Hello to everyone!
I am a brand new member here. My daughter got a taste of archery at a Harry Potter event we were at in November, and now is obsessed and has been asking for a bow for Christmas.
We were travelling through ID, when we ran into an old friend of ours, and as luck would have it, her husband is Mike Mecredy of Maddog Traditional Archery.
It was just too serendipitous to pass up! So we ordered her first custom longbow and a dozen arrows. Needless-to-say, Sierra is bouncing off the walls excited.
Mike suggested that we join TradGang. We have a lot to learn (wow!). What we probably need the most is information regarding archery in Las Vegas. I would love to get her some lessons and find a place for her to practice.
Can anyone out there give us some guidance?
:archer:
Welcome to the :campfire:
NO suggestions from that far away... but I can tell you to monitor that girl's time on Gang or her grades will drop. :)
That is if she's like most of us who spend more time here than we should! :knothead: :banghead:
Welcome to the Gang and keep reading all the different forums. Get some videos and books, if you can't find someone close by to help give her some basic instructions.
Welcome to the wonderful world here on TG, great folks here, the best!
Welcome
See if your schools offer the National Archery in the Schools program.
Welcome to the fire
Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome.
Sierra is 9, and she goes to a charter school, so I'm relatively sure she doesn't have access to the National Archery in the Schools program. We're open to some private lessons...we just need to find someone.
Her younger brother is almost 5, and I know he's going to want to do this as well.
Videos are a great suggestion. Especially with Christmas around the corner. Are there any good ones geared to girls or kids?
Welcome to the addiction of traditional archery! Glad to see more folks getting their kids into the sport.
Hello and welcome to Tradgang!
Ddepending on your local ordinances, you may be able to set up a target in your yard. If not, a lot of guys practice in their garage or basement. Either would have plenty of distance for a 9 and 5 year old to learn and have fun. A basement under a ranch style house can sometimes provide pretty good shooting. I expect though that many homes out your way do not even have them and are just built on a slab. If your yard is fenced, you might be able to have someone build you a backstop against the side of the house that is big enough to catch any stray arrows and shoot towards your house. Shooting in other directions sometimes makes neighbors nervous.
One thing for sure, realize that bows are NOT toys. Even a kids bow with target arrows can cause serious injury or even death. NEVER allow your kids to just take them out on their own and shoot unsupervised. Always stress safety and if two of them are shooting, make sure that they are not standing too close together and that they are both the same distance from the target. Never allow one to shoot from say 10 yards and the other from 15. Kids are kids and accidents can happen. Treat bows like guns. NEVER let them point their bows at each other or anyone else even in "fun" with no arrow. A good rule to follow is that unless they are both ready and standing at the shooting line, they do not even put an arrow on the string. If they see you are serious about them following the rules, you should have no problems. Kids love shooting bows so much that it's pretty easy to say, "well, if you don't want to do it the right way, you can't shoot at all." They almost always agree to do it the right way! Might even be able to use their archery time as an incentive to behave...
On the plus side, archery is a great way to instill basic discipline and responsibility. Now, you need to go out and get yourself a bow and join in the fun!
Alisa, do a google search for a JOAD (Junior Olympic Archery Development) club in your area. I too have kind of stumbled into Archery through my two girls, 9 and 7. The seven year old had a hankering to learn and when I was in a local Gander Mountain, I heard about JOAD.
We (Well the girls and me vicariously) have been going for the last couple weeks and they love it. The teachers are great and seem to really enjoy helping the kids learn the craft. I have been getting very jealous.
Also, I seem to have developed this insatiable urge to build a bow.
Mike
Welcome to the :campfire: . Your daughter has started a journey that can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment, and to an extent even alter the trajectory of her life in a positive way. I hope she takes you and her brother along, and that a wonderful time is had by all. Scouting might be a source to look into for fundamental instruction, and don't forget that you are acquainted to a terrific resource in Mike. I'm sure he would probably help you to find whatever you seek.
Google "archery clubs in vegas"
And welcome to the gang!
:D
Welcome to the group.I do know that Vegas has a lot of tournaments you may be able to go to a local archery shop and find info on training.
Gordy Morey (sp?) used to build custom bows in Vegas (lightning longbows), maybe you can find a phone number for him and he can get you some local info.
Welcome to the Gang, and enjoy the journey!
Up top of page on the right, lower pic is the following link for kids and bowhunting, unless you're averse to going that direction with the archery.
http://web.mac.com/jeffapel/Straight_Arrow_Productions_LLC/The_Journey_Begins_DVD.html
Click on 3Rivers Archery link and check out their many books and videos on shooting form, tuning bows, etc.
Las Vegas Archers has a lot of shoots and a cool 3d couse in the foothills. I think its lasvegasarchers.net Also Dan the owner of Pacific Archery Sales has indoor weekly shoots at his store and also has held 3d shoots behind sam boyd stadium off of Boulder Highway. Not a lot of Traditional archers in Las Vegas. I was born and raised there and moved to Oregon a year and a half ago. WELCOME!
Bob
Let's keep this up top and see if any TradGangers from Las Vegas show up. I was about Sierra's age when I got bitten by the archery bug. She's lucky to have such a cool mom!
Doesn't Dano live near there? :saywhat:
Killdeer
Welcome. You've joined a great group of very helpful people.
One thing that's worth thinking about, especially if the interest holds, is a trip to Rick Welch's school in Arkansas. You guys are too new to archery to have any bad habits yet, so it might be worth the time and money to go acquire some good ones right off the bat.
Alisa, maybe you should get a bow for yourself. That way you can join in her fun.
Fred....
:wavey:
TTT
I live in Overton, just an hour from Vegas, If you ever need help. The Las Vegas Archers have a range up at Mountain Springs, you might check them out. Here's their site.
http://lasvegasarchers.net/constitutionandbylaws.html
Welcome to the gang. Wish I could help you more with a place to shoot there. Lots of good folks here though I am sure you will find someone able to help.
Welcome to the gang, Alisa and Sierra. :wavey: You've come to the right place to learn about traditional archery and you have the right person building Sierra's bow.
I can't help you with a local club or place to shoot but as far as videos, you may want to get the Masters of the Barebow series for instructions. Also, get a copy of Jay Kidwell's book Instinctive Archery Insights. Both of these helped me out when I was getting started. Mike at The Nocking Point http://www.thenockingpoint.com/about.htm can set you up with these items. Watch the video section of the site too
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=69 for a good price on the video.
Good luck! I look forward to seeing the family's progress.
Welcome to tradgang. You made a great choice in getting a bow from Mike. He made three for my boys and they love 'em. You might gather some information about lessons, or kids shooting clubs by contacting an archery shop in your local area. Good luck!
Alisa i live here in vegas and been shooting traditional for over twenty years i can help.I dont have children but i have helped many kids get started and stay with archery.The important thing is to make sure they dont get discouraged.LOU
Welcome from Indiana!
Check out Three Rivers Archery. They have this "Noggle Stone" book that they sell and they have the gear that goes along with the book that would be cool Christmas gifts.
Also, check out the shooter's forum here on Tradgang. I found recently, at the top of the forum, a thread that has photos and videos of several different peoples form and what they needed to do to improve.
I also think you should get a bow and see how much fun it is! What a fun, mother/daughter thing to do together!
Bona
:wavey: :campfire: :coffee: :goldtooth:
welcome!
WOW!! Thanks everyone. There are a number of you I will respond to individually. I'm very excited about this resource. You folks are awesome.
QuoteOriginally posted by FubarFred:
Alisa, maybe you should get a bow for yourself. That way you can join in her fun.
Fred....
I'm tempted. One thing at a time..... gotta get Sierra going, then Tristan, and then myself.
QuoteOriginally posted by Dano:
I live in Overton, just an hour from Vegas, If you ever need help. The Las Vegas Archers have a range up at Mountain Springs, you might check them out. Here's their site.
http://lasvegasarchers.net/constitutionandbylaws.html
Oh thank you!! I have a good friend in Overton. It's lovely up there.
QuoteOriginally posted by GLOVEMAN:
Alisa i live here in vegas and been shooting traditional for over twenty years i can help.I dont have children but i have helped many kids get started and stay with archery.The important thing is to make sure they dont get discouraged.LOU
Yay!! Someone in Vegas!! We'll have to get together once her stuff shows up. We are anticipating the end of January. :D
QuoteOriginally posted by Tractor:
Alisa, do a google search for a JOAD (Junior Olympic Archery Development) club in your area.
Hey...look what I found! Figures that it's too late tonight to call. LOL.
Pacific Archery Club JOAD
Dan Bozarth
4084 Schiff Dr.
Las Vegas, NV 89103
702-367-1505
I wonder if this is the same Dan that is the owner of the Archery store here mentioned in another post.
Looks like you're on a roll!
Okay...I'm going to be the sacrificial lamb here and ask this question. Now keep in mind I'm only asking this because I looked at your profile...are you really a belly dancer? :goldtooth:
He he he....
Tom, I saw that too the first time... wasn't gonna ask.
Hi Alisa i sent you an email not sure if it went through you can call me if you want.379-7510.lou
Bow's on the way. Tossed in a few arrows too.