Archery’s ‘pop culture moment’

Who’s signed up for archery lessons?!  Looks like the Hunger Games phenomenon has encouraged many people to do just that!  Check out the story below that gives some interesting details to just how popular archery has become in light of the Hunger Games’ success.

On movie posters all over the world, “The Hunger Games” heroine Katniss Everdeen poses in her signature move—bow flexed with the string resting ominously on her face, eyes steely and an arrow pointing straight at you.

And, now, it seems her fierce signature move has rubbed off on Katniss wannabes everywhere, in the form of newfound interest in the sport of archery.

“There’s been a massive uptick in interest, especially in the past two to three weeks with the opening of “The Hunger Games,” Teresa Iaconi, spokeswoman for USA Archery, told ABCNews.com. “As the books gained popularity and people started hearing the movie was coming out, interest started to soar.”

In the movie, Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen uses her archery expertise to dominate the Hunger Games, a violent competition in which children and teens are forced by the government to compete against one another in a fight to the death.

In addition to “The Hunger Games,” a slew of upcoming movies and TV shows feature characters who glamorize the age-old sport of archery, giving it a new edge.

The upcoming superhero movie “Avengers” features the character of Hawkeye, a sharp-shooting archer. “Brave,” a forthcoming Disney-Pixar animated movie, centers around a red-headed princess named Merida whose archery skills help her battle an evil lord. And the CW has announced a new TV show about “Green Arrow,” one of DC Comics’ heroes.

“Archery is definitely having its pop culture moment,” Iaconi said. “I have a feeling it’s the next big thing.”

USA Archery has seen a dramatic increase in their number ofTwitter followers, Facebook fans and visits to their website.

In New York, the New York Sports Club has introduced a fitness class called “Train Like a Tribute” and gyms across the country have rolled out similarly themed classes, many of which include archery exercises.

“I think what’s really happening is that with “The Hunger Games” books, Suzanne Collins has really made archery popular again,” Iaconi said. “Young men, and especially young women, have a hero in Katniss Everdeen and, by the way, she shoots a bow and she’s cool.”

Read the complete story HERE

Source: ABC News