National Archery Day:

Recognizing one of the most ancient sports that we ever know, the National Archery Day is celebrated every year in May, on the second Saturday of the month.

Twitter Hashtags:

#NationalArcheryDay

#ArcheryDay

Related: Other National Days Celebrated on May:

National Women’s Checkup Day

National Receptionists’ Day

Why National Archery Day?

Many researchers consider that Archery has been in existence ever since the discovery of arrowheads by Africans. There is evidence which dates back to as early as 2800BC which indicates that archery was used during battle and for hunting. Archery is not just a defensive art or a game but it also has multiple other benefits like increasing the confidence of the players, being self-motivating and gives a person a sense of safety. It is also known to improve hand-eye coordination, balance, and better stability. And that is why the sport itself needs a day to honor the players and the sport itself for the kind of accomplishment it provides to oneself.

How can we celebrate National Archery Day:

Celebrated every year in the month of May, on the second Saturday when the NASP tournament is held, the National Archery Day is a day to remember. And you can now make this day even more memorable with some simple steps. Here is what you can do to make it a memorable event.

1. The best way to celebrate the game of Archery is to learn the sport itself and you can do that by enrolling for the same.
2. You can also honor some of the known archers in your circle on this day and commend them for their contribution to the game.
3. If you can, you can also participate if not as a participant but as a spectator in the NASP tournament held in Kentucky during the month of May.
4. Share your thoughts, views, and your ideas to commemorate this day on your social media pages with the hashtag #NationalArcheryDay. And if you are an archer then you can use this day to share the activities you undertake on this day.

You don’t have to be an archer to be celebrating this day and yet you can make the day memorable and learn a new game that builds your physical and mental stamina.

Interesting facts about National Archery Day:

Archery has a history dating back to nearly 3000 years and needless to say there are some interesting facts in history about this game. On this day, let us get to know some of them.

1. Research shows the evidence of bows and arrows being used in combat dates back to nearly 2340BC and in Babylonia.
2. It was in 1900 when archery was introduced into Olympics. But the popularity of the game has been growing steadily in recent years thanks to NASP.
3. The arrows released in competitions like the Olympics travel at a speed of 150 mph which is higher than the speed of the fastest animal Cheetah.
4. The design of the recurve bow used in the current Olympics is a design dating back to 1500 BC.
5. The national sport of Bhutan is archery, and it is probably the only kingdom to have this as a national sport. And every village in the Kingdom of Bhutan is said to have an archery range.
6. The longbowman from the Middle Ages was so skilled that they can release an arrow every 5-6 seconds meaning about 10-12 arrows in a minute.
7. The most number of medals in the Olympics for Archery has been won by South Korea.
8. The word archery is derived from the Latin word Arcus, translating to bow.
9. While archery was primarily used in combat, as a game it is one of the safest to take up, safer than the games of ping pong and bowling in fact.

History of National Archery Day:

The initiation of this day dates back to the year 2015, even though archery itself has a history dating back to many thousands of years ago. The day was declared in 2015 by the National Day Calendar Registrar to be celebrated on the second Saturday of May every year. This was based on the submission from the NASP (National Archery in Schools Program). The second Saturday of May is when the archery tournament from NASP is held and more than 11500 students from all over the country reach Kentucky, to be part of the tournament. This event marks the end of the school year for archery.