Finding Her Aim: How One Young Archer Discovered Confidence, Community, and a Love for the Bow

Not every sport needs a stadium. For one young archer, all it took was a book series, a supportive family, and a trip to The Quiver to spark something special.

“I actually became interested in archery because of a book series I was reading at the time,” Maddy Lagle explains. “My dad signed us up for a Try Archery day, and I ended up doing better than I expected.”

That first visit to The Quiver set things in motion. Soon, she and her mom joined the archery league together – and quickly proved to be a strong team.

“I’m not a very sporty person,” she admits. “I’d tried a couple of different sports before, and I wasn’t very good at them. But now I’ve found something I love and am great at!”

For her birthday this year, she got her own takedown recurve bow. It’s her favorite kind of bow to shoot – lightweight, smooth, and easier to transport than a one-piece.

“The first time I shot it, I was surprised and pleased at how well it performed. Using The Quiver’s equipment was a great way to start, but having a consistent bow has definitely helped me improve.”

Still, it’s not just the gear or the scores that keep her coming back.

“What I love most about archery right now is the community. I’m not shooting as well as I’d like to this League, but I love hanging out with my mom at the range. The instructors and other archers are great people.”

That sense of belonging has made all the difference. After winning first place in the Fall League last year, her confidence soared.

“It was amazing. I’ve never considered myself good at anything physical before, but archery changed that. It’s really nice to have people supporting me the whole way.”

While she doesn’t follow Olympic archery, she’s found role models much closer to home.

“The instructors and fellow archers at The Quiver have encouraged me since I started and helped me improve. And there are a surprising number of young archers here—it gives me a standard to live up to!”

And of course, she adds with a grin:
“The Lord of the Rings movies have pushed me to hit the bullseye, in case I’m ever attacked by Orcs.”

Her message to other girls thinking about trying archery?

“It’s not as hard as it sounds. You don’t have to be big or strong. Getting good takes practice, but starting is the easiest thing in the world. At The Quiver, we definitely need more girl archers—I’m sure there are some people out there who’d be amazing if they gave it a shot. We can do it!”