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Archer takes bronze medal in the Senior National Games

By KELLIE DIXON, Times Staff Writer
Published September 4, 2007

Shannon North of Lutz added another medal to his collection after his summer trip to the 2007 Senior National Games in Kentucky.

North took the bronze medal in the barebow compound class among 60- to 64-year-old shooters.

It was the first trip to the Senior Games for North, although the 64-year-old has a loaded resume that includes six Barebow Southeastern Championships and 21 state titles.

Probably the toughest part about the games, he said, was competing on the artificial turf at the Old Cardinal Stadium. North said the field reached 100-plus degrees. Some shooters wore sandals and were in pain, but North had on his insulated camouflage boots and was just fine.

"A lot of the terrain we compete in is out in the field or in the woods, and it's either up or downhill," North said.

North has been involved in the Florida Archery Association for about 20 years, but he started the sport well before that.

He got started shooting about 30 years ago when a friend suggested that they hit the range in Melbourne. The bows and arrows were thicker than they are now.

"I liked the competition," North said. "It's fun, and I just like to shoot."

A retiree from the Department of Defense, North serves as the editor of the Florida Archery Association magazine. He golfs twice a week and shoots whenever he can.

More archery: Two more local folks did well in the 2007 Senior Games - John Sugden of Port Richey and James Pettitt of Hudson.

Sugden finished second in the 75- to 79-year-old division of the Compound Release.

Pettitt finished seventh in the 50- to 54-year-old division of Compound Release.

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[Last modified September 3, 2007, 20:41:41]