National Championship title strengthens bonds of Liberty’s archery team

• Liberty archery team won Liberty’s second United States Collegiate Archery 3D National Championship in ten years.
• The boys chosen to represent the team say they feel like a family and hang out even when not at practice.

Whether through campus life or extracurricular activities, families are built at Liberty University.

Seniors Jason Lynch and Spencer Foster found theirs among the bowmen and bow-women of Liberty’s archery team.

“Even when we’re not at practice, we’re always together,” Lynch said.

The comradery has grown stronger in recent weeks since Lynch, Foster and fellow team member Louis Boyd brought home the national team title in the United States Collegiate Archery 3D National Championship Oct. 8.

While the team holds several individual titles on the national level from this competition and earlier ones, the trio is only the second in the 10-year history of Liberty’s archery program to claim the team title.

Foster said it is an honor and privilege to represent the university in such a way.

“You know, when we got our medals they had a good weight to them,” Foster said. “And that just felt really good hanging on our necks.”

Out of 62 men’s bowhunters, Foster placed fifth in the individual competition—the highest individual score earned for Liberty’s men’s team this year.

Foster said he discovered an interest in archery when he found an old compound bow in his grandfather’s garage.

“It was just collecting dust, so I asked him if I could have it,” Foster said.

Six years later, Foster is still shooting.

“I’ve put a lot of time and money and effort into this,” Foster said. “I’m committed for the long haul.”

While they receive unwavering support from mentors and their families, Foster and Lynch attribute their success in this journey to their coach and fellow teammates.

“They’re awesome guys,” Foster said. “We all push each other to do the best and try to beat each other…in friendly competition.”

According to Lynch, being part of the archery team has given him opportunities to grow as an individual while perfecting his shooting form and ability.

“I’m an engineering major so I kind of tend to stay cooped up in my room doing homework,” Lynch said. “(Archery) has been really great to help get me out of that mode. It’s allowed me to meet people I wouldn’t have otherwise.”

Lynch said he has been on the team since he stepped on campus at the start of his freshman year.

“The team is definitely a close-knit family,” Lynch said. “I wouldn’t want to do this with anybody else. We talk a lot about going to competitions together even after college is over.”

During his time on the archery team, Lynch has found that the more meticulous aspects of the sport are the things that push him to excel.

“Mastering the skill of archery takes a lot more skill than you’d think,” Lynch said. “There’s a lot of little details about the mechanics. When you step up to the line each time, it’s you making the shot. It’s something you can learn to be excellent at, and it takes a lot of individual work to get to that.”