Georgia Southern University’s Shooting Sports Education Center (SSEC) came alive with zombies and costumed archers of all skill levels to celebrate its 9th annual Zombie Shoot on October 26, 2024.
The event drew a crowd of eager archers to the center, where athletes took part in the beloved Halloween-inspired archery event.
Led by the SSEC's new Head Archery Coach, Ashley Velez, the event was a perfect blend of competition and community fun. Velez is also a USA Archery Level 3 NTS Coach.
The Zombie Shoot was designed as a lighthearted yet skill-focused tournament that serves as both a warm-up for seasoned athletes preparing for the Indoor Season and an inviting introduction for newcomers.
“The Zombie Shoot is a fun shoot that’s designed to get archers back behind their bows to start preparing for Indoor Season,” said the SSEC's Assistant Director, Cassy Pelton. “It’s also meant as an introductory tournament to archers who are thinking about competing but want a safe environment to try it for the first time.”
A signature tradition for the center since its opening year in 2015, the Zombie Shoot encourages participants at all skill levels, from beginners to advanced shooters. “Our event is geared towards all levels, even archers who are brand new to the sport,” Pelton shared. While the center doesn’t provide shooting instruction during the tournament, they take pride in teaching participants how to score, work a tournament, and demonstrate sportsmanship.
Pelton noted that the heart of the event’s success lies in the community’s continued support and involvement. “This continues to be a great event because of our community. Our local community and our archery community come together to put on a really fun tournament, and it continues to be more and more successful every year,” she said.
Looking ahead, the Shooting Sports Education Center invites everyone to participate in its next event: Try Archery on November 25 from 6pm-7:30pm.
Try Archery is for anyone that wishes to discover the thrill of shooting a bow. Our certified coaches will teach the basics of shooting a bow as well as the required safety practices and techniques. Students will have the opportunity to test both recurve and compound bows.
You must register 48 hours prior to event date at the SSEC during regular business hours. Find more details here.
Pelton and her team look forward to welcoming new archers, eager to keep the local archery community growing.
