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The Dixon Shooting Range, Southwest Virginia’s premier destination for shooting sports, recently played host to a heartwarming and highly competitive Virginia S3DA 3D State Championship. Located in the scenic town of Clintwood, the Dixon Shooting Range is more than just a facility – it’s a hub for youth development, where safety and sportsmanship take center stage. At the heart of this mission are Virginia S3DA State Coordinator, Crystal Winebarger and her husband, Hubert Winebarger, who also serves as the State Conservation Coordinator. The Winebargers are working tirelessly to expand opportunities for young archers across the region.
“Our goal is to give every child the chance to try archery,” said Crystal Winebarger. “This sport can open doors to lifelong friendships, personal growth, and even college scholarships.”
The recent tournament saw archers from three Virginia S3DA teams come together for a day of competition, camaraderie, and celebration. The range echoed with encouragement as competitors exchanged fist bumps and high-fives, highlighting the supportive nature of the S3DA community.
“I am so proud to have all of these awesome kids, coaches, and teams in my state,” Crystal Winebarger added. “They support each other like one big family. The friendships they’ve built are so strong, you wouldn’t even know they were competitors if not for the team jerseys.”
The day concluded with the presentation of Virginia S3DA Shooter of the Year awards and state tournament trophies. Special recognition was given to Bobby Mullions, the range supervisor and safety officer, for his unwavering commitment to youth archery. “Bobby has gone above and beyond for this program, simply because he loves seeing the kids smile,” said Winebarger.
Hosting the event not only showcased the range’s potential but also increased awareness of the Virginia S3DA program. Coverage from local news station WCYB helped spread the word, capturing live action and interviews with participants.
Virginia S3DA invites families and community members across the state to learn more about youth archery opportunities. For more information, visit the Virginia S3DA Facebook page or contact State Coordinator Crystal Winebarger at cgshlw@gmail.com.
About Scholastic 3-D Archery
Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA) is a unique, family-oriented youth archery program which has grown exponentially across the United States as a next-step initiative to follow introductory archery programs. The mission of the Scholastic 3-D Archery program is to foster, educate and guide youth in the areas of 3D, indoor target, and outdoor target archery as well as safe, ethical bowhunting practices. The goal of the S3DA program is to provide archery and bowhunting opportunities to youth in after-school settings, as well as with archery-affiliated clubs and businesses in the community. S3DA youth participate in 3D and target archery using compound and traditional archery equipment. Youth members can participate at regional, state and national archery events and earn college scholarships from colleges and universities across the United States. S3DA addresses the need for a program to bridge beginning target archery experience and more advanced activities such as 3D shooting and bowhunting. The program currently operates across the United States with hundreds of certified coaches serving thousands of youth archers.
Contact the Scholastic 3-D Archery National Office at: www.s3da.net or 410 Sycamore Street, Williamsburg, KY 40769, Ph: 606.524.3685
Media contact
Kayla Bolton
Ph: 423.494.2204