Hawks out of class is a feature column sharing the behind-the-scenes Blue Hawk talent at Rock Hill.

Chloe Lee is a member of the archery team. Her dedication and encouraging personality make her stand out. Lee occupies herself with school, archery and the various clubs she heads. She constantly radiates positivity and can influence those around her to be optimistic.

Hill Top Times: The Rock Hill archery team placed tenth at the state tournament this past week. How do you feel about advancing to nationals?

Chloe Lee: I’m excited to be able to advance to nationals! I’m also nervous about it since it’s my first year [doing archery] and time going to Nationals.

HTT: What are your hopes for nationals?

CL: I hope to have a fun time with my friends and family in Utah while reaching my personal best score.

HTT: When did you start doing archery?

CL: I started archery [last] fall.

HTT: What’s your favorite thing about archery?

CL: My favorite thing about archery is the ability to improve my focus and give every arrow my best ability. Even if I mess up one arrow, I can try and correct my mistakes on the next. One missed shot gives me a chance to do better on the next one by examining what happened to the arrow and what I can do to prevent it from happening again. And of course, shooting a ten and having good grouping [arrow consistency] and accuracy is fun.

HTT: In your opinion, what’s the most challenging part of archery?

CL: The hardest part of archery is maintaining the same form and making sure to thoroughly go through all the 11 steps of archery before releasing each arrow. It’s also difficult to stay steady and have a good stance while being nervous during tournaments.

HTT: How do you prepare for a tournament?

CL: I practice with the string bow that our archery coach provided for us, and I also make sure to stretch and do arm and core exercises. It’s important to pull back all the way to release the most power when shooting a bow. Additionally, I make sure not to eat sugary foods before tournaments.

HTT: How do you balance archery and school?

CL: I’ve been working on my time management as much as possible. I try to plan ahead of time to make sure I can get assignments done and study before tests.

HTT: And finally, what do you like to do outside of archery?

CL: I enjoy spending time with my family, friends and guinea pig. Additionally, I like to play violin and tennis when I have free time.

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