Young archers compete in Woodstock

WOODSTOCK – Her left arm outstretched and right elbow ear high, 12-year-old Jolie Woodside pulled back on the string, released and sent an arrow sailing toward a target 18 meters away.

All along a line to her right, more than a dozen boys and girls did much the same, the soft snap of released bowstrings followed swiftly by the thunk of arrows finding their marks.

Tim Zimmerman, owner of T.A.Z. Archery, said he expected about 95 people ages 7 to 18 to participate throughout the day Saturday at the T.A.Z. Junior Olympic Archery Development Winter Classic. Such a turnout would have been unheard of pre-Katniss, Zimmerman added, noting that a certain Disney princess also helped to ignite a boom of modern-day interest in the ancient sport.

“I’ve been in the archery industry for 22 years,” Zimmerman said. “This is a USA Archery-sanctioned tournament, and tournaments have grown over 400 percent in the last year.”

Before the 2012 debut of “The Hunger Games” films and Disney’s “Brave,” both of which feature arrow-wielding heroines, “you’d be lucky to get 20” signed up for a JOAD tournament, said Gabe Querol, a coach from Glen Ellyn.

On Saturday, however, it was a packed house at T.A.Z. Archery in Woodstock.

Woodside, of Huntley, and 11-year-old Kate Iodice of McHenry both said the Katniss Everdeen character from “The Hunger Games” sparked their interest in the sport. And once they tried it, they were hooked.

Iodice said she’s been practicing her archery skills since March, and routinely shoots in the 270s out of a possible 300 top score.

“It’s fun,” she said.

Zimmerman said Junior Olympic Archery Development programs are open to young people through age 20. At his shop and range on Catalpa Lane in Woodstock, he offers JOAD training as well as professional-grade bow-hunting gear and instruction.

Behind a counter in the shop area Saturday, tournament volunteer Paul Mazur of Huntley said the increased interest has been phenomenal. The competitors Saturday included residents of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.

“Archery as a whole has exploded since ‘The Hunger Games,’” he said. “It’s made it more relevant to people.”

Mazur’s 18-year-old daughter, Brittany, is a coach at T.A.Z., and his son, Bryan, 16, also works there. In fact, Bryan Mazur recently was accepted to the USA Archery Junior Dream Team, his father said.

Zimmerman said it’s great that more young people are exposed to the sport, and he plans more JOAD tournaments in January and in the spring.

“You don’t have to be super fast or super strong” to excel at archery, he said. “It’s all in the technique and the form.”

Those interested in learning more can find information at tazarchery.com. Lessons start at $20 with equipment rental, according to the website.