The Galveston Archery Club was founded in 1964 and has remained in existence as one of the largest, well-known establishments in Indiana. It was originally developed for people interested in shooting archery and learning the basic fundamentals of competition, and through the years the membership has grown.
The members are always looking to expand and offer people a warm, well-lit, friendly atmosphere for archery competition. You no longer have to be concerned with safety issues shooting in your yard.
The Galveston Archery Club is located at 302½ E. Jackson St. in Galveston. That is on the northeast corner, two blocks east of the intersection of State Road 35 and State Road 18. The entrance is on the northwest side of the old Shaner building and occupies the upstairs portion. You will see the Galveston Archery Club sign above the door. The telephone number of the club is 574-699-7498.
Regular club hours are practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays 6-9 p.m. Tournaments are mainly scheduled on alternating Saturdays and Sundays. Shooting schedules are available at the club.
One of the first things you will notice is the lighting is fantastic and there is plenty of shooting room and seating. There are nice bow racks for holding your bows, and there are 20 shooting lanes. The targets are top of the line target butts that are 20 yards shooting distance. You will not have to be concerned about getting cold or shooting in the rain.
Whether you are well-educated in shooting archery or if you are a beginner, you are always welcome. In the event you need some pointers, there are friendly people who are always willing to help you out. They are even trying to set up a special shooting day and time for youth archers ages 4 to 13. They are proposing Saturdays from 3-5 p.m., and a parent must accompany the youngster. Archery equipment can be furnished by the club. You are asked to contact Paul Gettz at 765-416-3551 in advance.
Rocky Kline is the current president, and he has been a member of the Galveston Archery Club since 1964. Rocky is a certified bow technician and formerly worked for Burton’s Ultimate Outdoors and Roby’s Outdoor Sports. He is also a member of the PSE Archery staff. Randy Davis is the vice-president. Ben Rance is the treasurer, and Don Logan is the secretary.
I talked with several club members. Bryan Clingenpeel has been a member for six years and he stated he has had “great experiences as a club member.” Katie Adelson has been a member for seven years. She won the state championship and will be competing in the national championship. She loves shooting archery. Several other club members will be competing in archery tournaments in Las Vegas where there will be 4,900 shooters from 49 countries.
I am proud to say I am a lifetime member of the Galveston Archery Club, and I was also one of the first 10 members in 1964. I also competed in archery tournaments and numerous work details over the years. I was honored to be a club officer, even serving in the positions of president, vice-president, and secretary. I made several friends and attended meetings representing the club for several decades. I have never met a better group of people.
Archery is an exciting, challenging sport. It is not only for men. It is open to women and youngsters, and the opportunity to advance your archery skills is there for your enjoyment. Archery has become a family sport, and in recent years it has become an Olympic event.
My wife and I both competed at the Galveston Archery Club and other clubs around the area. and we were fortunate enough to win the Husband & Wife Instinctive Team Event at the Indiana Field Archery Association Indoor State Archery tournament. Plus, I finished in third place in the Men’s FS Unlimited Division, and my wife finished in the top three of the Women’s Instinctive individual events.
I would recommend for a great time and as a family event, check out the Galveston Archery Club and see what they have to offer. You will be amazed at how far archery has progressed.