Camp Archery Association

The Camp Archery Association has been running youth archery recognition programs for over 85 years. They're not a range or a retail shop—they're the organizational backbone that helps camps, schools, recreation departments, and archery ranges track archer progress and hand out legitimate awards.

Only organizations can become members. That includes:

• •Summer camps (day and residential)
• •Schools
• •Municipal recreation departments
• •Archery ranges
• •YMCAs
• •Any outfit offering archery instruction to young people

Individuals cannot join or purchase awards directly.

The core membership includes:

• •Right to use the copyrighted CAA archery program
• •Administrative tools for running the program
• •Authority to award CAA pins, medals, patches, and cards
• •Permission to use CAA name and logo in marketing
• •Annual membership fee: $45/calendar year

Membership is active after application approval and payment. The fee must be paid before your first award order of the year.

The CAA recognizes achievement across five difficulty levels, each tied to shooting distance from target:

Qualification is based on cumulative points from shooting 30 arrows at the target distance.

Achievements are recognized through four different physical award types:

Award Cards Business card-sized awards printed on quality stock. Include award name, requirements, space for camp name, archer name, and date. Usually presented with other awards but work as stand-alones too.

Cloth Awards: Patches and Chevrons Durable embroidered fabric that irons or sews onto caps and garments. Sizes range from 3" round patches to 3" × 4" pieces.

Pins and Medals Colorful enamel-on-metal awards ranging from 3/4" to 2" diameter. Bowman First Rank and Archer First Rank medals come with tri-colored ribbons and pin-on backs (also available without ribbons for sewing). Junior awards come with rings for attaching to corresponding loops.

Wallet Cards Small format recognition cards.

The CAA is explicit about what it's NOT: it's not about setting sport standards, declaring universal equipment rules, or creating inter-camp competition. Archers compete against themselves and their own skill development.

"Participants in our programs compete only against themselves in an effort to develop their skills and be the best they can be given the equipment and environment that they have."

Individual camps can standardize equipment or divide archers into groups by equipment type to keep things fair locally.

Camp directors appreciate: - Fun programming that creates happy campers - Low cost structure (just membership fee + award costs) - Easy administration - Customizable to each camp's needs - Multi-generational value (parents/grandparents were likely in the program)

Parents see: - Real life lessons about commitment, practice, and mentorship extending beyond archery - Their child's confidence and self-image development - Concrete recognition of achievement they can verify

Young archers love: - The challenge of escalating goals - Being recognized for real accomplishment - Talking about awards with camp friends and family - Being part of something that existed for parents and grandparents

The CAA has simple requirements for all members:

1. Place targets at the required distances (or use proportionately smaller target faces if space doesn't allow full distance) 2. Limit archers to 30 "counting" arrows per attempt (vs. practice shots) 3. Score accurately and grant awards fairly

Complete the membership application (available online or as downloadable PDF mail-in form) and submit with payment. Organizations in good standing may use the program and related materials.

Camp Archery Association 42 Lutheran Drive Nashua, NH 03063 Phone: 603-821-7393 Email: [email protected]