Is archery the sport for your child?

Sheree Roxas-Chua Gotuaco, Bianca’s mom, says around 8-10 years old is a good time to assess if archery is a good sport for your child. Your child should have good motor skills and good concentration, she says. Your child also has to develop the muscles needed for the sport. Archery requires physical strength. The child should also be able to practice on her/his own for a long time and able to carry out and understand instructions well. Archery is a very technical sport and there are nuances in instructions that need to be understood.

Archery, she adds, can be a good choice for your child if it matches his/her personality and skills. It is a sport that strengthens concentration and mental skills. It can also be calming and peaceful, like martial arts.

Bianca says she has played other sports—karate, swimming, football, softball—but she likes archery best because it is an individual sport and there is a score. “You compete with yourself, not others. In team sports, it is all about winning the match. In archery, the focus is trying to beat your personal best. It is an honest sport where your scores tell the whole story. Other sports are subjective and winning depends on the judges’ decision.”