Archery classes draw interest from all ages
Draw back the bow, keep an eye on the target and discover the fun and challenges of archery.
The sport featuring a bow and arrows has seen an uptick in interest as youth and adults. The St. Charles Park District offers beginning and intermediate archery classes taught by Jim Chelsvig, a certified USA Archery Level 2 instructor.
“Archery is something that can be enjoyed for life,” Chelsvig said.
Chelsvig had his first bow and arrow around age 9 and remembers playing with it as a child for a brief time. About 15 years ago he visited a local sports store and decided to pick up the sport once again.
After re-learning the sport using a compound bow and arrows he decided to pursue certification to enable him to instruct others. He’s currently pursuing Level 3 coaching and training certification.
Teaching comes naturally to Chelsvig who recently retired from a career as a wildlife and nature educator for the Cook County Forest Preserves.
Today he welcomes students ages 9 and older in his archery classes and said he’s had several pairs of parents and children take the class together to learn how to shoot a bow.
“I’ve had people in their 70s in my classes,” Chelsvig said. “Anybody who can lift 20 pounds with their dominate hand can shoot a bow.”
The class provides a hands-on approach to the sport, breaking down the physics to the sport and gradually increasing target distances as participants build their skills and consistency.
“It’s really cool to see someone improve,” Chelsvig said.
Chelsvig hosts his classes for the St. Charles Park District at Cranston Meadows Park in St. Charles. He brings all the equipment, from bows and weights to targets. Participants learn the proper stance, shooting form and through the course of the class. And class sizes are limited with an average student to teacher ratio of 8 to 1.
“It’s all about consistency. You want to execute the steps the same way every time,” Chelsvig said.
Whether at the park or at an inside space, he enjoys helping all ages discover the fun and challenges of archery. He’s had a few students continue their studies and compete in archery tournaments.
For the St. Charles Park District, he will be teaching archery 1 for beginners as well as archery 2 evenings on Thursdays in July and August. Advance registration for the course is required.
“It’s a very accessible activity,” Chelsvig said.