alternate title: "Bow Sight? It Just Gets In The Way!"

Andrea Garner has been registering good performances using a barebow (a recurve bow without the typical sight) during this past indoor 4-H season. She's also shot in some standard NAA-type tournaments and again, done exceptionally well. Her scores can be even more impressive considering that she has only had bow in hand for less than two years. Here's a brief writeup on Andrea. 

Born, May 4, 1988, Andrea is the only child of Dale and Teresa Garner. During the summer of 2001, a friend of Andrea's invited her to go to the local YMCA Archery Camp for one week. After participating in the program, Andrea was really excited about how well she did during the camp. When the local 4H Coordinator decided to start an Archery Program in Calhoun County, Andrea was the first in line to sign up. Andrea has had a bow in her hand ever since.

During the first few months of the 4H archery season, Andrea shot with a club issued Comet recurve bow. When Andrea started - she did try a pin sight. Andrea felt as if the sight was in her way - so she had Dad remove it and has shot bare bow ever since. Last Christmas, Andrea asked "Santa" for a bow of her own. All she talked about was having her own bow. Well, Dad quizzed her until he had all the specs for her dream bow. On Christmas morning, Andrea unwrapped her dream and cried for an hour afterward. She shoots a 66", 28# Hoyt Avalon.

Since then, under the watchful eye of her coaches, Andrea has developed a style all her own and has won many awards in the past 15 months. She has also won the respect of the archery world. Andrea competes in both the bare bow open and recurve ladies divisions in the 4H season . She will be shooting in the senior ladies barebow class nationally since there is no youth barebow division. Currently, Andrea is competing in the 3rd International Bare Bow Internet Competition, where she is currently in fifth place. She is the youngest archer in the top ten and the only female from the entire USA in this competition.

With Archery, Andrea has developed her levels of concentration and become a more confident, well disciplined person. Archery has become her passion. In September, Andrea completed the Level I Instructor training so she will be able to help teach her passion to other youth archers. Andrea has also set goals for herself - to be one the best bare bow archers in the nation and possibly the world some day. She has also challenged herself to excel in the sighted recurve class as well.

Andrea is very proud of her sport and speaks of it often with her friends and classmates. Andrea has been a member of the South Texas Archery JOAD Club of Victoria and currently a member of J & J Archery JOAD Club of Port Lavaca. She also is a member of Salem Lutheran Church, where she has served as an Acolyte and member of the Altar Guild. She is a member of the Green Lake/Long Mott 4H Club in Calhoun County and serves as 3rd Vice-President. She is an active member of the 4H archery program and has been a mentor to many young bare bow archers. She also raises New Zealand rabbits. She has competed with her rabbits in both the local Calhoun County Fair and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and has done quite well with them. She is also an active member of the Bay Area Rabbit Breeders Association.

Andrea has made many friends throughout the state of Texas since she has become involved in archery. Even though archery is more of a individual sport - it's a great way for families to stay close. Most afternoons, you will find Andrea and her dad practicing in the back yard or in the garage.