Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Schweighart Shootout Bringing 850 Student Archers to Champaign

Champaign, IL – The 4th Annual Schweighart Shootout, hosted by Jefferson Middle School's Archery program, will be held Friday and Saturday, January 27-28, at Jefferson Middle School and the Champaign Park District Leonhard Center (near Jefferson Middle School). With over 700 archers registered expecting 850, this archery tournament is the largest in the State besides the State tournament.

In 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 the Jefferson Middle School Archery program have been State Champions! They are 11th in the Nation and 11th in the World. "I cannot be more proud of the dedication, hard work, and maturity these kids demonstrate, states Jason Brown, the head coach of the Jefferson Archery Team. "Since the archery programs inception 6 years ago, this sport has given kids who may not have been the biggest, fastest, or physically the strongest an opportunity to be part of a team. The teams have continued to grow over the years with this year being the biggest at 100 archers."

Because archery is not an IESA-sanctioned sport, the team, which receives no financial support, must rely on community sponsors. Unit 4 does graciously provide transportation throughout the season. "It's been difficult to get the community excited about archery as our tournaments have not been held locally," explains Coach Brown. "By being able to host this tournament in our own backyard, our administrators, family, friends and the community as a whole will be exposed to how hard the students work to be competitive. By having a local tournament, we expect even more interest from students as they begin middle school."

"Without our dedicated group of parent volunteers and the community support this tournament and the archery program would not be possible and for that I am very grateful, states Coach Brown."

The Schweighart Shootout is open to the public, there is a spectator admission charge at the door ($3.00 per person kids 12 and under are free). Shooting on Friday, January 27, begins at 5 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. while on Saturday, January 28, shooting begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. For more information on the tournament, contact Jason Brown at jeffersonarchery@gmail.com or call 217-841-2638.

With over 700 registered archers expecting 850 and multiple family members in attendance, the Champaign County area can expect to see an abundance of visitors in restaurants, shops and attractions during the tournament.

About Jefferson Middle School
Jefferson Middle School, one of three middle schools in the Champaign Unit 4 School District, serves more than 700 students daily and has been part of the community since it opened its doors in 1960. The school is committed to connecting students to their futures through academic excellence, developmental responsiveness and social equity. For more information on Jefferson Middle School, visit www.champaignschools.org.