For most high school student athletes, a state championship is their biggest achievement. It’s what every team strives to win each season. But for senior Michael Sweet, his greatest achievement, as far as sports goes, was a little more than states.
During February vacation, Sweet took first place in his event in the JOAD (Junior Olympic Archery Development) and U.S. Indoor Nationals tournament.
“I was shocked,” Sweet said. “I really didn’t think I was gonna take first.”
On February 19, Sweet traveled down to Sturbridge, Massachusetts. There, he competed in the “Junior Barebow” event against three other archers. When Sweet scored the most points, he won the event. This was only his first time at Nationals.
Sweet practices archery with his team, Pioneer JOAD, based out of Dunbarton, New Hampshire. Altogether, the team took home 17 trophies at Nationals, where approximately 200 archers from states across New England and New York competed.
Six years ago, Sweet picked up a bow for the first time while in the fifth grade when he was introduced to archery by a friend.
“It was a little tricky the first time,” Sweet said. “But as I continued doing it, it got better and better.”
Aside from Nationals, Sweet also competes in many other tournaments, in which he “usually places first.”
