POTTSVILLE, Pa. — Tucked away on Howard Avenue in Pottsville is Gillingham Charter School. Only 250 students from kindergarten to grade 12 go there, but it's home to some of the top female archers in the state.
"Archery, when I grew up, was never really a sport. It was always your typical basketball, football baseball. Then when I got here, it was all about archery," said athletic director and coach Lenny Martin. "It really brings kids to Gillingham and makes them want to be a part of a program that's unique and different."
This weekend, Gillingham's archery team will be competing in the state tournament at Penn State.
Four girls currently rank as some of the best in their respective divisions across Pennsylvania. Three have already qualified for nationals, which will be held this may in Kentucky.
This small school in Pottsville somehow boasts some of the top archery talent in America.
"I don't really know how this school got it all, but yay!" said Gillingham archer Jordan Brovant.
"It definitely takes mental strength. It takes good form. It takes good consistency and ability to go through your shot process," said Gillingham archer Maggie Brensinger.
and after feeling a little adrenaline rush after hitting the target, I can see why these girls
"For my career, I want to open up an archery thing so anyone can join. It doesn't have to be in a school. Anyone around the country can join and do archery," added Gillingham archer Karissa Teichman.