US Jr. World Team Trials - June 8-10, 2002 -
Pictures by Tom Barker and Ron Carmichael
Second page of images
Czech This Out
by Tom Barker
Thirteen Texan Youth archers convened in Chula Vista, CA at the Olympic Training
Center for the Junior World Trials. Weather each day was wonderful with an early
morning chill and overcast that gave way to sun and a stiff breeze by early
afternoon. It was virtual who's who of youth archery with the Jr. USAT team
members and the nation's best in youth archery coaches in attendance.
Attending from Texas were Cassie and Tamara Raffaelli, Samantha Hessong, Holly
Heinsohn, Sage Adams, Lindsey Carmichael, Travis Lafayette, Kevin Barker,
Garrett Krueger, Sam Mody, Vikram Rangraj, Tim Myers, Jake Meisenheimer.
The first day of competition had over 100 archers shooting a full FITA (36
arrows at each of four distances). The single line of 3 archers per target made
the day go quickly and several of the Texas archers shot their personal best
scores. Only the top 8 scorers in the FITA (in each division of
Compound/Recurve, Junior/Cadet, Male/Female) were allowed to continue their
pursuit of a place on the team. After the first day, 8 of the original Texan 13
were still in the hunt for the 32 coveted team positions.
The second day of competition involved both a round robin (each got to shoot
against every other in their division) and a typical FOR (the exciting
head-to-head Olympic Round). The archers saw a very chilly and overcast morning
with the juniors shooting their elimination round using half of the field, while
the cadets shot their round robin matches on the other half. After lunch in the
Olympic Training Center's cafeteria they swapped field locations to finish their
shooting.
For the most part the kids seemed to be having a very good time of it all, while
the parents alternated giving each other paper bags to breathe into and ER-style
thumps on the chest. Tom Meyers commented that he had never been so nervous even
when he was shooting on Pan Am teams. The parents became more and more gray with
each successive arrow, conversely many of the kids seemed to grow and bloom
under the competition. A distinct camaraderie was obvious and evident among many
of the competitors despite the high stakes of the shooting.
Ultimately, four very excited, proud, and deserving Texans made the elite U.S.
Junior World Team for 2002. Jake Meisenhiemer and Kevin Barker made the Cadet
Male Recurve team, Sage Adams made the Cadet Female Recurve Team, and Tim Meyers
made the Junior Male Recurve Team. Congratulations are in order to ALL the kids
who competed honorably and did their very best.
They will now be preparing for the Czech trip by shooting in the summer Texas
tournaments, JOAD nationals in Cincinnati and in between, raising funds to help
defray the cost of the trip.
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