Quick Facts
It hasn’t taken Kristen Arsenault long to leave her mark in the sport of archery.
The daughter of Kevin and Michelle Arsenault of AbramVillage has amassed an impressive resumé in just 3 ½ years of competition. The latest accomplishment is selection to Team Canada for the 2017 world youth archery championships in Rosario, Argentina, from Oct. 2 to 8.
“I never thought I would ever be there,” said Arsenault. “I remember when I first started archery, my dad telling me all the things I could do, and I was saying I could never do that. It’s pretty cool to have this chance.”
A total of 41 athletes were competing for the three roster spots in the 15 to 17 Cadet Female Compound Bow Division, and Arsenault finished second in points accumulated.
“For someone to join the sport at 11, and be going to a world youth championship internationally in a country like Argentina competing for your national team at the age of 14 is virtually unheard of,” said provincial coach Duncan Crawford.
One previous highlight in Arsenault’s career was setting a Canadian record for her age division on April 2, 2016. The previous mark was 544, and Arsenault established a new standard of 566.
“That was a huge accomplishment for me to see that I beat the best person in Canada at that time,” said Arsenault, who was introduced to archery by her father.
“My dad decided he would try it, and he asked me if I wanted to go with him just to try it,” explained Arsenault. “I said, ‘Yeah’ and that was right before Christmas. A look at Kristen Arsenault:
School: A Grade 9 student at Evangeline School.
Club: Cass’ Creek Archery Club in Covehead.
Funding: She has received funding through P.E.I. Health and Wellness, Sport P.E.I. and the Canada Games Legacy Fund.
Competitions: Along with attending the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C., the sport of archery has taken her to Ontario and Winnipeg for nationals, Las Vegas for an international competition and all over the Maritimes.
Result: She finished a very respective 15th out of 95 competitors at an international competition in Las Vegas in February 2017.
Kristen Arsenault Quote: “Usually I just do my thing, and do not worry about anyone else. When I first started shooting, I found I was often comparing myself to others.”
Coach Duncan Crawford Quote: “She committed to a plan about two years to develop, she set very high goals and I believe in any athlete who wants to set those as long as they are willing to commit to the work program that’s going to be put in front of them. The higher your goals the harder you are going to have to work, and there’s never been a waver in her commitment Now that she has achieved the goal of making this team, we are back in the process of setting new goals in terms of how she is going to perform and what are her goals beyond this.”
QQQQ“I shot for an afternoon and after we came home we were talking about it, and I was saying I really enjoyed it and it was kind of cool. I hadn’t gone back, but that Christmas dad ordered me a bow. I started going to the range and being coached by a coach, and I started really liking it.
“I never thought I would ever be there. I remember when I first started archery, my dad telling me all the things I could do, and I was saying I could never do that. It’s pretty cool to have this chance.” Kristen Arsenault
“Then (Crawford) asked me if I wanted to try out for the Canada Games team, and a year later I went to the (2015) Canada Games, and ever since then it’s been go, go, go.”
Along with practising her shooting for 1 ½ to two hours
twice a week – the approximate time of a competition – Arsenault also focuses on her core and arms in weight training.
“It’s really just yourself, and a lot of times you are competing against yourself,” said Arsenault in describing a competition. “You are competing against others, but you are really just focusing on you, and I really like that.”
Arsenault added the “mental part” is a huge factor in competitions.
Accuracy, stability and consistency, Crawford said, are also key attributes.
“You are doing the same action over and over,” continued Crawford. “It’s not unlike golf where you can repeat the action and have a similar result, your consistency and accuracy will pay off.
“She has always been a very focused athlete, and she puts the time in. . . She’s very stoic, has great poise and focus, is a natural archer and she developed very quickly.”