A 16-year-old archer is back from a competition at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado. Now, Tristan Skarvan is taking aim at the Junior World Championships in Turkey this fall.
She silently pulls the arrow back and finds the bull’s-eye. She waits patiently, focusing on her target 50 meters away. And this soon to be Elk Mound High School junior doesn't often miss her mark.
"I like that archery is an individual sport. What you put in, you get out," Tristan says.
What Tristan puts in is hours of practice. She started shooting at the age of four, but didn't really take the sport seriously until a couple of years ago.
"I got my coach Mike and for two years he's sculpted my form. He and my dad are my backbone," she says.
Both men watch as Tristan shoots arrow after arrow in her backyard, each of them dead on target.
"She's been very dedicated. She's put in a lot of time and the results have really shown," says Tristan's Dad Paul Skarvan.
"Her form is terrific and what I was looking for before were inconsistencies in her form to correct them so she does better and it really boosts her confidence," says Tristan's Coach Mike Strassman.
Strassman says his student has all the talent to go far in the world of archery--both amateur and professional.
"I can't tell you what a pleasure she is to work with,” he says. “She listens and takes direction and it’s just been so much fun."
Tristan is already beating some pros, but says she doesn't see professional shooting in her future. What she is focusing on is the Junior World Championships this fall. She's one of just 24 American kids competing in Turkey.
"It's pretty cool!" Tristan says.
And even though her compound style bow is not an Olympic archery event, Tristan likes the challenges that come with such a precise sport.
"Compound is a whole different game. It's so much more accurate. One mistake in competition is hard to overcome. You almost have to be perfection," Tristan says.
A goal that might not be out of reach for this very determined archer.
Tristan starts competition in Turkey October 6. Right now, she's hoping to get sponsors to help out with the travel expenses.