Photo courtesy of Don Orris

The Iowa Summer Games kicks-off this weekend at Iowa State University in Ames, and one set of competitors include some Greene County area youth.

Target archery is a program through the Jefferson Parks and Recreation Department and led by Don Orris and Phil Siglin. They have taken youth competitors over the 20 years of the program and for the first time ever, they will be taking five brothers. Jax, Jayden, Eli, Brady and Maddox Carstenson will be at the Iowa Games July 20th and 21st competing in target archery. Orris says older brothers Jax and Jayden have won medals at the previous Iowa Games. They will also have two other competitors with Wyatt French and Kristin Wailes. Wailes is a previous medal winner and will get to use Olympic Gold Medalist Doreen Wilber’s Gold Medalist Bow in the Games. 

Orris says the kids in the parks and rec program have been working hard. Newcomers start by breaking balloons on a target from a short distance, to hitting balloons from 30-60 yards away. He is pleased with the effort from all participants. The public is invited to watch and cheer on the kids for the two-day event. To find out more, click the link below.

https://www.iowagames.org/event/summer-iowa-games/archery/target-archery/