It’s Friday afternoon and the San Jose State club archery team gather together at Black Mountain Bowmen in San Jose, ready to put the grind in for another practice.
“Most the older guys have had experience for a while and usually they give back,” club advisor Greg Garcia said.
Garcia is referring to the camaraderie that comes with being a part of the archery team, something that he’s been a part of since it started back in 2015.
Now that the semester is in full swing, Garcia said that there is a clearer member count.
“Our first meeting we usually use as a free trial because a lot of people want to try archery,” Garcia said, explaining that now that the dust has cleared, the club has about 20-25 new members.
For the older members, Garcia sees how much their effort has paid off.
“We’ve produced a number of state and national champions through the club,” Garcia said.
For physics junior David Palacios, this is a reality that has come out of tirelessly practicing with the club since he started college.
Palacios is a member of the competition team-a part of the team that competes against other universities and is currently ranked as 16th in the nation.
Palacios began practicing with the team as soon as he began his studies at SJSU.
“When I first came in I didn’t really know anything about archery or competing,” Palacios said.
He explains that it was through his friends in the team and his own competitive nature that he was pushed to become invested.
In his third year on the team, Palacios competes with the competition team and serves as vice president for the club.
By his side is psychology senior Christopher Plumeau.
“I’m the first Californian to be ranked nationally for the national competition,” Plumeau said.
Having been with the team since it took off as an official club on campus, Plumeau earned the title of All-American for the National Collegiate.
“I started shooting in middle school and I continued into college,” Plumeau said, reflecting on the long but rewarding journey that got him to where he is now.
Working as an equipment manager and safety officer as well as a competitor for the team, Plumeau reminisces about the constant change within the team dynamic.
“Each semester there’s been a different dynamic for members,” Plumeau said, referring to the way members come and go, bringing a different atmosphere each semester.
For those who have just joined the team, there comes a lot of fear, but along with it, a sense of relief.
Undeclared freshman Chiziem Amesi said that he’s gradually learning to become the best he can be with archery.
“Honestly I was scared because the first time I shot I thought I was going to hurt myself,” Amesi recalled from his first practice.
When it came to trying to improve himself, Amesi said that it all came from seeing where the shot went so you can understand your mistakes.
In terms of what he does to better himself in the moment, Amesi had a simple answer: “I think the main part of archery is staying still for the whole process.”
