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2025-2026 Garden Warrior Archers Inspire Future Kids to Join Program!

Central Florida Archery, Fitness Challenges, Lake County Florida Outdoor Activities, Physical Fitness Testing and Records, Sports Specific Training, , , , ,

CENTRAL FLORIDA—BY: WEBER WAY TO WELLNESS REPORTER

The Garden Warrior Archery Program is underway for their 2026-2027 season, but first we will have a look back at the 2025-2026 season to get inspired!

Alicia Weber is a USA Archery Level 2 Instructor, fitness innovator with the “Weber Way to Wellness”, and a multi-sport coach of 29 years working with grassroots to Olympic level. Her archery fitness sports league is going on 14 years strong and this past season at least 30 athletes ages 5-16 competed in barebow category archery (without sighting devices), excelled in over 10 fitness obstacles, set records in 10 strength tests, set loads of new bests in speed and agility challenges, achieved fastest run times in a half dozen events, learned and became educated in over 50 Florida plant and animal species, achieved baseline fitness and conditioned to earn new benchmarks in over 20 proper form exercises, and embraced goal setting and good sportsmanship in their 10 events they competed in. ALL of the above were achieved in just 26 sessions of 45 minutes OR JUST UNDER 20 HOURS!!!

Alicia personalizes her training and guides each athlete to their best performances in fitness and archery. She also helps students develop a strong mental attitude with positive thinking as she is also an Elite Mindset Coach and Motivational Speaker.

Below is a look back with select highlights from the 2025-2026 Garden Warrior Archery Season where a total of 10 competitions took place within the 20 hours (these are virtual events at each location’s training grounds). Five Teams competed this year from Orlando and Lake County, Florida to go after the 2025 Fall Championship Team Title and Spring 2026 Championship Team Title.

CHASING MVP STATUS
Archer-Athletes have the ability to compete for most archery points in the 10 scored events and the male and female with highest score at their training location will earn the MVP Award. This past season An All-Time Record was set for Most Archery Points Ever within 10 competitions with 361 points!!

The Thrill of Working with Your Team In Multiple Skills and Events
Each team has athletes with different abilities- some might be more archery-inclined, while others excel in more types of fitness events, but everyone must give it their best to contribute to their team score. As Alicia coaches everyone, it normally comes down to just a few points that separate the top teams. The kids learn that it comes down to determination in a lot of events. Age is just a number. Our youngest team with 5-year-olds beat out the teams with the oldest competitors (14 -16-year-olds) in fall 2025 (just an example of age just a number). The Jr. Rubies (youngest team) placed 2nd out of 5 Teams in Fall 2025. Then, in Spring 2026 the older team at the Orlando location (Red Rubies ages 9-13) won the Team Championship and it came down to just one point in archery to push out some other top teams (Shown above in video)!

Gender is also irrelevant in this program. In archery it comes down to who can be the most focused. This is truly a sport that carries over to improving academics and classroom performance. Archery attracts kids who were failing and now they are back on track and on Honor Roll just as kids who were already exceptional students – they are now skipping grades and at top of class! Some Fitness Events are dominated by females (especially events with multi-tasking), while boys dominate other fitness events.

Above is Video of one of our multi-tasking fitness challenges where the female has the overall record of 11.4 seconds and two boys tie for next best behind her in 11.9 seconds.

WATCH SOLOMON DO OUR HARDEST ARCHERY CHALLENGE WITH PERFECT AIM!
Solomon is a prime example of someone who is determined and focused and he became the only student male or female this past season to complete one of the Toughest Challenges in archery that we have on an assigned target at 7 yards and no practice is allowed. They only get 4 shots and that is it.

SOLOMOM FROM TEAM WARRIORS (WINNING FALL TEAM) AND LUCA FROM TEAM RED RUBIES (WINNING SPRING TEAM) SHARE THE STRICT FORM PULL-UP LEAGUE RECORD (3 REPS)

Solomon was on the winning team in fall 2025. Then, his team placed 3rd in Spring 2026, while the Red Rubies won in Spring 2026. The Red Rubies had been defeated for a couple of years. They lost their MVP from 2024-2025, so they all had to step up their game. They were able to keep their positive attitude and finally achieve their long-awaiting team victory after a disappointing 3rd place team finish in the fall. Achieving fitness all-time records are 60 point bonus for teams, so both of their teams earned 60 points for sharing this pull-up record.

Kids can attempt to Achieve Fitness Benchmarks for 30 points for their Team!
Only 4 students achieved this tough fitness benchmark this season where only 2 reps were required of this “Commando Grip Flexed Hang Twister” testing strength and mobility as the knees have to touch the elbow for it to count.

7-YEAR-OLD STUDENT INVENTS NEW EXERCISE!
Kids get a leadership role in this program and can use their creativity like this 7-year-old to create new exercises or activities. They are also strong in safety rules and became referees in the events.

KIDS CAN GET THE PROGRAM PERSONALIZED TO THEM.
This past season all the kids begged for more fitness obstacles and agility challenges, so Alicia tailored her spring to their request. Above are some of the best performers ever at certain agility challenges.

KIDS DO SPORT SPECIFIC TRAINING THAT TRANSFERS OVER TO BETTER ARCHERY.
The agility obstacles ranged from 32 feet to 103 feet in length. Brendon (age 14 and above) was the second oldest student in the league this season and he set an 80-yard suicide run record with 2 perfect throws of the yard darts in their targets at 6 and 12 feet away (fastest runner and only person to get perfect score).

KIDS CAN TRY AND BEAT THEIR COACH IN ARCHERY AND SOME EVENTS FOR BONUS POINTS.
We did a wide range of sprinting challenges in the spring program per the request of the majority of students. Above is playlist of some of the sprinting events and the top performers and how the kids did compared to their coach. Cody who is mainly an elite hockey player joined the Warriors in Black team in the spring to help with sport specific training and strength gains for hockey. It really helped him as he was picked up by an elite hockey team in Lakeland and he also started getting offers to join Elite Junior Teams.

KIDS JOIN THE ARCHERY TO HELP WITH THEIR OTHER SPORTS.
Cody met his goals by joining Alicia’s archery program to improve his hockey. He joined program unable to do one chin-up and just a month after starting the training he did 7 strict form Chin-Ups to set the All-Time League record!!

Luca (age 10) becomes first person ever in the league to do a strict form “Truly Strict Leg Twisted Pull-up” on 5/4/26.

Solomon then came back and beat the new league record on 5/14/26 by doing 2 reps of the “Truly Strict Form Leg Twisted Pull-Up”.

COACH ALICIA WILL FOLLOW THE MOTIVATION OF THE GROUP AND CREATE A CURRICULM AROUND IT.
Solomon was highly motivated and pushed himself and competitors to try and go after fitness challenges in spring 2026. Solomon becomes first student (age 10 or Under) to do a proper form bar dip.

Speaking of exercises, this season set the most ever new marks or All Time League Records in Strength Tests that help develop strong archery.

When Alicia asked Solomon, Brendon, and Luca, “Why do they think so many records are falling with this group?” They all replied with same answer, “We love setting goals and seeing what we are capable of achieving.”

The kids understand the conditioning process and so these results you see in the list below are from first setting a reachable benchmark like 5-10 seconds for a dead hang. Then, we keep setting a new goal as benchmarks are achieved. They are also given training tips on what they can be doing outside of class to improve, so over the course of the year, they keep improving.

LEADERBOARD AND NEW LEAGUE RECORDS SET IN 2025-2026
1.) Triceps Extension Bar Hang *Franklin age 7 set a new 10 and Under record in 64 seconds. *Azaria age 9 set girls record with 41 seconds for 10 and Under. The All-Time League record was set in 2019 with 2:18 by an 8th Grade Boy and the All-Time League record for girls was set in 2019 by 6th grade girl in 60 seconds.

2.) 10 Cone Touch 1 Leg Balance Speed Reaction Drill
All Time League Records Set by Kemzie in 7.09 seconds and Brendon 7.28 seconds

3.) 30 seconds Plank Hold Followed Right Into Consecutive Pushups (no pauses allowed and once form fails – attempt over) All Time League Record set for 32 consecutive Pushups shared by Abe 7 years old and Brendon 14 years old . All Time League Record for Girls set at 6 by a 7 year old Alex.

4.) Flexed Bar Hang All Time League Record Set by Brendon at 55.4 seconds
All Time League Record Set by Alex for Girls with 17.0 seconds
Solomon set record for age 10 and Under with 48.0 seconds.
Honorable Mention will go to Abe age 7 with a 39.33 seconds (best ever for 7 years old)!

5.) Australian Pull-Ups (full ROM upto 10 seconds for a rep)
All Time record is Luca with 40 reps and Azaria with 31 reps.

6.) Dead Hang
*10 AND Under records set with Franklin in 1:26 and Alex (girls) in 1:21.
Luca gets an Honorable Mention as the 2nd Best EVER in 2:10
The All Time record was set in 2018 in 2:30.

7.) Pronated Grip Pull-Ups All Time Record Set at 3 strict form reps shared by Luca and Solomon. No girls record yet.

8.) Chin-ups All Time Record Set at 7 strict form reps by 16-year-old Cody. No girls record yet.

9.) Bar Dip Record All Time Record Set at 1 Rep by Solomon. No girls record yet.

10.) Leg Crossed Strict Form Pull-Up All Time Record set by Solomon with 2 reps.

11.) Commando Grip Flexed Hang Twister All Time Record of 6 reps by Luca. No girls record yet.

Thanks for reading the summary from a FUN mental and physical sport program that develops wide ranging skills in 20 hours. Contact Alicia at Awinningway@gmail.com to join.

END OF REPORT.


11th Archery Fitness Championship in the Books with Agility Archery!

Central Florida Archery, Fitness Challenges, Lake County Florida Outdoor Activities, , , , ,

WEBER WAY TO WELLNESS REPORTER—CENTRAL FLORIDA, Fall 2021 Seven Teams throughout Central Florida competed in the first archery fitness championship, since the pandemic. It goes down in the books as the 11th Championship and the Red Rubies from Orlando have won their 7th Team Championship with 167 points!! The mixed teams “Arrow Buddies” from Clermont/Groveland and “Amazing Halcyon” from Winter Garden/Clermont tied for second place with 165 points!!

Top Three Boys Overall in Fall 2021 Agility Archery Championship

Ninety percent of the competitors were newbies this season, while the rest consisted of veteran competitors. The youngest competitor was age 6 and oldest was 16. Kai (age 11) won the individual male agility archery championship with 63 points representing the Red Rubies. Following behind him was his teammate Tristan with 61 points. The third place boy was veteran competitor and 2020 Spring Archery Champ, Adam, from Team Amazing Halcyon. On the female side, Lilly from Team Arrow Buddies (age 14) won first for women and tied with Tristan for second overall with 61 points. Maryrose from Amazing Halcyon placed 2nd for girls with 53 points and Zoey from Arrow Buddies placed third for girls with 49 points.

Top Three Girls Overall in Fall 2021 Agility Archery Championship

The youth train and excel in the most difficult type of archery – barebow category archery (without sighting devices). They were tested in archery at 10 yards, magnetic darts at 6 feet, and a 9 foot long timed agility archery challenge. The combined results make their total score.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKLa3sEEKVU
Watch the Male Agility Archery Champ in ACTION!!

Kai knew that he did not need a bow and arrow to practice to get better. Coach Weber gave him and all the students Top Secret 2 minute bodyweight exercises that helped make previous champions. Coach Weber said anyone who does their “exercise homework” will improve sooo much that she will not recognize them in one week! Kai took his homework seriously and stunned everyone with results no one has seen him do in practice.

“I have been doing my 2 minute exercises, which made me more confident and capable of achieving great things in archery,” exclaimed Kai, the 2021 Fall Champion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8pZUKH750A
Watch female agility champ in ACTION!

Lilly loves the fitness added into archery and definitely knows it makes a difference. “It feels cool to win for girls and place second overall out of boys and girls. The agility training translates to better archery as it helps with the hand-eye coordination and speed,” stated Lilly, the Female 2021 Champ.

Runner-Up Champ, Maryrose, said, “I am excited to participate. This seems like a fun opportunity.”

Third place Zoey on second place team really wanted to do a unique sport. When she heard about Alicia’s Archery Fitness Sport League she jumped on the opportunity to join! “I am actually really surprised that I got third place for girls already as a newbie. I enjoy the archery and the fitness. It is a fun sport,” said the excited Zoey after hearing the news that she won third place!

Overall, the kids enjoyed the camaraderie, good sportsmanship, weekly challenges, and championship competition that they had this fall 2021. Now, they will look forward to 2022 and the new challenges in the Archery, Fitness, Sports League under the tutelage of Coach Alicia Weber who has trained athletes from grassroots to Olympic level in her 24 year career.

Highlights from 2021 Championship!

END OF REPORT

Vaccaro, Miller, Byer, and Warner Take Top Spots in Alicia Weber’s Final Summer 2015 Archery Competitions

Central Florida Archery, Lake County Florida Outdoor Activities, , , , , , , , , , ,

By Alicia Weber

The final Bullseye Scavenger Hunt of the summer proved to be the most exciting and challenging for youth and adult archers. They agreed it was everything they had hoped and they felt great with their results on August 23.

“The archery scavenger hunt gives something more to look forward to as kids use a combination of their focus and parent involvement in a family friendly activity,” said Ingrid Byer.

“The scavenger hunt is a great way to end the day because competitors are done with archery and now building teamwork with families and new friends,” added Ana Vaccaro.

Ninety-nine percent of the competition consisted of the archery, which took place on the Sundance Archery Range where it is sponsored. Youths and adults began the day by shooting 10 arrows at 10yds within four minutes for best score using bows without any sighting devices. All participants received prizes, but the top two males and females received additional prizes. The remaining one percent of the competition consisted of a photographic scavenger hunt, which gave points for fast walking and finding items in quick fashion at Downtown Clermont Famer’s Market. The participants worked as a team. All participants found 12 items in less than 15 minutes.

Carey Miller, Sundance Manager and Archery Sponsor, wins competition and gives high five to runner-up Indaya Byer who enjoyed competing with Miller.
Carey Miller, Sundance Manager and Archery Sponsor, wins competition and gives high five to runner-up Indaya Byer who enjoyed competing with Miller.

The top male archer was Matteo Vaccaro, 8, with his score of 64 points. Runner-Up was Cody Warner who is 6. Warner improved by 18 points from his previous competition of this same distance.The only adult in the competition was Carey Miller who won first for females with her score of 87xx and this was her first archery competition. The former Champ, Indaya Byer, took second with her score of 84x. This was the first time Byer got an “x” in competition, which is the center of the bullseye and the tiebreaker in archery. Back on August 4, Byer won an “archery fitness” challenge, which took place at National Night Out where she won a head band (which turns into an archery arm guard and finger guard).

Five competitors won various head bands during the 2015 "Archery Fitness" Challenge at National Night Out
Five competitors won various head bands during the 2015 “Archery Fitness” Challenge at National Night Out

“I felt amazing. The competition was more interesting with Carey Miller. I am glad she competed,” said Byer.

Some of the kids were longing for this competition. The competitive Matteo Vaccarro is one archer who has been waiting for this day. When he first began training seriously for archery in the spring, he would achieve 64 points after shooting nearly 100 arrows in one hour. Now, he shoots 64 points in less than 4 minutes with just 10 arrows.

“There was no pressure to win because I knew that if I lost, then my friends would win instead and I would be happy for them,” said Vaccaro who showed great sportsmanship.

“This is one sport my son enjoys the most. It’s challenging and helps him focus. The layout of this event is great because participants learn about safety and proper form in archery prior to competing, which helps them to do their best,” said Vaccaro’s mom, Ana.

One beginner, Zeke Archer, really improved after taking the free archery prep session. He really grasped the skills and brought his A game and performed very well when it really counted. Izzy Shea was the only archer shooting with a left bow, while being right-handed and left eye dominant, which is challenging for coordination. She did very well for her first-ever archery competition.

Weber reviewing Carey Miller's top score of 87xx. Miller is active in the Sundance Apt. Community as the manager where archery is sponsored. She believes everyone should take advantage of opportunities and she certainly has taken a Top Shot at this one!
Weber reviewing Carey Miller’s top score of 87xx. Miller is active in the Sundance Apt. Community as the manager where archery is sponsored. She believes everyone should take advantage of opportunities and she certainly has taken a Top Shot at this one!

Participants enjoyed the farmer’s market scavenger hunt and met new vendors including but not limited to Rent-A-Hen, Encore, Let’s Tie One On, Donna’s Doodads, and Hip Klip Cell Pocket Accessory.

“The scavenger hunt stretches your mind to look for more things. It is similar to archery. I liked going into the Encore shop where I found oversized scramble,” said Byer.

Let's Tie One On provided the prizes to the Top 2 Male and Female Archers. Left to right: Indaya Byer, Coach Alicia Weber, Matteo Vaccaro, Carey Miller (and not shown Cody Warner). Copyright @ AliciaWeber.com
Let’s Tie One On provided the prizes to the Top 2 Male and Female Archers. Left to right: Indaya Byer, Coach Alicia Weber, Matteo Vaccaro, Carey Miller (and not shown Cody Warner). Copyright @ AliciaWeber.com

“Leave your comfort zone and challenge yourself to try something new and fun. It feels awkward at first. Once you get the hang of it, then it’s a lot of fun,” said Miller who encourages adults to compete in future events, especially at the Sundance Archery Range where archery is sponsored.

Alicia Weber has year-round innovative archery and fitness programming and can be reached at Awinningway@gmail.com