J.O.A.D. or Junior Olympic Archery Development is open to any youth archer aged 8 to 18. Both recurve and compound bows are used in club activities and in tournaments. JOAD archers who use a compound bow can train to compete in local and regional tournaments, and can earn a seat on a youth world team to compete in other countries representing the United States on behalf of USA Archery.

Recurve archers can compete likewise, with the added benefit of being able to use their recurve bow to try out for a spot on the US Olympic Archery team which is selected and managed by USA Archery.
 

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Q: What is JOAD?

A: Junior Olympic Archery Development or JOAD is administered by USA Archery, the national governing body for the sport of archery. USA Archery is sanctioned by the US Olympic Committee to oversee US Olympic Archery. USA Archery is a member of the word-wide archery organization FITA (Federation Internationale de Tir a l'Arc).

JOAD activities range from beginner instruction and outreach to world championship competition. JOAD missions range from character development to international championship competition.

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Q: Where can I find classes, camps or programs that teach youth archery or JOAD?

A: JOAD Clubs link is a listing many clubs throughout the United States

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Q: What happens at a JOAD program?

A: Depending upon the club, youths are taught the basic safe steps to use a bow and arrow for target archery by trained and certified instructors. Many clubs are managed by an advanced coach who can take the archers beyond the basic skills and help them become top tournament performers.

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Q: Where and when are the sessions?

A: Many programs are offered once a week at a club, recreation agency or archery pro-shop. Contact the "Club" for the schedule. Some clubs are located at a local coach's training academy. Many of them are conducted after school, evenings or during weekends.

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Q: How much does it cost?

A: Most formal programs charge by the session. Contact the "Club" for the cost. The cost typically includes instruction, range fee and equipment use fee for beginners. Advanced JOAD archers often own their own equipment.

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Q: What should I expect?

A: Eight sessions is enough time for the instructors to determine if a youth has potential as an archer. Some will take the experience and move on. Others will want to take the next step further in archery development.

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Q: What is the next step?

A: Equipment, Coaching and training.

Step 1.
Purchasing equipment so that the archer can practice throughout the week is typical.

Purchase equipment that fits right now. It is the only way to develop proper form now. Without proper form now, there will be no later.

Step 2.
Coaching is available from the club instructors or from higher level USA Archery Level 3 and 4 certified coaches. Check out the Instructors and Coaches page for more information A typical coaching schedule ranges from weekly to monthly. Costs vary.

Step 3.
Training: Practice needs to be fun and that often means social. Intermediate and Advanced JOAD club session provide the fun and social element. Practice can also take place at an indoor at outdoor archery range or at home.

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Q: Where can I find out more information?

A: Contact your nearest JOAD State Representative for more information about starting a JOAD club. Check out our club listings for clubs in your area. ALso, you can register to attend a USA Archery instructror certification trainnig course to become a certified instructor. During the course, you can get information from the course instructor on how to start a JOAD club of your own.

Instructor training courses are posted on the Instructors and Coaches page of this website.

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DISCIPLINES
The JOAD program conducts tournament rounds in the disciplines of Indoor Target Archery (JOAD Indoor Round) and Outdoor Target Archery (JOAD Outdoor Round).
 

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DIVISIONS
Competition includes separate divisions for girls and boys, as well as for Olympic, Novice and Compound bows. Equipment regulations for Olympic and Compound divisions are the same as for USA Archery and FITA. A Novice Bow is defined as; any recurve, longbow or compound with no sight, stabilizer, peep or kisser button, and shot only with fingers (glove, tab or bare fingers).

Equipment regulations are listed in the FITA CONSTITUTION AND RULES book, which is found on the FITA website at: www.archery.org. It is recommended that coaches and athletes be aware of these regulations and check the web site regularly for changes.

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CATEGORIES
(These categories are the same for JOAD and USA ARCHERY)

* Junior
Athletes may compete in the Junior class up to and through the year of their 18th birthday. Junior athletes shoot adult distances and target face sizes in both USA Archery and JOAD competitions. Indoor competition is 60 arrows at the 40-cm indoor target face; inner 10 ring for Compound shooters. In outdoor tournaments, ladies shoot 70, 60, 50 and 30 meters; the gentlemen shoot the distances of 90, 70, 50 and 30 meters. Both Olympic and Compound athletes score the outer 10 ring. The Olympic Round (Elimination/OR) is shot at 70 meters.

*Archer
(This class is not offered at national tournaments, and is optional at other tournaments)
Athletes may compete in this class up to and through the year of the 18th birthday. In outdoor tournaments, ladies and gentleman will shoot 60, 50, 40 and 30 meters. Athletes shoot at the outer ten ring in outdoor competition. At indoor tournaments, all athletes shoot the 40-cm target; Compound athletes use the inner ten ring. This class is for beginning archers.

*Cadet
Athletes may compete in this class up to and through the year of their 16th birthday. At indoor tournaments, Cadets shoot adult distances and target face sizes in both USA Archery and JOAD competitions. Indoor competition is 60 arrows at the 40-cm indoor target face; inner 10 ring for Compound shooters. In outdoor tournaments ladies shoot 60, 50, 40 and 30 meters; the gentlemen shoot the distances of 70, 60, 50 and 30 meters. Both Olympic and Compound athletes score the outer 10 ring. The Olympic round (Elimination/OR) is shot at 60 meters.

* Cub
Athletes may compete in this class up and through the year of their 14th birthday. At indoor JOAD tournaments, Cubs shoot at 18 meters. Olympic athletes use a 60-cm target and Compound athletes shoot at a 40-cm target face (outer 10 ring). At USA Archery indoor tournaments, both Olympic and Compound athletes shoot at a 40-cm target. Olympic athletes use the outer 10 ring; Compound athletes use the inner 10 ring. Both Olympic and Compound athletes will shoot 60 arrow rounds at the JOAD and USA ARCHERY Indoor tournaments. In outdoor tournaments, all Cub ladies and gentlemen shoot 50, 40, 30 and 20 meters, using the outer 10 ring. The Olympic Round (Elimination/OR) is shot at 50 meters.

*Bowman
Athletes may compete up to and through the year of their 12th birthday. For indoor JOAD competition the Olympic athlete will shoot at a 60-cm target face (outer 10 ring) and the Compound athlete will shoot at a 40-cm target face (outer 10 ring). At USA Archery Indoor Tournaments, both Olympic and Compound athletes shoot at a 40-cm target. Olympic shooters use the outer 10 ring; Compound shooters use the inner 10 ring. Both Olympic and Compound athletes will shoot 60 arrow rounds at the JOAD and USA ARCHERY Indoor tournaments. In outdoor tournaments, boys and girls both shoot 30, 25, 25, 20 meters. Bowman archers score the outer 10 ring in outdoor competition. The Olympic Round (Elimination/OR) is shot at 30 meters, but is not offered for Bowman at national tournaments.

*Yeoman
Athletes may compete up to and through the year of their 9th birthday. This class is not offered at national tournaments, and is optional at other tournaments. Indoor JOAD rounds are 30 arrows at an appropriate target (Tournament Director's decision). Outdoor rounds for JOAD and USA Archery competition are not official for this age class and it is up to the Tournament Director to decide if a category for this age group will be offered.

*Novice
Athletes may compete up to and through the year of their 18th birthday. This class is not offered at national tournaments, and is optional at other tournaments. Indoor JOAD rounds are 30 arrows as a 60-cm target face (outer 10 ring). Outdoor rounds for JOAD and USA Archery competition are not official for the class and it is up to the Tournament Director to decide if a category for this group will be offered.

NOTE: All outdoor classes shoot the two longer distances at the 122 cm target face (outer 10 ring) and the two shorter distances at the 80 cm target face (outer 10 ring). Please note that Bowman shooters shoot 25 meters twice (once at each size target). All archers shoot 36 arrows at each distance.

 

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