New Year, New Me
Every year, you make the New Year’s resolution to go to the gym. Then came along 2020 and 2021 with lockdowns; 2022 looks to heading the same direction. However, at Archers Arena, have no fear!
If you want to change your life, start now! Lose all those extra pounds built up during quarantine, without having to worry about a monthly subscription, other outside people, train with no judgment at our indoor gym that will be private to you and your group during your session.
$12 per person per hour, minimum 2 people charge on weekdays, and minimum 4 people charge on Friday, Saturday and Sunday!
Millions of people set New Year's Resolutions every year, and Archers Arena wants to help you crush yours with our private gym and a few tips.
Ask yourself Why
People have different reasons for setting goals. They might be for personal reasons or even health reasons. But sometimes people feel pressured by society to do these things, and it’s important to ask yourself why you want to do them. What is your New Year's Resolution? Why do you want to change your life? Once you find the reason, you will have a better mindset to complete your goals.
Set Reasonable Goals
Yes, you might have a resolution for 2022. It might be to lose weight or to work out more. But this is a broad goal. A study found that people who have broad goals can feel depressed or sad because these goals are difficult to complete. So be specific about what you want to do. Say for example: "I want to lose 10 pounds by the end of the year" or “I want to add 5 pounds to my squat rep at the end of each month”.
Setting realistic goals is good because then you have something to work towards. Even set the goal of just entering the gym! Get changed, put on shoes, drive to the gym, enter the front door, then turn around and head home! Start small and work up from there.
Write it down
Set a goal for yourself. Write it down and post it somewhere on a sticky note where you will see it every day, like your mirror. Post about what you are doing to achieve that goal on social media. You are more likely to follow through with your goals if you write them down and share them with friends and family members. This will help you do the work and hold yourself accountable, but also encourage others who might be trying to do the same thing.
Establish a schedule
Another important aspect of sticking to your New Year’s Resolutions is creating a set workout schedule. If possible, work out at the same time and the same place every day. This will help you establish a routine while also helping you form strong habits. Review your schedule and find a daily time where you can fit in exercise without interfering with other parts of your life.
Come with a buddy
Going to the gym by yourself is a hard task. It can be hard to find motivation. It is better if you have someone with you who will help you be active and spend time with them. They will also make sure that you are doing well and going to the gym every day.
3 Reasons Why YOU Need To Try Bubble Soccer
Looking for something fun do with your friends this weekend in the Toronto area? Need to let loose in a healthy and safe manner? Or maybe you just want to have the most EPIC B-Day ever. Well, we’ve got two words for you… BUBBLE SOCCER. Yup, that’s soccer, while being strapped in a nice big cozy bubble. Bubble Soccer! Out of all of the super fun activities we have at Archers Arena, Bubble Soccer tends to be a crowd favourite. We’re back open as per Toronto Ontario’s new Stage 3 guidelines, and here are 3 reasons why you should crew up, get suited up, and try this fast paced, exciting, and HILARIOUS sport.
#1 It’s So Much Fun
Bubble Soccer is probably one of the most fun, and funniest sports out there today. The laugher is usually non-stop as there is just something extra hilarious about plowing into someone full force and seeing them roll. As much fun as it is letting out some steam and smashing into a loved one while playing Bubble Soccer, getting hit can be equally as fun, if not more. You’re fully secured in shoulder straps, with handles in the front to grab onto for when you get sent rolling. Along with the regular game mode, where you try to score on the other team, there’s also other games to play including everyones fav, Battle Royal. This where players go head to head in a sumo type match, and it’s a sight to behold to say the least.
#2 It’s A Great Workout
Bubble Soccer is a GREAT workout, but you’ll never know it at the time cause it legit goes by so fast. You’ll work all the same muscles you would in regular soccer, plus a few more while you carry around your bubble, and maneuver around your opponents. Really, all of our games are a great workout, but after a good session of Bubble Soccer you’ll be sweating and feeling like you had some pretty solid exercise.
#3 It’s Totally Safe And Clean
What’s safer than LITERALLY being in your own personal bubble? We know what you’re thinking now… “How clean are these Bubbles?” Well, we can assure you, that cleanliness has ALWAYS been our top priority, and we’ve upped our game since the pandemic. We thoroughly clean every bubble suit after each use. The entire bubble is washed with iso-propyl alcohol as well as sterilized and deodorized from the inside with a UVC light so you and your gang can play with peace of mind, and no germs.
Come Play
So there you have it, 3 reasons why you need to try Bubble Soccer ASAP. If you’re in the Toronto area, challenge your friends and family to a game. We have 3 different sizes of bubbles and allow ages 10 and over to play. Click here to book today, to try this awesome sport!
-Team Archers Arena
P.S. During the lockdowns we were keeping quite busy on TikTok and went from 10K to almost 400K followers. Be sure to follow us here to keep up to date with all things Archers Arena, and hopefully get entertained and learn something along the way. You can also check us out on Instagram or Facebook.
We're Back Open, Hope You're Ready To Play!
Now that we’ve re-opened, things have been going GREAT thanks to awesome customers like YOU! Yeah, we’re talking to you. Thanks to all who have come back to play so far. We’re so grateful that you’ve remembered us after all this time away, and that you’re coming back to get active and have fun! You’ve gotten bubbled up for epic matches of Bubble Soccer, battled it out with family in strategic games of Combat Archery, and everything in between. We’ve been loving seeing people come out and let loose again.
THINGS ARE PICKING UP
We’ve been very busy, and are starting to fill up our days at capacity (based on Ontario’s Step 3 rules). That being said, please be sure to BOOK AHEAD! That’s the way to ensure you save your spot for your next gathering, B-Day, or battle to solve your latest family dispute. We are operating at 50% capacity as per the guidelines, and with our two large courts, archery range, gym, party room, and 4 separate entrances, this is isn’t a problem.
IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK
You can still play all your favourite activities: Combat Archery, Nerf Wars, Saber Wars, Bubble Soccer, and Blacklight Dodgeball. As well as a fun new addition, glow in the dark Basketball, which can be done on its own, or as apart of your Blacklight Dodgeball game. You can also rent our courts to play some regular B-Ball with your friends. And of course, we still have target archery and advanced archery lessons for those who want to channel their inner Hawkeye or Katniss. We can never be too ready for the zombie apocalypse after all. We have expert coaches, and up to 50 pound bows that you can shoot as we progress you through the lesson.
COME PLAY
So all that being said, it’s time to lose some of that lockdown weight in the most fun ways possible. Come get active with us at Archers Arena and learn that exercise doesn’t have to be a chore, birthdays can be a blast, and work parties CAN be fun after all. If you have any hesitations know that we prided ourselves on keeping things super clean before the pandemic, but have taken things to a whole new level to ensure your safety, and ours. Between uses, our bows, Bubble Soccer bubbles, Nerf blasters, and all of our equipment are now cleaned thoroughly with iso-propyl alcohol as well as sterilized and deodorized with UVC lights. We’re ready if you are. Just remember to BOOK AHEAD to guarantee your spot.
Thanks again to all who have come out so far, it’s been great seeing so many familiar players, and lots of new ones too. We’ll see you soon, in the Arena!
-Team Archers Arena
P.S. During the lockdowns we were keeping quite busy on TikTok and went from 10K to almost 350K followers. Be sure to follow us here to keep up to date with all things Archers Arena, and hopefully get entertained and learn something along the way. You can also check us out on Instagram or Facebook.
Intense Training at Archers Arena Thursday Nights!
We are now introducing a new evening where you can interact and evolve alongside coaches and members, as well as other fellow players who want to improve. You may already be familiar with our regular Coach nights, every Tuesday evenings, but you may not have heard yet of Thursdays being our combat archery tag training nights. None other than our own Jones Santiago is behind the idea, and he has been working hard to provide the ideal drills and necessary exercises to create a solid archery dodgeball player.
The idea behind the whole process is not only to help players hone their skills, but also to get healthier and fitter by going through 3 separate segments of training during the evening. With the training running for a little over an hour, we are subject to a cardio warm-up, body-weight workout, and drills. The warm-up is simple enough, it’s to get your body ready to work through cardio. The workout aims at developing core strength, while the drills focus on your agility. It’s a killer combination to turn you into someone more agile that can keep up with faster-paced gameplay.
Although there is a strong physical component to Jones’ training, there is also an archery component incorporated. During the whole session, you must keep your bow at your side, and use it throughout. Within the drills, there are multiple arrow reloading and shooting scenarios, which have you aiming at targets near and far, all in the interest of developing your instincts and furthering your accuracy while under pressure. It teaches you to focus and take control of your nerves before they take control of you.
Another huge part of combat archery tag is teamwork; you’re only as good as your weakest link. Not only communication is vital, but knowing your teammates and how to work together is a huge part of winning the games. Higher level of archery dodgeball requires smart gameplay, and you have to be on your toes as it constantly evolves. That’s why within the drills training, Jones can pair us up in teams to create a competitive environment to put us under more pressure to perform. Getting acquainted not only with your teammates, but also with that pressure, ensures that it doesn’t take you by surprise anymore whilst playing.
The intent in the end is to give you more control over your own body, by becoming faster, stronger and more agile. We want you to be able to move as fast as you think, so you can have an edge over your adversaries. This program will develop numerous facets of your personality, while offering training you won’t find anywhere else. You’ll always have a team there to support you, and push you forward in your development, wherever you want it to go. Come give it a try: you have absolutely nothing to lose, and everything to gain from just one session.
Play Nerf Wars at Archers Arena!
Since we have perfected the art of combat archery tag, we at Archers Arena have decided to take on a new challenge. Nerf Wars. You heard us right. Sometime in the near future, you will be able to use our facilities to come play games with Nerf guns!
Since we like to guarantee high quality experiences, we have obtained some of the best equipment on the market. We want to insure that the guns won’t jam because of faulty ammunition, while also leveling the playing field so players aren’t at a disadvantage because of the weapon they choose. All of our main guns are going to be Rival series, such as the Artemis for close quarters, and eventually the Nemesis for sniping up in our towers (when it comes out in Canada). In certain game modes, we might either include a Triad EX-3 Elite as a sidearm, or maybe have you play with it as a “Golden Gun” type of weapon. Last but not least, our Strongarm is a mix of both worlds; small, yet packs a punch and has more ammunition than the Elite.
We are coming up with a ton of different and innovative game modes we cannot wait to test out. As mentioned previously, our “Golden Gun” beta involves our little pistol. Every player starts with one bullet, the idea being one shot, one kill, and last man standing wins, in a Golden Eye Nintendo 64 themed game style. With our bigger guns, we are obviously planning some team matches, such as “Medicine Ball”, where there is a healing ball passed around that can be used to heal your teammates, where the goal is to capture the enemy’s ball before they get yours, or even “Team Deathmatch” where you group up into teams of 2-3 people and form temporary alliances with other groups until there’s only one team left standing.
We want to have a balanced session focused on game-play, and create the premium Nerf experience. We went out to other facilities to try it out, and gather the best feedback, with the purpose of combining them into one epic session containing none of the downsides we experienced in our outings. Our dedication to customer satisfaction is just that high. With a group of trigger-friendly enthusiasts like us, it’s bound to be a one of a kind experience filled with different kinds of challenges and fun times. Look for Nerf Wars at Archers Arena soon for a new thrill-inducing experience!
Popular Archery Icons and How They’ve Affected Today’s Archery
Archery has come and gone from the front interest line due to its growing and receding popularity on-screen with either movies or TV series, and even in video games. It becomes super trendy, and cool, and hip when viewers see their heroes handling a bow, and then when the movie or show dies down, or the game gets old, so does the archery trend before it comes right back strong as ever. So here is a tribute to the various inspirations and forms that archery has shown through to make its place in our culture throughout the times.
First off, I am going to start off with one of the classics of our culture; Robin Hood. There have been multiple takes on this very old tale, from the Disney animated movie featuring foxes as the main characters, to the very funny spoof Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and even the more serious feel the 2010 movie featuring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett gave it. In all of them, Robin’s talents went uncontested and he managed some very impressive tricks with his bow and arrows, which no doubt have fueled the imagination of many a youth.
In the world of video games, I can go all the way back to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for inspiration. Playing as Link and shooting everything with the bow and winning challenges and competitions always gave me such a feeling of satisfaction that my own personal love for the art came from there. In more recent years, the reboot of Tomb Raider in 2013 had Lara survive with only a bow and arrows to start off her adventure, which obviously got me hooked, but so did a lot of other players from all the positive reviews the game received.
Probably one the most iconic bow-wielding characters in my opinion comes from the Lord of the Rings franchise. Being a personal favourite of mine, Legolas has all the moves down in the series and just flat-out makes archery look so damn good, and not just because of his looks. His elven efficiency and accuracy just change the name of the game, and he comes up with tactics that we can’t even begin to replicate (lack of having elephants handy being a main one), although when we play, some of us do come out with bruises from time to time, just as he will always sport one of his forehead after a battle.
There have been a lot of popular icons in the recent years popping up on screen, such as Katniss from The Hunger Games, Hawkeye in The Avengers, Merida in Disney and Pixar’s Brave and even Oliver Queen in the Green Arrow TV series, which have all fueled a different wave of archery love. People want to try it out and see how they fare at it, and generally, when archery is picked up, it’s rather hard to put back down. That being said, here at Archers Arena, we want people to find their true potential not only at archery, but at the new sport that has been created from it: combat archery tag. It brings out a whole new dimension reminiscent of video games and medieval combat. This new trend is definitely here to stay.
First Eastern Canadian Tournament. The Results are IN!
For those of you that might have missed all our original posts on the subject, on the 5th of February 2017, Archers Arena has hosted the first eastern Canadian combat archery tag tournament! From far in wide, Toronto has received a team from Ottawa, one from Windsor, two from Montreal, and we had five teams representing us. With intense gameplays fought, ridiculous turnabouts, quick moves and quick thinking, there is only one word we can use to describe this event: epic.
On the eve of the battle, both Ottawa and Montreal teams came to practice at the Arena, leading to the first contact between the various people who were going to play each other the next day. The comradery was frank and forthcoming, although you could tell that no one would go easy on the others the following day. It was great to see so many passionate people that just love the game of archery dodgeball, and who work at bettering themselves all the time.
When the morning came, coffee and breakfast were awaiting all the players, but the hype was already alive and going. The atmosphere was unreal, the anticipation crackled in the air as all awaited to take each other on. The game was on. Bows at the ready, getting the stretches in, focus was all on strategy and gameplay. Friendly banter in the air, with the underlying current of rivalry made it even more intense, yet still fun.
Throughout the morning, the plays were non-stop. Teams were learning how to face each other and strategies had to be changed and adapted to who was playing who. Evaluating the other players and understand how they play combat archery tag, and how to counter them was not an easy task, but it had to be done in order to win the tournament! After the first few rounds that comprised Round Robin style of play, Toronto came out on top with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, while Montreal took 4th and 5th.
However, in a complete change of pace during the finals, Montreal worked together for an epic comeback to win the tournament, and won against the newly reformed team Kyron’s Angels, known previously as Wetshots, which did end up winning our 7th local tournament. As prizes, Montreal Originals ended up going home with six of our beautiful, hand-painted 26 pound bows.
All there is left to say is that it was truly our pleasure to host such great teams from all over. All we can hope for is to have an even broader turnout from more Canadian cities in the next major tournament, which will be hosted sometime during the summer. We will be working out, and standardizing, Canadian rules so we can all train and play in the same frame of mind. Looking forward to the next epic combat archery tag Canadian tournament!
Larping at Archers Arena – Champions Arena
Larping, as some of you may already know, stands for live action role-playing. You may wonder, what does that have to do with Archers Arena? Well, here we are introducing a whole new concept of roleplaying named the Champions Arena; which does not focus on the storyline, but on the peoples own abilities. This is where you can come test out how well you can actually do with our legitimate, high quality larping weapons, by trying out different classes that have different perks during play. Champions Arena allows for full-out, yet completely safe, medieval combat the likes of which has never been seen in an archery facility.
The concept of Champions Arena was created by larpers, for larpers, old and new, with a twist. Here, you get your pick from 5 different classes that have all been calibrated to have at least one other class that can compensate against the given advantage each individual class brings to your team as a whole. However, it will ultimately rest on teamwork, cooperation and skill to determine the winner. That being said, some players may show prowess as one class, and be terrible at another, so mixing things up is always an interesting option.
Our five current classes offer a variety of opportunities to act out varied yet interesting characters that all have a lot to offer both strategically and physically, so you can play to your strong suit, or choose you want to get good at something new. Wither you wish to claim as your own the nobility of the knight with sword and shield, or go crazy as the berserker with two swords, or perhaps even defend your teams’ honor as the katana-wielding samurai, each class has perks that allow for either strong offensive or solid defensive. If you prefer not to be part of the front line and play the game from a distance, then you could give the sneaky rogue with throwing axes a go, or even shoot from afar with precision as the archer.
With such distinct classes, we had to come up with some pretty awesome games to play which all give a different, yet always satisfying, goal to accomplish. From hack and slash, to Tower Defense, different game types allow for different strategies, and teamwork is a must if you want to come out victorious! Jedi Master also guarantees a unique, killer workout, just as fun as defeating hordes of foes with a lightsaber sounds like it would be.
In conclusion, Champions Arena is a new, fun, and unique way to live intense combat in an environment that can only be experienced at Archers Arena. As different an experience as it is from combat archery tag, it is its own challenge and demands completely different sets of skills to master. If you’re looking for an even better workout than archery dodgeball, or even just an excuse to wack your buddies, you should really give these games a try.
Archers Arena for Kids Birthdays: Safe and Fun for Everyone
Being a kid, everybody always went off and played their own little stories where they were always the hero, regardless of if it was a romantic princess story, fighting off robots, riding dinosaurs, or even surviving in the wilderness with animal companions. At some point in time, every child has heard the tales of archery icons such as Robin Hood, Legolas, or even Katniss Everdeen. Archery has effectively grown into an activity numerous kids crave to try their hand at. What better way to give them an awesome birthday present than by allowing them to let loose their inner archer? Here at Archers Arena, we are always more than happy to oblige, and here are a few of the reasons why you should bring your child here to come try out his skills at archery dodgeball.
Safety First
We are completely aware of the fact that bows and arrows are still, in fact, weapons. In regards to that, we ensure that our training along with the equipment we provide allow for safety for and from players. Our staff is knowledgeable and patient, and have quite the knack to deal with hordes of kids who cannot wait to start shooting arrows. Although we do have a set program on how to teach newcomers, we always adapt to every situation, and kids are no exception. We know the attention span is small, so we focus on the important parts of the teachings and guarantee that they can effectively shoot arrows at each other, all the while being safe about it. We also have smaller bows to accommodate our small friends.
Private Group/Fun for Everyone
Because we want to make sure that everyone is getting the most out of their session as possible, we tend to ensure that kid bookings are private, even if it isn’t necessarily asked for. Let’s be honest here, we don’t want adults to overpower the children, and on the other hand, it’s simply not as fun playing with kids that can barely shoot straight. That being said, if there is a situation where we have no other choice but to combine bookings, we limit the draw strength of bows for the adults that will play along with the kids, therefore ensuring that no one gets hurt. This also applies to adults who are part of the booking who want to play with their kids.
Party Room
Another strong reason why you should bring your kids’ group of friends here is because we do have a party room where all the festivities can take place after the combat archery tag session. Depending on the booking you make, there will be warm pizza delivered just as the kids are done playing, and we have a large fridge that can accommodate a birthday cake. There is also the option of bringing in your own food, and arrive early to decorate the room as you like; it’s yours for a whole 45 minutes after your hour and a half session, to relax in and enjoy as you please.
In the end, wither you are still a kid at heart or not, there is always a nice sentiment of joy that comes along when you see a child truly having fun. The innocence, the wonder, and the brightness in their faces when they are handed bows and arrows always adds a little something extra to the experience. Furthermore, I can attest that every single session I’ve held with a group of kids, wither it was for a birthday party or just for fun, everyone always left with a huge smile on their face, and that includes the parents that were there to accompany and supervise, regardless of if they played combat archery tag with them or not.
Combat Archery: 4 Reasons You Should Make Archers Arena Your New Gym Membership Option
If you’re like me, then you need motivation to work out. I find that going to a gym doesn’t cut it simply because it’s no fun. Running on a treadmill blankly staring at a TV (if you’re lucky), pedaling your life away without moving an inch, lifting weights over and over, I get bored rather quickly of the mind-numbing, same old, same old routine a gym offers. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for opportunities to play sports, where you have a clear and fun motivation to get active. Here is why getting a membership at Archers Arena for combat archery tag will save you the boredom of an average workout session.
Cardio
If you’re playing the game properly, you will be constantly on the move. The more you’re moving, the harder it is to get a good shot at you. There’s also an initial sprint for the arrows in the safe zone at the beginning of every round. If you get to play full court, which means both of our courts combined, then you have two courts you need to cover and access at different points in the game to either press on the offensive, or support the defensive. It does require fast reflexes and quick moves because enemies can (and will) shoot at you cross-court. Dodging is a must if you want to survive long.
Upper Body
As mentioned previously, if you’ve never used a bow before, you will be surprised at all the muscles involved in the form. To have all of your power in a shot, you need to fully draw your bow. The only way you can properly do that is actually thanks mostly to your back, but also your shoulders, arms, and chest. We have bows that are 22, 26, and 29 pounds. Most competitive/athletic players end up using the 29 pound bows, which means every time they shot someone, they’re doing an upper body rep of 29 pounds. It might not seem like a lot, but in a session of an hour, you will easily have fired off close to 100 arrows. That’s close to 100 reps of 29 pounds in an hour.
Lower Body
As much as shooting is fun, you do need to pick up the arrows that you want to shoot. This implies that every time you reach for an arrow, you will either be lunging or squatting to reach. So if you take our earlier 100arrows per hour shooting statistic, it would mean you are performing around 100 squat and/or lunge throughout your hour session. In addition, when you are dodging, you are simply dropping out of the way, and demanding your muscles move quickly, so there’s constant use there too. And then there is hiding behind bunkers. None of them are tall enough for people to comfortably stand behind them to be hidden, which again would involve you to get down however you choose. However, when you go down, you must come up and muscles do come into play. It might not seem like much, but you do feel the burn the day after.
Benefits
Other than the physical benefits of playing combat archery tag, there are also a lot more reasons to choose to get the membership here at Archers Arena. There are constantly more players getting high on the game, which ensures that the quality of gameplay on Coach Nights always exceeds expectations. We encourage playful competitiveness by still playing our hardest, but also taking it easy when the time or the situation calls for it. You will also get to meet and get close to our already existing and expanding pool of members and coaches. Best way to learn and get better is to interact with stronger players on and off the court. We’ve created an atmosphere of kinship here where everyone is friendly and warm toward one another. On a more technical note, you also get the chance to drop in once a day on existing sessions at no extra cost.
When it comes to combat archery tag, I find it to be a very effective workout because not only is it fast-paced stop and go, but you get to work some muscles you didn’t even know you had, especially if you’ve never handled a bow with arrows before. It helps build a strong core as well as develop quick reflexes, flexibility, and agility. Archers Arena also provides a great atmosphere to play and grow in. Just be prepared to work up a sweat when you come and try it out.
Archery Lessons at Archers Arena!
Wither you’re already an active combat archery tag (sometimes referred to as archery dodgeball) player, or you are still completely new to the whole archery thing, taking lessons is always an excellent way to get better faster. Our lessons are given by coaches that are both skilled and knowledgeable, so we do have a guarantee that we know what we’re talking about, simply because we use those techniques all the time when we play. Here are a few of the reasons why you should come to us to learn, either as a beginner, or as a fellow player.
Our Facility
Our facility is spacious and composed of two very separate archery parts. First off, we have our actual training range where there are various different targets placed around that offer different challenges. We also have the actual full-sized arena that can be used for further lessons depending on availability. Both courts offer their own share of varied challenges that will help better a player.
Our Coaches
As mentioned earlier, our archery coaches are professionals that actually know what they are talking about. This comes not only from being trained properly for coaching, but mostly because we play all the time, and therefore we ourselves learn and grow all the time. When you get to apply the principles you are teaching, that is when you get to understand them in a better, fuller way; and it inherently makes you better at your craft.
Personalized Training
Obviously every coach is at a different level, and some are better teachers than others, so we always make sure that clients coming in for lessons get the best possible coach for them, which will vary depending on the needs. We always assess our students’ strengths and weaknesses individually, then have them work on different things to assure constant improvement. You will always leave a session being better than you were walking in.
Consistency is Key
If you really want to get good, then the saying “practice makes perfect” definitely applies for archery. It is a very technical ability, and only through repetition will you really catch the flow of how it should go. If you start out at Archers Arena where we teach you the proper forms, stances, and techniques, then you can rest assured that your basis is going to be strong, and from there, you can choose to keep coming in for improvement, or you can keep improving on your own. As long as you keep practicing, then you won’t lose your touch. Alternatively, if you do need a refresher, we will still be here to gladly accommodate.
Unlike other facilities, all of our staff are avid players and love the game of combat archery tag for all the different challenges that it brings, but in the end, you always have to go back to basics (standard archery) to improve and evolve. There are always new ways to shoot that are brought into light, and it’s always fun to explore those different options with a teacher that can, and will, help better yourself. For a unique, personalized lesson in archery, Archers Arena is the place for you.
Regional Tournament!
Ladies and gentlemen, these are great times indeed! Not only do we get to witness the birth of an entirely new sport, but we also get to see it evolve and grow faster than we could have ever hoped for. You have read correctly: Archers Arena has the honor of hosting the first ever Regional Tournament! What does that entail? It means teams from cities such as Ottawa, Montreal, London and Waterloo are coming down to Toronto for a high-caliber combat archery tag tournament on February 5th 2017.
At first, the idea of combat archery tag was to be just a fun little game that combines elements and tactics from numerous other enjoyable pastimes, but it has quickly transformed into a more competitive gameplay than that. It has effectively morphed itself into a team sport, where communication, teamwork and chemistry are a must to bring your team to victory.
It’s a great feeling to see that we are going somewhere, moving forward, and that there are awesome people all over the country who share a passion for this new sport. Personally, I find that there isn’t anything quite as satisfying as hitting a moving target. It triggers something in me that’s almost like basic animal instinct, and intensifies the experience I get out of it as a whole. I’ve always been very competitive, and firing my bow brings that side out even more when I am met with other people who are on the same wavelength as me. Catching someone’s arrow, as well as dodging shots flying for your head, both give you such a satisfying feeling and keeps the intensity high up there.
Part of the pleasure is to continuously face new people that can surprise you with new tactics, new shots, or even with a faster quick-draw than yours. This tournament is going to allow for such surprises to take place and for a new flame of competition to set us all on fire. After all, this becomes a competition between cities as to who is the best. Obviously, we aim to win. All that being said, if you still haven’t had the chance to try it out, make sure you give yourself the pleasure of doing so! It’s a lot of fun, and you can bring in a group of people who will take it as seriously as you, depending on what kind of experience you want to have.
If you’ve already played before and do want a more competitive feel, come on over on Tuesday nights at 7:30 for Coach Night, 20$ for the whole evening, where you get to play with/against regular members and coaches. Definitely a step up from what you may be used to, so come prepared!
3 Great Reasons to Make Coach Night, Your Night!
As mentioned in previous blogs, Archers Arena has a special evening reserved for higher quality gameplay, where you can come and play with our coaches and members. Nights like these include a number of factors to enhance the original combat archery tag experience you might have previously had. The following are just a few reasons that give Coach Nights a step up from the regular archery experience.
Coaches
One of our best features here at Archers Arena is indeed the staff. Our coaches simply love the game, have a lot of experience, and are a wealth of information and knowledge, not only about the game itself, but also about archery in general. Having one or two coaches on your team for the evening will definitely change the way you will view playing combat archery tag, because we bring leadership, techniques, and strategies. Our aim is to win! (Bonus: we are also very friendly.)
Community Spirit
You will also get to meet our members, who are also very good at playing combat archery tag! We believe that like attracts like, and we are currently building a community of people who genuinely love the sport. I mean what better than being able to shoot arrows at people you value without actually hurting them? There is no downside. Creating bonds and friendships is something that happens naturally within the walls of Archers Arena, and we attract truly great, caring people who have very interesting stories to tell. And what better way to consolidate bonds than through blood, sweat, and tears? Well, minus the blood and the tears, but it’s the thought that counts.
Competitive
This outing is generally by invite, so you know that there won’t be players who can’t take a hit, or don’t know how to play. This isn’t the time to learn, it’s the time to bring to the table what you have. Teams play to win, and the intensity is very high while remaining fun and amicable. It’s really a great atmosphere everyone can strive in and improve. Different, elaborate game modes are put into practice, and incite quality from the plays put forward. There needs to be a good understanding of tactics and teamwork to be considered a good player. It is, after all, a team sport. And there is no “i” in “team”. We might also throw in some beta games to test, and that is a great time to get creative and share the passion we have here for the game.
In summation, we are giving out the opportunity for players to have the same intense game play as a tournament, but on a more regular basis, which allows for constant improvement. You will get to play with people you might be more used to facing, and learn from them to improve your own tactics. Eventually, you might be able to step up to a coach’s level. So come play!
Hear ye! Hear ye! 'Tis Tournament time! Again.
Due to the great success that was the last combat archery tag tournament at Archers Arena, we are now officially introducing our next event! This one is happening on the 22nd of January, and we are expecting a fierce competition once again. Players coming in have stepped up their game, and it gives the event an intense, competitive level of gameplay. Definitely not for the faint of heart!
Our latest tournament has been held on the 27th of November, in which we had a full roster of 9 teams competing. All of the teams were of high caliber and the competition itself was incredibly close. Every win had a huge impact on the score board, and yet, the spirit of comradery was incredible to witness. As intense as games could unfold to be, every team was a good sport, win or lose.
In our previous tournament, Wetshots had claimed the title of champions, but it was expected that Bloodbath and Beyond, our dethroned champions, were going to come back, bows blazing. Indeed, in a breathtaking finale, both teams ended up with a one point differential, which effectively returned the crown to the hands of its original owners: BB&B.
In a spectacular array of arrows fired, dodges made, headshots, bow shots, rolling catches, and overall archery excellence as well as incredible agility, speed, and skill, this tournament brought a whole new dimension to the sport of combat archery tag.
If you are new(ish) to the sport and still want to get a feel of what a more competitive gameplay entails, but with lesser stakes, we do have our Coach nights every Tuesday where you can come play for 20$ from 7 until close alongside both coaches and members. This is the perfect time to train and improve your archery skills, where we can show you the ropes of real combat archery tag, and develop tactics for you to get better. Come become a pro at quick-drawing and catching arrows while creating bonds with people who are just as passionate about the sport!
As is tradition, Archers Arena top coaches always face the champions at the end of the tournament. Needless to say, we are still undefeated after 8 tries! Here’s to us hoping to get an actual challenge next time around. So tell your friends, and come show us what you’re made of!
4 More Great Reasons to Choose Archers Arena!
One article just wasn’t enough to cover all of the reasons why Archers Arena is the archery facility to come visit, so here are just a few more of our assets that guarantees fun, quality time for all.
Game modes
We have over 35 different game types that we can run; obviously not all of them in one session. Most are on display in our lounge, allowing for bookings to choose what specific games they would like to play. Our coaches are also great at combining different game types to get even more fun out of each session, ensuring a different experience every time you come play at Archers Arena. Have favourites? You can tell your coach about it and they will definitely incorporate that mode in the session, perhaps spicing it up with upgrades to get a whole new level to the game.
Field Tips
One of our newest exciting features, field tip arrows can be shot in a controlled, secure environment. These arrows have little metal tips instead of our big, marshmallow-style foam tips, and offer a much more accurate feeling of what standard archery is all about. It is a completely different shot, and we also offer the chance to print out a picture for you to aim at on our field-tip specific bags. We even have some of those arrows hollowed so they whistle when you shoot them. Yes, it’s really cool, and very satisfying when you nail your target.
Badass Photo Opportunities
Our coaches are trained to take great quality pictures of you when you come in, whether it is while playing combat archery, or during private lessons. We can assure that you will have profile picture worthy shots before you walk out of here. We are also very proud of our Throne of Foam, our homage to the Game of Thrones popularity, which is ideal for group pictures and just looking like you’re a boss. Therefore you know you will be walking out with solid new options for your Facebook, LinkedIn, and even Tinder shots!
5 Star Rating
More than anything else, we cannot thank our customers enough for leaving reviews after their visits. They really do speak for themselves. Many of our bookings choose to reserve a time with us because they’ve heard of our quality from one of their friends or relatives who’ve enjoyed their experience here. An even greater sign of quality on our part, is the sheer number of returning costumers that we get. It’s always awesome to have someone come in that you can put a name to, and effectively discuss more than just archery with. We create a whole ambiance of kinship here, and attract like-minded people.
In the end, it is fair to say that we are more than just another archery facility. We encourage and help build-up people who need to see friendly faces every once in a while. This is a place where anyone can belong, a home away from home, in addition to being a great way to stay in shape and meet great people with incredible stories. We enjoy investing time in the people that invest time in us, so much so that working here doesn’t even feel like a job, but more like being part of an awesome community.