Archery tournament brings national competitors

Jul. 22—Liko Arreola traveled from Hawaii to Decatur this week for the second year in a row for a national archery tournament, and Thursday she broke a world record shooting at Jack Allen Recreation Complex.

Arreola, 14, said she started learning archery at age 6 from her father, Ryan Arreola, who was a recreational archer, and entered her first tournament at age 7. She competed Thursday in the 50-meter round and shot a score of 702 out of 720, beating the previous record for her division of 701.

The USA Archery Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) Target Nationals are being held at Jack Allen through Sunday and are expected to have an economic impact of about $1.5 million on the city. The tournament is for archers from 8 to 20 years old. This year there are nearly 800 competitors.

Liko Arreola came farther than any other archer — roughly 4,260 miles from her home in Maui — and is part of the tournament's nationwide draw. Organizers said either 48 or 49 states are represented this week, with Montana the only state they feel certain isn't home to a competitor.

Arreola said she comes to the tournaments in the continental U.S. because there are more opportunities to compete.

"I just like traveling anywhere so I would probably come back (to Decatur)," she said.

USA Archery CEO Rod Menzer said the competitors enjoy coming to Decatur's Jack Allen park.

"It's a nice city with the hotels and stuff. Everything's kind of close here. It's a beautiful place for us to hold it; there's plenty of space here (and) the grounds are maintained beautifully," he said. "This park is phenomenal."

Arreola's mother, Teri Arreola, was also positive about Jack Allen. "It's nice. I wish we had something like this back home."

Nice, but hot.

Kirk Weber, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Huntsville, said the temperature by Thursday afternoon had reached 94 degrees with a heat index of 109. Humidity was between 60% and 80% throughout the day. There was a heat advisory in effect for Decatur on Thursday.

Morgan Kinney, USA Archery senior director of marketing and communications, said the tournament was going well despite the heat.

"It's great to be down here. It's sunshine so we can't complain about that. The heat is going to be something that people will learn to shoot in. I think that's a very positive thing for them to adapt to and have that kind of experience," she said.

The archers are serious about their sport. Arreola said archery is her passion "because it can help me in the future, get me into a good college, help me with my career."

Arreola said she will probably go to college on the mainland but that she is still thinking about her options. When it comes to a career, "I'm not too sure. Maybe I'll do archery, hopefully." She said the sport will always be at least a hobby for her.

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Leaving Alaska

The Cook family also has made a long trek to prepare for archery competition. Tricia Cook lived in Alaska for the last nine years but moved her family to Florida a month ago so her daughter, Kira Cook, would be closer to archery tournaments.

Cook said the weather in Alaska is the opposite of Decatur. "High humidity versus we're from a place there's no humidity. ... It's tourist season there now."

Kira, 19, said she is not used to the heat in the South yet.

"The heat and humidity is very intense. But I work through it, push on, just concentrate on what I'm doing. Being prepared with staying hydrated, wet towels, and a fan," she said.

Kira said she wears a long-sleeved shirt while in the South because she burns easily.

"It's either die of sweat or burn alive," she said.

Tricia Cook said her family moved so that Kira could pursue her archery.

"Alaska is just so hard and so far. ... We just sold the house and everything to just be in the lower 48 so wherever she goes we can watch."

Kira started learning archery when she was 10 years old. She said she competes in about 16 tournaments annually. Kira made a new tournament personal best Thursday, scoring a 678 out of 720.

"I want to do more national stuff and really push myself competitively," she said.

Don Dukemineer, director of sports development for Decatur Morgan County Tourism, said the event is projected to bring in $1,499,138 in revenue for the community. The estimated hotel demand was 4,537 room nights.

Teri Arreola said her family has traveled to seven tournaments in the continental U.S. so far this year. She said they budget at least $5,000 for each trip to be spent on things like airfare, car rental, food, lodging and local attractions. She said they are staying at the Home2 Suites by Hilton this week.

Tricia Cook said they are staying at the Courtyard by Marriott. She said she allotted between $300 and $400 for restaurants and attractions. "We try to eat at places we don't have ... . Once we get settled, we're probably hoping to catch all those sights."

Kira said she has been looking through brochures and looks forward to visiting Point Mallard Aquatic Center and trying local restaurants.

"I'd like to hit fast food that we don't have, restaurants that I've never tried or heard of," she said.

—erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.