By Emma Milner
City of Arkadelphia

ARKADELPHIA — Back by popular demand, the City of Arkadelphia’s Parks and Recreation department will be offering a summer youth archery league. Designed for children ages 6-18, the instructional league will meet four times in the month of August.

“Our community surprised us in the spring by how excited they were for youth archery,” Mickey Bivens, recreation programs manager, said. “So many people were looking forward to our next session in the fall, we began to think, what are we waiting for? Let’s add a summer session.”

The league focuses on teaching children the basics of archery. Holding the bow, shooting an arrow, hitting a target- these are skills parents can expect their child to learn throughout the league. Bivens says he also stresses the importance of range safety in his classes.

“Part of the reason people feel so intimidated by archery is because they don’t know how to carry themselves around a range,” Bivens said. “Range safety is the first thing we talk about so the kids can feel confident when coming to class.”

There is a $45 registration fee to participate. Registration ends Friday, July 15.