My daughter and I started photography as something fun we could do in our backyard. I hunted growing up, so one Christmas we headed over to Cabela’s and picked up an apprentice bear in Pink Camo. Kristin, my daughter, shot a 272 in Vegas with her bear. Vegas is known as the largest and most prestigious indoor archery tournament in the world. That year I spent about $500 on archery. The following year’s total for teams only was over $5k.
Why so much? Isn’t archery a cheap sport to participate in? It is. Explaining the real costs of archery and how to avoid some of the pitfalls is the purpose of this article. This article is intended for the parent of a new archer or a parent of a child who has expressed an interest in archery. Remember this is not the National School Archery Program (NASP) archery we are talking about. This is the FITA, USAT, and USA Archery that you see at the Olympics that we are discussing here.
First find a youth Olympic archery development (JOAD) club in your area. A place you can drive to every week. At that JOAD club you will find trainers who are certified, background checked and almost certainly enthusiastic about archery. They know the sport, the team and the scene of the local tournament well. Almost every trainer I have come across is also very cost conscious of archery. They want to make sure the new goalie is successful with his team. This means that it is not a financial burden on parents and that it is appropriate for the local tournament scene.
Once you get a chance to hear from the trainers, they may also have a place where you can buy your new gear. Remember that you can always buy used equipment! A used bow is a great way to save money. Listen to your coaches! In almost every case, they are there to make sure your child is having fun with archery and is safe!
What equipment do you need exactly before you start shooting? Even if you join a JOAD club, this is the must have. Keep in mind that when it comes to arrows, you should NEVER buy arrows without consulting an archery professional. Arrows are made to fit the archer by “backbone”, which is how stiff the arrow is along its length. Your arrows must be purchased and cut to size by a professional. All gear is spec’d for what your child can use to shoot a yellow pin (Kristin’s Vegas Score) at least!
- Bow – Compound or recurve bows can start as low as $250
- View – Most beginner compound bows will come with a sight, but will cost around $100 if not.
- arrow rest – Most starter compound bows will come with this. About $50 if not.
- arrows – To the Dozen. No more no less. Your kid is going to break 9 of these! $8 each. Not more than $50.
- release aid – Release aids were illegal when I was a kid. Start your child off with a properly sized (small in length) wrist trigger. Not more than $50.
- Aim – Get a youthful target. A big one that can support bows up to 40lbs.
So where could you go wrong? First, you may buy an entry-level hunting bow that isn’t right for your archer. It doesn’t allow for the proper draw length adjustments you need. It may not have enough weight adjustment to allow your child to pull it back now and in 2 years for him to hit something at 30-50 meters. You can then buy the wrong arrows. There are so many choices in arrows that if I walked into a store with a parent, I would have a hard time choosing the right arrows for their child. There are programs to help with this. That’s why an experienced JOAD trainer can help. Finally the release. The only thing with the release is making sure it’s small enough and adjustable enough!
As a new archery parent, you should expect to pay around $500 for everything your child needs to start shooting. Joining a JOAD club (you don’t have to join to get buying tips) will also cost you a small annual fee of $100 – $400 dollars. Remember to take an introductory lesson first, see what you think, and have fun with your child in archery. We’re not even talking about how much mommy or daddy’s new bow will cost!
