Thank you for visiting the US Archery Junior Dream Team web site.

The first USA Archery National Junior Development Team or Junior Dream Team was selected during the 2006 National Archery in the Schools Program National Championship, 2006 Junior Olympic Archery Development (J.O.A.D.) National Championships, 122nd National Archery Target Championship and the 2006 Junior and Cadet World Team Selection Trials.  Click here for the complete selection Criteria

The initial twenty four member Junior Dream Team consisted of the top three junior and two cadet placements in their respective categories.  The remaining athletes were selected by USA Archery National Head Coach Kisik Lee. The team travels to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California quarterly for an intensive minimum week long training camp.  The initial team had five dedicated USA Archery Coaches under the direction of USA Archery National Head Coach Kisik Lee.

Though archery is primarily an individual sport the Junior Dream Team program endeavors to teach and instill a team attitude, pride, camaraderie and the Olympic spirit.  Each training day begins before breakfast with physical training or conditioning followed after breakfast by a combination of classroom lectures or on field training activities.  After dinner activities include lecture, round table discussion, video review and always end with specific physical training.   During the school year Two hours are set aside each night as a study hall.  The coaching staff is available to assist with homework and academics if necessary.

Lecture topics cover a variety of subjects including equipment, strength and condition, nutrition, sports psychology, goal setting, training plans and objectives, injury prevention or simply an “Olympic Dream” Presentation by a past Olympian.  On field activities are generally intensive archery specific activities.  However, may include “team building” activities, cross training opportunities such as softball on the USA Softball field or learning the basics of rugby from the USA national rugby team.

In addition to learning the B.E.S.T (Biomechanically Efficient shooting Technique) system refining their archery form, the team participates in strength and conditioning, sports psychology and equipment programs.  Each athlete is assigned a regional coach to maintain weekly contact and address any training issues that may arise between camps.

The 2007 Junior Dream Team Members trained a total of fifty days at the United States Olympic Training center in Chula Vista, California and competed at the 2006 Junior and Cadet World Championships, 2007 Indoor national championships, 2007 JOAD National Championships, 123rd National Target Championships, and the 2008 Olympic Team Selection Trials first nomination shoot.  Winning a total of ten national championships, five second and six third placements, additionally two Team members finished in the top 20 at the United States Open Archery Championships and three team members finished in the top 25 at the US Olympic Trials.

At the conclusion of the 2007 national competition season two team members were selected for and accepted placement in the 2008 USA Archery Resident Athlete program also in Chula Vista, Ca with an additional fourteen members retained for 2008.  After review at JOAD nationals and Target Nationals, 20 candidates were invited to attend the august training camp in Chula Vista for further review, consideration and observation Seventeen elected to participate in the program. Due primarily to budget considerations thirteen were ultimately selected for membership on the 2008 Junior Dream Team.  Rounding out the selection process Coach Lee added an additional seven coaches and staff bringing the total coaches and staff from seven to thirteen.

The Junior Dream Team members have proven to be an extremely motivated group of young athletes.  They are eager to learn, eager to improve, extremely competitive, and work extraordinarily well together.  During training camps the athletes have developed their own motto that sums up their attitude perfectly …” If you're five minutes early. You're already ten minutes late!”