Archery and Student Focus: Students looking for ways to focus their attention, self-awareness and sense of their surroundings have a new arrow in their quiver—the metaphor is too perfect: CSUN now offers academic courses in archery through the Department of Kinesiology.
The Academic Course: To get the course ready for students at CSUN, Konstantinos Vrongistinos, Chair of the Department of Kinesiology collaborated with Kinesiology faculty Douglas McLaughlin who developed the academic course. “Archery fosters an active and contemplative life,” said McLaughlin. “From human prehistory to future technological innovations, the practice of archery has been—and will be—with us. This is why it is so fitting to have archery at CSUN.”
McLaughlin sees ways the university community will benefit from mindful archery practitioners who represent CSUN’s mission and vision. He likes the way archery sets up the student to understand the role of guidance in obtaining goals. “Students of archery learn to see with new eyes so that they are emboldened to attempt what was thought impossible and are enlightened to make it possible,” McLaughlin said.
“Developing mastery takes time and effort. The journey to mastery involves continuous practice and repetition but also resilience in the face of struggle and failure,” he added.
Easton Foundations Make it Possible: The CSUN archery program is the result of a generous donation from the Easton Foundations, which was founded by James Easton, the Chairman of Jas. D. Easton, Inc., a renowned sporting goods manufacturing company. At the groundbreaking event for the archery range in 2018, CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison celebrated the long and beneficial history between CSUN and the Easton companies.
Our community partners at Easton share the enthusiasm for this new academic program in archery at CSUN. “The Easton Foundations are proud to assist CSUN in giving archery a home on campus,” said Greg Easton, Chairman and President of Easton Foundations. “The kinesiology class approach is innovative and we hope this class along with the archery club at CSUN continue to grow so more students are exposed to the great sport of archery.”
Caren Sawyer, Executive Director of Easton Foundations, offered a reflection on the history between CSUN and Easton. “The Easton companies and CSUN have always had a successful working relationship. The development of archery classes and instruction, and the location of this archery range on the CSUN campus, is a testimony of the continued unique association between the two organizations. The Easton Foundations is excited to be a part of this opportunity to work with CSUN to develop a successful Matador archery team.”
CSUN Alum Gives Back as Instructor: To teach the course, Vrongistinos wanted to bring in just the right faculty to enhance CSUN archery. He reached out to the archery community and brought in Jason Conner (Alum, 1989). Conner is well known in the world of archery for his decades of experience in judging competitions, teaching courses, and developing ranges.
“Archery is a moving meditation,” said Conner. A USA Archery Level 3 NTS Coach and Certified Judge at state, local, and national tournaments, Conner also has an extensive background in field archery, and a roster of coaching clients that include CSULB, and Angel City Sports. He also works with members of the US Marine Corps. through the Pendleton Sportsman’s Club, where he serves as club secretary. He said he competes whenever he can and specializes in coaching adaptive archery, running clinics across Southern California.
He teaches according to USA Archery guidelines, utilizing the National Training System (NTS). “Besides being an excellent biomechanically efficient technique, the steps form a shared language that enables archers and coaches to communicate,” Conner said. “Archery requires concentration and a clear mind, and each archer is constantly working the steps to develop muscle memory and refine each one. Pretty much any archer you talk to at any level of expertise is working on a step, because the refinement is infinite.”
Archery has always been a major activity for Conner who recently retired from his career as an Information Technology Enterprise Architect at a globally renowned company and who now devotes himself full time (or more) to the sport which he came to as a teen. “When I was about 15 living near Pasadena, my mom saw an ad in the paper for free archery lessons with the Pasadena Roving Archers - the club is still in operation today, founded in 1935. So, for something to do during summer vacation, I went to see what it was all about. That was all it took,” he said.
Since that first day, Conner has gathered a wealth of expertise in a sport which dates back some 20,000 years. Evidence of humans practicing archery can even be seen in cave paintings, as well as in numerous ancient cultures around the world.
He is also an advocate of the value of the relationship between the academic study and the CSUN Archery Club, which was founded by Raymond Paguia in 2008 and is currently coached by his father, Reynaldo Paguia. “I think that the archery class has great potential for developing strong prospects for the archery club,” Conner said.
Currently the Kinesiology Department is offering two sections of Archery 123A, and Conner is up with the sun preparing for his students. For the expansive shared field, there is equipment to haul, measurements and lines to set, posters to hang, and gear to unpack. Conner has developed archery ranges and programs before, including playing a significant role in the development of the archery range at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley and serving in leadership roles in several archery clubs over the years.
On the range, he is in his element. Some who are new to the sport sometimes express concerns about safety. “When people ask if archery is dangerous, I always like to share that it is one of the safest sports there is, ranked safer than golf, fishing, and tennis--the injury rate is more comparable to badminton and bowling. There are archers everywhere and we have the goal of keeping the sport alive and growing,” he said. “I am thrilled to honor the Easton family and continue the legacy of spreading the love of archery, especially at CSUN, where I graduated in 1989.”
And thanks to the Easton Foundations and the hard work of many throughout the CSUN campus, archery now has a home at CSUN, and students will benefit now and into the future as the sport grows and lives here.
The goal of the Easton foundations is to promote and maintain the viability of archery by growing the sport as a mainstream activity at the state, regional and national level.
Read about the Easton Foundations’ gift to CSUN and the advent of the archery program in CSUN Today.
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Jean O'Sullivan