King Arthur Tournament 2025: What You Told Us

By Jim Walker, San Diego Archers

Thanks to everyone who shared feedback on this year’s King Arthur Archery Tournament. We dug into every comment to see what worked, what didn’t, and where we can make the next one even better. Here’s what stood out.

★ Overall Experience: You’re Loving It

A solid 83% of participants gave the tournament a 4 or 5 out of 5, and just as many said they’d definitely recommend it to a friend. That’s the kind of support that keeps this community growing—and we’re grateful.

★ Organization + Volunteer Team: All Thumbs Up

Across the board, folks praised how well things were run. “Good” to “Excellent” ratings were the norm. Two people even used the word “excellent” specifically when talking about our volunteer team. That’s especially rewarding, since every San Diego Archers tournament is fully volunteer-run and donation-funded. No paid staff. Just folks who care.

★ The Archery Itself: Smooth and Fun

Range Setup: Everyone ranked it “Good” to “Excellent.” That tells us the course is in great shape.
Rules: Most people found them clear. One new archer mentioned it wasn’t obvious you could start at any target—so we’ll highlight that better in the future.
Atmosphere: People had a blast. Comments mentioned the iron target, and shooting with friends as highlights.

⚠ What Could Be Better

We also got constructive feedback—and we’re listening.

🎭 Costume Contest Confusion

One participant had strong concerns about fairness. The main points:

Judging felt biased. They felt some well-made, period-accurate costumes were overlooked in favor of flashier or less authentic ones.
Suggestion: Bring back participant voting, but only hand out name tags and ballots after the shoot. That way, votes aren’t based on early impressions or friendships.

Also surprising—33% of respondents didn’t know the grand prize was a traditional bow worth over $200. That’s on us. We’ll make sure everyone knows what’s up for grabs next time.

🥪 Food & Drink Timing

While most said food availability was “Good,” one shooter said they were hungry and dehydrated toward the end of their day—around target 30. That suggests we may need longer or staggered food service windows to better match everyone’s schedule.

📣 Event Communication

A few people asked for more detailed info upfront—like when shooting starts, when the raffle happens, etc. We’ll aim to tighten that up for 2026.

One note on scorecards: A participant suggested captains hold onto them throughout the event to avoid misplacement. Noted.

☀️ Summer Heat = A Hot Topic

The weather was no joke this year. At least one person said the heat really affected their experience and suggested holding the event earlier in the season. May or early June 2026 came up more than once.

🧡 We’re All Volunteers—And That Matters

A third of respondents didn’t know this tournament (and every SDA event) is 100% volunteer-powered and funded by donations. That’s something we’ll promote more clearly—it matters. When people know, they’re more likely to lend a hand or chip in.

🔧 Read Me in 2026!

Costume Contest:
- Return to participant voting, but hand out ballots after the shoot to reduce bias.
- Clarify prize value (e.g., traditional bow worth over $200) to encourage more participation.
Food & Beverage:
- Extend or stagger food service hours to match archers’ shooting schedules.
- Consider offering light snacks or hydration stations around the course.
Event Communication:
- Provide a clear, posted schedule (start time, raffle drawing, etc.).
- Remind participants they can start at any target to ease confusion for newcomers.
- Assign scorecard responsibility to team captains for better tracking.
Timing & Climate:
- Consider moving the event to May or early June to avoid excessive heat.
Volunteer Awareness:
- Promote that the tournament is 100% volunteer-run and donation-funded.
- Add signage or brief announcements

King Arthur Tournament Results – June 15, 2025

Final Tournament Scores are In!

View the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Shooters Scores Below:

☞ View Full Scorecard

Notes:

31 Attended and did not register online.
85 Registered online.
76 Scores were posted. Corrections below: None.
92 Signed Waivers.

Tournament notes: Perfect day, cool in the morning, 80 degrees F. Setup took from 6 – 9 a.m. to complete. Volunteers included Travis, Russ, Jim Walker, Roo, Nate, Sandra Bross, Ken Bross, Ignacio, Scott Penner, Clarissa, Rich Jones and an unhoused person who offered to help.
Misentered scores awaiting correction: None. No x’s in this novelty tournament.
Scoring ties: None.
Late Score Postings (not previously included in the day-of tournament scores): None

* Scores must be submitted by 3 pm on the day of shoot to qualify for awards.

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Posted on June 17, 2025 by SDA.

Targeting Change: Ellie Howe’s Mission to Bring Archery to East County

By Jim Walker, San Diego Archers

A New Landmark for East County Archers: The Kumeyaay Valley Range Opens

Opening Ceremony and Key Supporters

On May 14, 2025, I stood among friends, fellow archers, county leaders, and neighbors, all gathered under a clear Lakeside sky to watch a ribbon get cut—but this wasn’t just any ribbon. As a member of the San Diego Archers, I can say this day was a long time coming. The East County Archery Range at Kumeyaay Valley County Park is now open, and it’s more than just another target range. It’s a win for every East County archer who’s ever wished for a decent spot to shoot without trekking to Balboa Park.

Mariko Nakawatase, representing Supervisor Joel Anderson‘s office, was there, along with Parks and Rec Director Jason Hemmens and his colleague Josh Bugiel, whose energy was instrumental in securing the park’s funding and official designation. Also present was one of the project’s earliest champions, a Navy SEAL turned adaptive archery advocate, Nicholas North, who laid much of the initial groundwork starting in 2020. But the day’s spotlight deservedly shone on Ellie Howe. She’s a powerhouse young archer, already on the US Under-18 Women’s Barebow Team. While her influential internship and powerful advocacy brought a groundswell of public support, it was the moment her efforts converged with the work of North and the vital project management by Bugiel that truly made the project take off like a rocket. The fact that she helped cut the ribbon felt like the perfect full-circle moment for a true community victory.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the East County Archery Range at Kumeyaay Valley County Park

Ribbon-cutting ceremony at the East County Archery Range. Image credit: Jim Walker

Why This Range Matters to East County Archers

To be honest, we’ve needed this range for a while. Until now, East County archers had nowhere public to practice. Most folks I shoot with either make the long drive to Morley Field or cobble together practice time in their backyards. Not ideal. Now, with the range just off Ashwood Street in Lakeside, it’s finally easy to walk out and get some real ends in without burning a gallon of gas. It’s open daily, it’s free to use, and yes—it’s ADA-compliant, which means everyone gets a shot. That’s how it should be.

View of the East County archery range. Image credit: Jim Walker

Meet Ellie Howe: Archer and Advocate

I’ve watched a lot of young archers rise up through the ranks, but Ellie’s different. She’s driven, sharp, and ridiculously talented. She picked up archery again in her early teens, and by the time most kids are still figuring out their anchor point, she was breaking records across California. In fact, she holds every California state record for U18 women’s barebow—and if that wasn’t enough, she’s gunning for a spot in the 2028 LA Olympics. And honestly? I’d put money on her making it.

Elizabeth ‘Ellie’ Howe, record-holding archer. Image credit: @ellie_archery AZ Cup 2025

Making Archery Accessible for Everyone

Here’s the thing about Ellie—she’s not just out to win medals. She gives back. She teaches at LionHeart Academy in El Cajon and puts just as much heart into mentoring as she does into training. When she noticed East County didn’t have a public range, she didn’t shrug it off. She started a petition, pulled in nearly 1,000 signatures, and teamed up with county officials. That’s leadership, plain and simple.

This range? It’s here because Ellie cared enough to do something. She wanted a place where anyone—from a curious kid to a seasoned bowhunter—could step onto a range and just shoot. No big fees. No long drives. No red tape. Just a clean shot at trying something new, or getting better at something you already love.

San Diego Archers