  3/7/03



South Korean archers who refused gruelling training get ban - Aug 23, 2001

South Korean archers have been banned from competing in the world championships after pulling out of a gruelling training regime.

The archers were asked to stare at corpses in a cemetery, clean up city sewage and climb a mountain with a rubber dinghy on their backs.

The programme was designed to toughen them up for the World Outdoor Archery Championships that begin on September 15 in Beijing.

But the nation's top four male archers, all Olympic medalists, said the training was too intense and they pulled out after one day.

The Korea Archery Association has now banned them from the tournament in China, and from running for the national team for up to five years.

South Korea has won 11 gold, six silver and four bronze Olympic medals in archery since first competing in Los Angeles in 1984.

Since 1988, South Korean archers have trained by handling snakes, meditating at a Buddhist temple and walking through a haunted house full of actors in ghoulish outfits. They have also endured physical tests at a Marine Corps base and other military camps.

"This training has contributed to South Korean archers' performance by helping them control themselves and work under pressure," said Kim Il-chi, vice chairman of the private archery association.

One of the archers, Kim Bo-Ram, said: "This year, we were all a bit overwhelmed by the intensity of the training and we really couldn't afford even a small injury just a month before the championships. It's a bit late to regret it, but we really did not expect to be replaced."

The other three archers, Jang Yong-ho, Kim Chung-tae and Chang Jae-hun, have declined to comment.

Story filed: 12:00 Thursday 23rd August 2001

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