Archers and arrows everywhere

I don't know if 2012 is really the year of the archer at the movies, but it feels like it because films featuring bows and arrows have been released one right after another. Since March, archers have been prominent characters in The Hunger Games, The Avengers, Snow White and The Huntsman, and in the upcoming Brave. You've got Katniss Everdeen, Hawkeye, William, and Merida. It's more than that these are characters who just happen to own bow and arrows - being talented at archery is an integral part of who they are and their skills are showcased in their respective films.

So many bowmen/women/people on the big screen seems to be a weird coincidence (or maybe not, it could be a conspiracy planned by some archery supply corporation), and as a result, archery is currently one of the hottest sports around. I like seeing a centuries old activity in the spotlight. So much so that even Louis Vuitton incorporated arrows into a recent window display. Crazy.

After The Hunger Games swept the nation, archery clubs reported a marked increase in interest and membership. A Los Angeles area club, the Pasadena Roving Archers, has even had to turn people away. They have the following note posted on their website regarding their free Saturday morning beginner classes:

"Due to the release of the Hunger Games movie we are experiencing a dramatic increase in the numbers of people wanting to take archery lessons. We normally recommend people be at the range by 7:45 am to ensure a place in a class. That is not working at the moment - by the time we arrive at the range at 7:30 am to prepare for classes there is already a long line of people waiting to register and so we can not reliably recommend a time to arrive at the range.

Sales on equipment have gone up, too. I can only imagine the effect The Avengers had on the number of people interested in archery. Brave will be out next weekend, and I hope it encourages a flood of young girls to ask their parents to go to the nearest archery range. Well, boys too, but I'm especially excited about Merida being a great role model for little ladies.

She certainly has good shooting form. An archery coach, Jim MacQuarrie, posted about Merida, Hawkeye, and Katniss over on Geek Dad. He observed their shooting methods in the trailers, and Merida and Katniss come out on top. Hawkeye gets less than great marks. The articles are fun and educational reads; you can find them in this list.

Will you be trying out archery because of any of these films? Are you already an archer?


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