ORWIGSBURG, Pa. — Maggie Brensinger from Saint Clair competes with her archery team out of the Gillingham Charter School in Pottsville, and trains at Grass Hollow Archery in Orwigsburg with owner and coach Frank McDonough. In March Maggie crowned as the #1 Youth National In-Door champion in the Barebow Cadet Women's Division-a competition held for the last 51 years. Archers taking their shots at 13 different locations across the country. Maggie competing in Lancaster.
"If you shot a certain week you had to wait until the entire nationals was over which honestly was very nerve-racking," said Maggie.
Maggie has all 11 Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) pins-that's the highest honor in archery. And after a stellar outdoor season in 2019 where she placed 1st in the S3DA Outdoor Target Nationals she is stepping up in Barebow a type of archery with no sights, stabilizers, or aiming devices. Qualifying in the 50 meter range for the (IBO) International Bow Hunting Association Nationals takes place in June.
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"My bow is quite literally a stick and a string. I think the only thing that you have on your bow that you can use to adjust your shooting is your plunger," again said Maggie.
She is shooting 50 meters for the first time this year. So this is her first tournament at 50 meters which is the same distance that the senior female Barebow shooters would shoot," said Frank.
After mastering the in-door 18 meter course Maggie has only been out here at the outdoor facility for the last few weeks. This 50 meters is equivalent to 55 yards is magnified with mistakes. The more that she makes here the more that will happen down at the target.
"Remember 50 meters means everything amplifies if you make a mistake back here," added Frank.
This 15 year old loves math and loves school and if the points add up.
"The 10 ring is 10 points," added Maggie.
The IBO World's could be next. They take place at Seven Springs Pennsylvania right after Nationals with the top 40 archers
in every division on site. Steve Lloyd Newswatch 16 sports Schuylkill County.