A little girl wandering around a sporting store, seeing all she can see when suddenly she spots it. A pink archery bow, perfect for her and she knew she had to have it. As she carried it around, she begged her parents, desperate to learn how to shoot an arrow. Senior Tinsley Wynn has been participating and competing in Archery since she was eight years old. Throughout the years, Tinsley said she met a lot of people, loved bonding with her teammates, faced adversity,  and even won the state competition her fifth-grade year. 

Mother, Crystal Wynn, said they were shopping at Big 5 Sporting Goods when Tinsley spotted the pink bow and fell in love, insisting on having it. Tinsley’s parents did not give in at first, believing she would lose interest quickly, but after Tinsley begged and pleaded, they finally gave in, leaving Tinsley beaming with excitement.

“She was in love with it, she never put it down, she held it in her arms the whole way home,” Crystal said. “I was still a little doubtful she would care for it long but I was happy to see how excited she was and how it lit up her face, but I thought, ‘maybe she’ll have lots of fun with it.”

While Tinsley didn’t have time to compete this year, with the craziness of being a senior, she said she still gets her bow out and practices as a hobby.

“It’s very time-consuming, I usually had classes three times a week and competitions on the weekend so I would have to squeeze that in between band, homework, school, and everything else I was involved in,” Tinsley said. “Now it’s just like a fun little hobby, and I like to just look back on the memories I have of it.”

Tinsley said she enjoys archery partly because it’s not a common sport.

“I really like it because it’s something that makes me stand out, and I’m not just blending in with everyone,” Tinsley said. “It’s something unique that I can do that other people can’t do.”

While there are a lot of positive aspects to archery, it has its downsides as well. Tinsley’s greatest obstacle was overcoming the mental challenges associated with shooting.

“My coach always said that archery was about 5% physical and 95% mental; so getting past a lot of the mental part of archery was super hard,” Tinsley said. “So I would shoot and then I’d step away, and I just put in my headphones. I just like to listen to music and get a drink of water, and I like to snack just to help myself calm down.”

The mental aspect of the game wasn’t just a struggle for Tinsley but for her mom as well. Crystal said Tinsley felt like she had to be perfect and that everyone had high expectations of her, so she was always trying to force the perfect shot.

“When that wouldn’t happen she became more and more frustrated and mad with herself, getting in her own head and causing that mental struggle,” Crystal said. “It was hard and hurt my heart to see her so upset with her shooting and wanting to give up at times.”

Aside from the mental aspect, Tinsley said being a girl in the sport also posed some challenges.

“It was a little bit nerve-racking because usually the guys have more stamina so that was a bit harder,” Tinsley said. “Being outnumbered, I would get picked on for being the only girl but I usually still got along with everyone.”

Tinsley said her biggest support has been her family, from her mom making sure she always had the best equipment, no matter the cost. To her grandparents driving from Oklahoma to support her at tournaments. Tinsley said her grandpa always made her laugh whenever she was struggling at competitions, encouraging her.

“Archery is a great sport and it took our family places together, keeping us strong together,” Crystal said. “But when you see how happy it makes her and the love she has for it, money seems like less of an option and you find a way to pay for it.” 

Despite the challenges with the mental game, money, and the time archery takes, Crystal said she’s grateful for what the sport has given them.

“As a mom, my best experience has been witnessing the blessings God has given us each and every day,” Crystal said. “I feel archery is a sport you can do as a family, whether it be shooting together, supporting a shooter, or going to shoots together, it is a family thing and I feel it has made a positive impact on our family in many ways.”