Champion archery shooter Janice Williams with her bow and her many awards. (Photo by Jeff Corcino)
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Shawville woman is world archery champion
Saturday, October 18, 2008
By Jeff Corcino Staff Writer
SHAWVILLE - Archery is more than just a hobby for Janice Williams of Shawville. She is also the two-time defending world champion of the Archery Shooters Association.
For the last two years, she has won the ASA World Classic Shoot in the Senior Division, held at Fort Benning, Ga. She was also named the ASA Shooter of the Year in 2008, and during the past seven years, she has won seven first-place, nine second-place and four third-place rankings at ASA competitions, as well as a number of local and regional tournaments and the 1996 International Bowhunters Association Indoor World Championship in 1996.
Glen Williams, Mrs. Williams' husband, notes that he taught her archery 12 years ago, but she quickly exceeded him in ability.
"It's been a long time since I have been able to beat her," Mr. Williams said.
Mrs. Williams competes in 3-D archery, a type of field archery in which contestants shoot at life-size 3-D foam animals at unknown distances at an outside shooting range. The targets can be up to 45 yards away, but this competition has the added challenge in that the distance to the targets is unknown to the competitors. They can only use their eyes to estimate the distance.
Also, the competitions are always held outside, rain or shine, so weather can be a factor as well. Mrs. Williams said that at a tournament a few years ago, competitors had to stand in knee-deep mud while shooting.
Mrs. Williams said she competes in approximately 11 ASA tournaments in states including Illinois, Texas, Georgia and Florida, and drives more than 15,000 miles a year to participate in tournaments.
Archery competitions have become very popular, and there are often 1,200 to 1,500 people competing at the events.
She also said archery is also very popular in Clearfield County and many champion archers have hailed from the area.
Mrs. Williams said that through the years, she has made a lot of friends at tournaments, and the tournaments are mini-vacations for her. She said the archery tournaments generally last two days, with competitions lasting approximately five hours per day. After the tournament is over, she and friends will often go out to dinner, go sightseeing or go on a motorcycle trip.
"We have fun all weekend long," Mrs. Williams said.
To be skilled at archery takes a lot of practice, thinking and concentration. Being physically fit is also a plus in order to be able to pull back high-tension bows. Mrs. Williams said she uses a PSE X-Force, strung at 54 pounds.
She said that concentration is probably the most important aspect of archery, because not only does one have to concentrate on the target, but on their form as well.
"After competitions, I am exhausted; not from pulling the bow, but from thinking and concentrating," Mrs. Williams said.
Mrs. Williams said archery is a good sport to participate in because it is good for you and is a sport that families can participate in.
"Anything to get the kids off the couch or away from the television is a good thing," Mrs. Williams said.
