Helen Morgan School, Sparta, NJ — July 28 to August 1
Now that it is the New Year and the busy season is settling, I keep thinking back to our first ArrowQuest Summer Program at Helen Morgan School. This was a five-day, 9–11 a.m. morning program for twelve students entering grades 4–6. Looking back, I am proud of how much the students learned in a short time, and how well they embodied the simple values we set for the week: focus, listen, and grow.
Day 1 — First shots and values
On Monday we introduced safety, basic equipment handling, and the 11 Steps to Archery Success in a kid-friendly way. After some basic instruction and brief demos, every student got to shoot a full round of arrows. That day we also introduced the three core values: focus, listen, and grow. We asked the students to keep those ideas in mind each time they stepped to the line.
Each student had one-on-one time with me to run through the 11 steps out loud and shoot under close supervision. The goal was comfort with the steps and safety procedures, and by the end of the session everyone had a first real experience on the line.
Day 2 — Form and consistency
Tuesday we worked on posture, a strong bow arm, and keeping the front arm steady. Many students had a tendency to bend their front arm or pull with the arm instead of engaging their back muscles. We used short drills to cue elbow position and back engagement. For physical prep we did wall slides and short plank holds to build scapular and core awareness. The kids shot a lot that day and began to find a more consistent feel for the shot sequence.
Day 3 — String bows and alignment
Midweek we introduced string bows to practice alignment, draw length, anchor and release. Each student’s string bow was adjusted so they could learn the straight-line alignment between elbow, string, and bow. This made it much easier to feel the correct transfer into the back muscles and a repeatable anchor. We used short partner checks with the string bows, then returned to shooting with the full bow. Later the students made tic-tac-toe targets for a fun accuracy challenge. On days with nice weather, we made sure to spend our breaks outside to get some fresh air.
Day 4 — Grip, release, and distance
On Thursday we focused on release mechanics, hand grip, and direction and tension. Students practiced proper placement of the string on their draw hand and gently releasing with a follow through. After working with string bows and partner checks we moved the shooting line back to 15 meters so the students could feel the difference in distance. During a break we handed out ice pops, and had fun with a novelty shoot that featured hanging balloons we called “land mines.” The balloon work kept things playful while still reinforcing control and aim.
Day 5 — Scoring, photos, and celebration
For our final session we reviewed aiming method, including a practical introduction to gap shooting, ran official-style scoring at 10 meters. Before the scoring rounds we took group photos. Mr. Layman, our principal, stopped by with his dog and the kids loved the visit. We started the scoring rounds with a practice round, then shot three scored rounds with partners recording scores, just like it is done in competitions. We finished with a final balloon shoot and students got to take their scorecards home, along with Certificates of Achievement.
What mattered most
Across every day we returned to three simple actions: focus, listen, and grow. Focus means being present for each step. Listen means being coachable, open to suggestions from coaches and peers. Grow is the practice of trying again and believing you can improve. These were short phrases but they gave the week shape and made it easy to name what we were praising when we saw it.
Next Steps
We are already planning for Summer 2026. ArrowQuest will expand into a full summer camp (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and will be open to students from Sparta and surrounding towns. If you want updates or early registration notices, please sign up for our mailing list. I will use that list to announce next summer’s dates and early sign-up opportunities.
Thank you to every family and every student who made our first ArrowQuest week so rewarding. It was a privilege to teach and learn alongside these kids.
— Marco Vergara
ArrowQuest