Southwestern archer places first among females at nationals
Jun. 12—Norman Vincent Peale famously said "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."
Recent Southwestern graduate Natalie Cummins shot at a target and placed first among all females at the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Nationals competition at Myrtle Beach June 10. Cummins was one among 1,993 other school-aged girls who all got top spots to compete in nationals.
Despite their determination, none of them shot as well as Cummins, whose score was 295. The highest score in this specific competition was 300, meaning Cummins placed outside of the bullseye only five times.
To qualify for nationals, she got second overall with a stunning 295 at the state competition in Louisville. She was the only one on her team who qualified for Nationals.
"They were all happy for me," she said. "I have a very supportive team."
Cummins will go on to compete in the world championship in West Virginia where she'll be representing the United States.
She said that she hoped she would place well, but she was not expecting to place first in her category.
"I try not to get overconfident," she said. "I don't want to get in the mindset where I think I can do better than I can."
After the competition, she got time to visit the beach and soak up some rays, not something that she's been able to do for celebrations after past competitions.
"I've never travelled that far for archery," said Cummins. "This is a first."
Shooting since the fourth grade, Cummins was in the middle of the pack compared to the rest of the team. About seventh grade, she started shooting with current Southwestern High School Archery coach and Cummins' great-aunt, Lisa Cook.
Cummins had a "burst of energy" following the doldrums of COVID. She claimed that time away from the bow made her lose some of her edge that, once COVID ended, she was able to sharpen to a point that it's never been before.
The soon-to-be-college freshman not only shoots archery but also works at Battlefield Coffee to earn money and keep busy. Now that school's out, she has to practice on her own time, and when not working, she's shooting at a target in her front yard.
"I shoot a lot of grouping typically," said Cummins. "Because I'm good on my aim. As long as I can group, I'm good at my aim. I just have to be consistent with grouping."
In preparation for World competition, Cummins will continue to practice, though she worries about over-training. Archery requires focus and concentration, and the sport can be considered as mental as it is physical.
"I don't really want to over-shoot myself and get drained on it," she said. "It's mainly my mindset. I just need to stay calm."
