When archery came to Charles Henderson Elementary in 2003, the sport was just a blip on the radar. In the past 13 years, archery has exploded into one of the most popular sports in the state.

In 2003, Forrest Lee was teaching hunter education at Charles Henderson Middle School when he received flier about starting an archery in the schools program. “I put it in my desk,” Lee said. “A few months later I took a look at it and it turns out it was due that day. I filled it out and Charles Henderson Middle School was selected to be one of the 16 pilot schools in the state of Alabama.”

Charles Henderson Middle School received about $5,000 worth of equipment thanks to grants and the kids fell in love with it.

“In the next year Alabama implemented a state championship where 212 people from the state were part of that tournament. Charles Henderson carried 52 of those archers.” Lee said. “It has skyrocketed since then.”

Archery gives kids the opportunity to participate in a sport that doesn’t include physical activities.

“Everybody is not a football, basketball or baseball player,” Lee said. “It gives kids the opportunity to be involved in an activity or sport that gives them confidence and self esteem. They are learning and developing a life time activity that they will have.”

And it’s a sport anyone can enjoy, male or female.

“If you look at our roster through the years it is one of the most multi-culturally balanced sports that we have in our school system. It’s great for title IX implementation. It’s kind of a melting pot and it builds a better relationship with the student body,” Lee said.

The regional and state tournaments are evidence of just how popular archery has become.

Last year nearly 4,000 students competed in regional tournaments throughout the state with nearly 1,400 of them going to the state tournament in Montgomery. This year Troy City Schools was part of two World Records at the National Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. Nearly 3,500 people participated in the 3D tournament with 13,000 competing in the bulls eye tournament.

“It’s very competitive,” Lee said. “It has exploded. It has been a title wave.”

The State of Alabama is currently in the process of building a state of the art archery range at Pike County Lake. And in 2017 Troy will host one of the regionals.

“With the archery range you’re going to have a wide range of opportunities when it comes to archery,” Lee said.

With the region tournament coming to Troy next year, Lee hopes teams from the surround areas will participate.

“Any school private or public can be a part of this program,” Lee said. “It’s a state run program. It’s a program for any kid in the nation, regardless of what your choice of schools are.”