NEW ULM, Minnesota – If you're hoping to grow archery in your community, here's an important tool that might help: Schools, agencies, communities, organizations and anyone interested in teaching archery can now download an updated Archery Safety Brochure from the Archery Trade Association (ATA).

In compiling data for this brochure, the ATA used data from a number of reporting organizations, including the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Electronic Injury Surveillance System and Sportscover Injury Calculator.

The ATA brochure compares archery injury rates to those of football, baseball, soccer and other sports, and concludes that archery is one of the nation's safest recreational activities. In fact, soccer, baseball and basketball have injury rates 20 to 45 times higher than archery's injury rate. Per 1,000 participants, archery's injury rate ranks below golf, fishing and tennis, and slightly above badminton, bowling and table tennis.

"Because it involves a bow and arrow, archery might seem unsafe at first glance, especially in areas that don't have archery programs," said Katie Haymes, the ATA's education programs manager. "Our brochure is an excellent tool to show city-council members and school administrators that archery should be embraced, not feared. The data show that even when archery participation increased from 2007 to 2014, the injury rate did not."

The Archery Safety Brochure also outlines instructor certification, a key factor that helps make archery so safe for participants. Certification courses are tested, used and evaluated to maximize safety for participants and spectators in group and individual settings. Certification courses also provide instructors valuable safety knowledge and hands-on experience, which make archery programs more appealing and marketable to people unfamiliar with the sport.

Download the 2016 Archery Safety Brochure or contact Katie Haymes at katiehaymes@archerytrade.org to request a copy.

About the ATA
The Archery Trade Association (ATA) is the organization for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, sales representatives and others working in the archery and bowhunting industry. The ATA has served its members since 1953. It is dedicated to making the industry profitable by decreasing business overhead, reducing taxes and government regulation, and increasing participation in archery and bowhunting. The organization also owns and operates the ATA Trade Show, the archery and bowhunting industry's largest and longest-running trade show worldwide.