The Green Creek Archery Club hosted the North Carolina State Indoor Target Archery Championship once again on Sunday, March 6. The event was sanctioned by USA Archery and held at the Green Creek Community Center. The tournament drew participants from all over North Carolina, as well as Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and one archer from Massachusetts.

There were classes for all ages, as well as a para class for those with disabilities. It was the largest tournament the club has hosted yet, with over 90 archers registered and many more turned away due to a lack of space. For those that were able to attend, though, the tournament ran smoothly and provided a good experience for many archers who were competing for the first time as well as providing a training opportunity for two individuals who are working on earning their judging credential.

Volunteers from the Green Creek Community Center grilled hamburgers and hot dogs to sell to the crowd as a fundraiser for the center. This was well received since many tournaments don’t offer food on the field causing participants to have to bring their own lunch or find someone to run to town to get it for them.

The volunteers did an excellent job of serving everyone and helping to keep the tournament on schedule. Many of our regular participants look forward to the home baked desserts that are provided and the volunteers outdid themselves this time with a selection of treats from brownies, to pound cakes, to cupcakes.

The members of the Green Creek Archery Club did very well in the competition with four members earning the title of State Champion and one member bringing home the Bronze. In the male recurve 15-17 year old class, Phil Burney claimed the title with a 514 out of a possible 600 points.

Phil’s twin brother Rick competed in the compound bow division, which had the most participants in the tournament, and won bronze with a score of 554.

Members Danielle Han, Jim Vennera, and Steve Burney all shot recurve bows and won gold in their division with scores of 467, 524, and 519 respectively.

If archery sounds like something you would be interested in, the Green Creek Archery Club is welcoming new members. No prior experience is necessary, and Coach Vennera loves being able to help people learn the correct way to shoot a bow. 

The club meets on most Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. at the Green Creek Community Center. For more information, contact Steve Burney at Foothills Pharmacy in Columbus at 828-894-6112.

–Submitted by Steve Burney