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Jack Saltzberg, an upcoming senior at Campolindo High School, took up the sport of archery at age 12, and has made such great strides he is in the running to make the United States Archery team.
It was at his mother's prompting that Jack went to see if archery were something that he would enjoy. "My mom found a local range called Redwood Bowman near the Chabot Space and Science Center," he said. "After taking a few classes, I found I liked the challenge and satisfaction of hitting the target and I got my own equipment."
Like any sport, it all begins with the fundamentals - how to get into proper alignment with the bow and arrow, bringing your elbow back around back, and then making a triangle with your bow hand, chest, and elbow.
For Jack, it was also an opportunity to develop new relationships. "After I was recruited to join The Chia Archery Club, I became friends with members of that club," Saltzberg said. "When I share what I am doing with my friends, their reaction is that it's pretty cool."
It didn't come all that quickly to Saltzberg: "It was at the two-year mark when I felt I was pretty good at it. When I got to the point where the majority of my shots were landing in the gold and red, (the highest point areas on the target) that was pretty satisfying."
Archery is a year-round sport with indoor and outdoor seasons, which can make finding time to practice difficult. "During the school year I practice twice-a-week and sometimes only once a week when I get particularly busy," Saltzberg said.
Saltzberg goes to tournaments with his club team, and sometimes others on his own. "I got to all of my tournaments with my mom and then we meet up with the team once we are there," Saltzberg said. "Our coach, Victor Chia, will pick the hotel where most of us stay. After competing during the day, we have a good time hanging out together talking and playing cards."
In the Olympics, the archers are required to use a recurve bow, which uses an adjustable sight that is a rod-like object to which a sight pin is set up to help them view the target better. Saltzberg uses a barebow - a basic style of the recurve bow that does not permit accessories to aid in aiming or stabilization.
"In the first class I attended, I learned how to shoot with a barebow," Saltzberg said. "I liked it because it's simpler and more pure in a way because it's considered harder to shoot and I don't want to have to deal with all of the equipment of recurve or compound bows. The other disciplines are certainly valid on their own, but I just enjoy the basics of barebow."
With his barebow, Saltzberg has broken five state records and has three tournaments left in Sacramento, New Mexico, and Ohio to see if he will be invited to be on the USA Archery team. "The top five in each category are offered a spot on the team," Saltzberg said. "You get ranked by where you place at each national tournament and the system only takes into consideration your top three best places."
Though it is obviously a non-contact sport, Saltzberg wears protective gear: "I have an arm guard on my left forearm which protects me from getting burned by the string and I wear a finger tab on my right hand which allows me to release the string more smoothly and so it doesn't hurt my fingers. There are a few injuries to watch out for - hyperextension and pulling muscles are the most common injuries but if you have proper form, warm up, and your equipment is suited to you, you shouldn't get injured."
What makes a good archer? "In general, you need good back strength, a solid core and shoulders, and arms come into it as well," Saltzberg said. "You're going to need to be precise, consistent, stable, and patient. You also need to be more adaptable using the barebow because you have to figure out changes to make on your own unlike being able to adjust the equipment on the recurve bows."
There is also the mental aspect of archery that cannot be overlooked. "Coach Chia really emphasizes rhythm, tempo, and timing so you don't want to hold for too long or shoot too quickly," Saltzberg said. "Before each arrow I try to make sure that I'm calm, and I don't have any distractions in my head. When I go to draw, I rely on the form that I've trained consistently, and when I'm holding the bow and actually aiming it, I'm focusing on the target face and the tip of my arrow. I'll hold it for a little bit to make sure it's stable and when I feel it's right, I'll release it. A tournament can be physically taxing so I try to stay hydrated throughout, where, depending on the tournament, we will shoot either 72 or 144 arrows."
There may be another archer for Saltzberg to compete against: "My mom is considering archery as well," Saltzberg said.
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA