By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

The Morgan County 4-H Archery Program held an orientation meeting at MCMS last Monday night to discuss the beginning of their season.
Morgan County’s archery program, which has been offered to young people from nine years old through the 12th grade, has been in place since 1993 and is one of the largest 4-H programs in the county.
The season will begin on December 2 with a practice at the 4-H archery range. Participants may register at the 4-H office in Madison or prior to the first practice, but the registration fee of $40.00 must be paid by the archer’s second practice.
Although there is no set practice schedule, the archers will have to attend a mandatory minimum of practices before taking part in the annual state tournament, which will be held May 4, 2013 at Rock Eagle.
Additionally, each member of the archery program much complete a Georgia 4-H Code of Conduct form and a Medical Information and Release form.
There are three age classes and two bow classes per age class. Senior archers (ninth through 12th grades), Junior archers (7th and eighth grades), and Cloverleaf archers (nine years through sixth grade) can chose whether they want to shoot with compound or recurve bows.
Additionally, there is a Novice class, where Cloverleaf shooters can use recurve bows without sights or Genesis bows (which can be provided by the 4-H department). Using Genesis bows in the Novice class can allow parents and young archers to try out the program without having to make a firm decision on making the financial commitment necessary for equipment.
For those parents and archers that do wish to begin investing in archery equipment for a lifetime of enjoyment, there are several programs associated with the Morgan County 4-H program, through which parents can get very good deals on archery equipment.
To get more information about the program and the benefits associated with participation, please contact Janet Woodard, the County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth in Morgan County, at 706-342-2214.

Printed in the October 25, 2012 edition