Casey Kaufhold, a rising senior at Conestoga Valley High School (CVHS), is about to have the experience of a lifetime. The 17-year-old will join other members of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Archery Team in Yumenoshima Park in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, July 23, to take part in the planned competitive events.

"(Archery) started as a family thing we would do for fun," said Kaufhold, whose family owns Lancaster Archery on Old Philadelphia Pike in Smoketown. "We had targets set up in the backyard, and I started shooting when I was 3." By the time Kaufhold was 8, the fun had turned a little more serious as she began taking part in competitions. "When I was 13, I did my first international competition, and since then I have been on some international teams," explained Kaufhold, who began going to school online in her freshman year, usually attending in person during the fall semester and virtually in the spring when she was competing. Kaufhold noted that she practices archery about five hours daily, adding that CVHS has been "really great" in working with her to maintain academics along with her competitive archery schedule.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the four stages of Olympic trials for archery were divided, with the first two stages being held in 2019 and the last two being held at the end of May in Salt Lake City, Utah. "There's a qualification round and then eliminations and team rounds," explained Kaufhold, who noted that the trials are set up to simulate events so that organizers can select team members to compete in certain areas. Kaufhold left for Paris, France, on June 10 to qualify for a team spot. She expected to be in Paris for three weeks and then return home for a little over a week before leaving for Tokyo.

Kaufhold explained that at the Olympics, archery competitors shoot from a standard 70 meters. "The qualification round is 72 arrows, and each arrow is worth a possible 10 points," she said. The 64 archers are divided into brackets based on their scores to compete against each other. "There are also team rounds," said Kaufhold, noting that a mixed team will include a man and a woman with each shooting two arrows in rotation. Three-person teams compete as well.

The left-handed Kaufhold uses a Hoyt Olympic recurve bow. She described the sections of the bow, noting that the riser connects all the pieces together and the stabilizers add weight. A spotting scope allows her to see where arrows are going so she can adjust for conditions, such as wind. "I can look through the scope and fix things," she said.

Looking beyond Tokyo, Kaufhold has plans to focus on her senior year at CVHS. "I will take a lighter competition season in the fall and winter," she said, adding that she hopes to complete both semesters in person. "Senior year is important, and I haven't had a full year in school," she noted. After graduation, she is considering a career that involves a pointed instrument reminiscent of an arrow, but much smaller. "I picked up sewing during the lockdown, and I really enjoy it," shared Kaufhold. "I make my own clothing sometimes, and I have made things for friends and family." She is considering a future as a seamstress, tailor, or fashion buyer.