Tips for Today from World Champion Archer, Paige Pearce
An Exclusive Interview With This Winning, Female Success
Right before COVID-19 hit, Paige Pearce had her best indoor archery season yet. She won the Iowa Pro-Am and broke a new record as the first person to win both the Indoor World Cup Final and the Vegas Shoot (which is the Super Bowl of archery) in the same weekend. Plus, she won the Indoor World Cup in Sydney Australia in addition to several other events this year.
As a determined competitor since the age of 13, Paige has won archery competitions worldwide and is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to success. Not only is she a world-renowned athlete, but she also runs a non-profit called Kids Outdoor Sports Camp, works as an Associate at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Redding, CA where she helps others learn more about archery, and she is also currently working on her business degree and a new business venture.
I caught up with Paige to get her success insights for you, and here are her thoughts…
What have you been up to recently?
Paige Pearce teaches children her love of archery.
Although everything stopped with COVID-19, I was able to run the Kids Outdoor Sports Camp this summer, practice shooting and work on my last session towards my business administration degree. I’m also in negotiations for a new business where I’ll be able share my love of archery with people who don’t have access to it now, especially woman.
Why is this important? What challenges have you faced as a woman in your competitive sporting life?
First and foremost, women and men in archery are not paid the same, so you have to be an incredibly stand-out woman competitor to get even half the contract of what the average male archer would get. We do not compete together, but men can basically win one big tournament and get a really good contract. As women, we have to prove ourselves and win consistently for several years to get a similar contract so it’s much harder.
Right now, I have some fantastic sponsors, but I definitely worked hard to get them. In fact, I’ve been winning, or at least podiuming, at seven to fifteen events a year, for years, to earn what I have now. Where for the men, they could podium at two events in one year and get probably an equivalent contract.
This means that women in this sport definitely have to be dedicated and consistently at the top to really be successful. If you’re not winning, you’re not making money so it’s hard.
It sounds very challenging. Why do you think women should try archery?
Women should know that archery is for everyone, and anyone can do it. You don’t have to be strong, physically fit or to be able to jump high, run fast or throw a ball like in other sports. You just need to have patience and be willing to put some effort in to be a good archer. It’s very interesting because if you look at the shapes, sizes and ages of professional archers, they vary drastically. And I think that’s really unique within our sport.
Let’s say women wanted to get into archery. What would they do to find out more?
Here’s what’s cool. They don’t have to go try and do it at some professional level. There are so many local tournaments, clubs and ranges that people don’t even realize are there.
Obviously, I help people get into the sport on a regular basis as a Sportsman’s Warehouse Associate. I take measurements and set people up with all the different adjustable bows and equipment they need so they can test them out. We have a full bow press, tuners and even have a shooting lane where I can teach proper form and technique and make appropriate adjustments from the very beginning. Newbies get to test their bow and get the proper fit from a trained technician so they can start the sport the right way and be successful.
Archery is also something you can do with your entire family. You, your spouse, kids and more can learn and practice together, walk around tournaments in the same group, and just shoot and have fun. In fact, it’s not rare to see three generations of family members shooting in the same group out there on the weekend just having a good time together. And there are not many other sports where that’s a possibility.
Paige in her element!
You have a lot going on, and it seems like you are very successful at most of the things you set your mind to doing. What are some secrets to your success that you can share?
Honestly, I feel like motivation isn’t really something that can be taught. I feel like people have that or they don’t. At least, that’s what I’ve come across through archery, work, school and everything else. I’m just an incredibly type A personality. If I do something, I want to be the best at it. I want to be successful, and I really don’t do well just like sitting and not doing very much.
Because since I was, let’s say, 13, I made the USA Archery Team and have been traveling with them ever since. I’ve been kind of traveling the country, and I didn’t really live a normal, typical life that most kids would.
That’s just my normal, and I really enjoy what I do. I have a passion for everything that I get to do through archery. And I think that makes it a lot easier to stay motivated and not get burned out.
And it sounds like you found your passion pretty early in life.
What tips do you have for other women who are trying to find themselves and reach their goals?
Don’t stop looking or give up. Everyone’s going to have their niche, and you can find a way to make what you love into a career. As I’ve grown up, and the industry has changed and sponsors have come in, it’s one of those things that I always wished that could happen and it did. I just got up every morning with the goals I wanted to achieve and focused on what I needed to do each day to make them happen.
I think that it’s really easy to look ahead and be intimidated. But if you just take it one day at a time, whatever you’re working towards really doesn’t seem that overwhelming.
Excellent tips. Since you were stuck at home during the pandemic, what insights did you learn that you can share with us?
Archery is a great sport for women!
The pandemic shows us that truly anything can happen, and you need to be prepared for anything. Plus, you need to be patient and continue to work toward your goals behind the scenes.
Normally, I’m out competing and doing everything actively all the time. But there are no events, and everything is shut down. So, I’m still working hard and just preparing for when we get to start up again. It definitely emphasizes the fact that you need to save money and be smart with your finances for any potential setbacks that arise.
With the extra time I had without traveling, I also created videos about archery with my own logo and brand, called In Sight. I learned how to do video editing on my own, and the video series helps me reach a lot of people and teach new things about the sport. It was a lot of fun.
I’ve also learned that I need to take better care of myself. I’ve focused on my goals for so long that this pandemic has showed me that it’s important to stop and smell the roses and have some fun outside of what I do every day.
Thanks so much, Paige. Is there anything else you would like to add?
I would just say, as far as archery goes, that if someone has never tried it and they’re not doing their full, normal daily schedule with what’s going on right now, I think now’s a better time than ever to try something new and have something positive come out of all the shut-downs.
Are you ready to pursue your goals like Paige?
To get in touch with Paige, you can visit her in person at the Sportsman’s Warehouse in Redding, CA, learn more at https://www.teamusa.org/usa-archery/athletes/Paige-Pearce or visit her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/paigepearce_in_sight.
Author Melanie Rembrandt is an award-winning published writer, sought-after speaker and content strategy expert who helps entrepreneurs boost sales, awareness and credibility fast with a unique combination of targeted, SEO copywriting and public relations. For more information, tips and insights, visit https://www.rembrandtwrites.com.
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