The George Mason club archery team is pictured at the 57th USA Archery Indoor Nationals near Harrisonburg, Va. (Clair Ward / Club Photographer – GMU Club Archery)

How the team promotes community, success and fun

BY ETHAN NAVARRO, STAFF WRITER

Many Patriots unwind from daily stress by competing in fast-paced club sports, drawn to high energy and quick-decision action. By contrast, the GMU Club Archery team practices a thoughtful discipline where focus and patience outweigh speed. Each shot requires precision, consistency and confidence. 

Members of the club explained how personal discipline, team support and lessons of the sport contribute to their success at Mason. 

Archery looks glamorous in film and TV, but its real-world practice is rooted in repetition and composure. 

“No one is inherently born to do archery,” Tiya Maroboina, the team’s current president, said. “People think it takes natural talent but it actually takes work. You learn from failing and the little wins can feel more rewarding than the big ones.”

Maroboina noted archery’s impression as a careful or even an intimidating sport doesn’t help public perspective on its safety. 

“In the media it looks kinda scary, but it’s actually safe and low-injury,” she said. “Most issues are about form or equipment, not accidents, and in fact, even bowling is more dangerous.”

There’s certainly more than meets the eye with this sport. At a competitive level, archery is defined not just by physical conditioning but also by improving mental focus. The team’s training emphasizes refining posture, technique and timing until it becomes second nature.

“Archery is 30% physical, almost like golf, but is 70% mental,” Coach Dean Villanueva said. “It’s a difficult skill to learn, putting yourself in that state of mind consistently.”

Villanueva joined the team after retiring from coaching another archery club in Northern Virginia, bringing both years of experience and a holistic approach to teaching.

“I ask how they slept, how they’re eating and how they feel — not just how they’re shooting on the range,” he said. 

That attention to well-being and balance, he believes, translates into life skills. He also relishes the challenge of coaching students with varied skill levels. 

“I focus on bringing everyone up, so they can compete alongside the top archers,” he said.

For junior Al Rahman, the sport dismantled his previous assumptions. 

“It’s like when you watch basketball and think ‘I can do that easily!’” he said. “Then, when you’re on the range, you realize how much focus and effort it takes.”

Club archers are students first, scheduling practices and committing to tournaments around classes. Another member, senior Kyle George, said he learned to treat archery as his leisure time. 

“School comes first, so we try to schedule everything around that,” he said. “It’s part of the process and eventually archery became my leisure time outside classes, so it’s not stressful for me. Sometimes, we’ve done homework at tournaments.”

Maroboina acknowledged the early strain of balancing responsibilities, but stated that her support network — both inside and outside the club — has made it easier to balance her commitments. 

“It was a bit emotionally taxing at first, but making new friends on the team allowed me to enjoy it more,” she said.

The team continues to welcome brand new archers. However, they face logistical issues, with practices being held off-campus at Bull Run Shooting Center, nearly 14 miles away. 

An approximately 25-minute commute to practice demands punctuality and greater planning from the team. The range is rented through maintaining positive connections, but not officially dedicated to the team. 

Maroboina and Villanueva said the club is working hard to coordinate practices at an outdoor facility or to request for a practice space at the university.

With only 13 club bows and limited range time, the group can outgrow their practice window.  Still, members are quick to welcome both newcomers and experienced shooters.

“At tabling events, people ask if it’s okay if they’ve never shot before,” Maroboina said. “We tell them, ‘Of course!’ We’ll teach you.”

With Villanueva leading them to self-improve in this manner, team morale stays high no matter what. 

“We lost but we also won — seeing everyone give it their best and having a fun time,” he said, recalling a scrimmage against James Madison University.

George, the senior, mentioned off-range moments like playing basketball with teammates or shared trips to spots on campus as his favorite memories. Rahman fondly recalled eating post-practice spicy chicken nuggets with his club friends at Wendy’s. 

For many, these friendships and the tight-knit community keep them coming back. 

“There was actually a time I didn’t like archery,” George said. “But this club brought me back. My dad even drove eight hours to bring me my bow just to be with the team.”

Club members share an ambitious spirit and motivation to grow. 

“We’re focused on being a competitive club,” Rahman said. “We want to keep competing in bigger competitions — local and national!”

Maroboina highlighted the club’s official status with USA Archery’s collegiate program, citing it as a credential that brings both recognition and opportunity. 

“Our biggest goal is growing the team, finding a larger indoor facility as well as a good outdoor one,” she said. “The potential of our team in representing Mason is great.”

Villanueva looks to the future with optimism, emphasizing a legacy of talented students and the next generation of archers. 

“We have great people in this club today,” he said. “I want to make sure we retain that and grow it in the years to come.”

For Villanueva, the message is simple regarding students curious about the sport: give it a shot. 

“How do you know if you don’t try?” Villanueva asked. 

For those who choose to take up archery, it becomes more than just a sport. In closing, Villanueva said, “You can take the arrow out of the bale but you can’t take the arrow out of the heart.”