Kate Miller has been competing in the sport of Archery for the past six years. She attends Pinnacle Classical Academy, in Shelby, NC, where her journey with the sport began in the fifth grade.
“Archery from a practical perspective, is not a sport that I would have thought that I could have ever been able to participate in. I was born with a condition that resulted in low vision, which has since improved significantly.” Instead of treating it as an excuse, Kate has opted to make the most of her circumstances. “With the aid of my parents, doctors, coach, and staff from Ben Pearson, AEP Archery, Lenses by Brian Stokes, and TruBall, my bow is designed to the specifications to correct as many of the vision loss issues as possible.”
Kate at the 2018 Virginia Commonwealth Games – Gold Medal
Kate currently competes in the Girls High School Open Class, for 3D targets, Field, and Indoor ranges. She participates on the Pinnacle Classical Academy Thunderbird Travel Team, and has been fortunate to work with the same coach throughout her experiences at the school, Todd Tongel.
During the spring and summer months, travel team members are encouraged to schedule their own weekly competitions among the different circuits in North Carolina. Archers are also urged to compete in other State and National events in order to push their boundaries and test their skills against different competitors. So, in addition to being a member of the school travel team, Kate and her family travel to various states for new events. Archery has taken her to Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Illinois thus far.
When I asked her to pick her favorite event, she chose the Commonwealth Games in Virginia from last year. “I won in my Class at that event and met some really interesting people. No one was more surprised than me when I won second place at the 2018 North Carolina S3DA Indoor and Outdoor 3D Championships, and then first place at the Commonwealth Games in Virginia in my Class!”
During our conversation, I asked Kate, “What interests you most in the sport of archery?”
“The most interesting part of archery for me is the trails that we see both in North Carolina and the other states that I have traveled to over the years and in different seasons. I like to see the unique and unexpected beauty during what is usually pretty rugged walking. I like to take pictures!” She added that “While archery continues to be a challenge, it is one that I am excited to continue to work towards.”
Kate told me that her goal is to earn a college scholarship in order to help her pursue her future career. In addition to archery, Kate is passionate about 2D art! She also loves music (plays an instrument as well!), movies (both old and new), as well as reading.
Kate at the 2019 Powerade State Games – Gold Medal
I asked Kate to recap her experiences at the 2019 Powerade State Games.
“This past weekend was packed with archery! My High School Team won the NC S3DA State Championship on Saturday. I won the last NC Western Circuit shoot in SC Sunday morning and then went directly to the Powerade Games Sunday afternoon. The Powerade State Games was by far my favorite course! It was very well organized, beautiful land, and the archers and hosts were so nice. Some people even brought their pets! I look forward to next year.”
Kate will be representing North Carolina when she competes at the State Games of America in Lynchburg, VA August 2nd-3rd. This event will feature athletes from across the country who have medaled in their respective sports and should make for high-caliber competition. More information on the State Games of America and a complete listing of Sports offered can be found on their website at stategamesofamerica.com/
Best of luck to Kate as she goes for the gold and represents our state at the national level!