Spotlight On Matt Zumbo

Matt Zumbo

Spotlight on Matt Zumbo

Matt started shooting archery shortly after his 12th birthday in April 2006. He had asked his Dad if he would take him to the local indoor archery range in Fountain Valley, Orange County Archery, to give it a try. After his first beginner lesson he asked his Dad if he would buy him a compound bow, the kind with the pulleys on it. His Dad said no. He then informed his Dad that he had saved up $300 and could he buy it himself. After talking to his mom, his Mom and Dad decided to let him buy a bow. With a little extra money from his parents Matt had a new starter Darton compound bow, arrows, and site. Shortly after that Matt’s Dad also bought a bow so they could shoot together.

The next week Matt began shooting in the Junior Archer Development (JOAD) Program at Orange County Archery. Within a few months he had advanced so rapidly that he out grew his new bow and basically commandeered his Dad’s new bow. Again, with another rapid development in his shooting Matt’s parents eventually ordered him a Professional Hoyt Target Bow. Eight months after first picking up a bow he reached his Indoor Compound Gold Olympian in the JOAD Program by shooting 300 out of 300 at 18 meters. Two months later Matt set two California State Indoor records in the Cub Division. One record for the single round at 18 meters with 298 out of 300, and one for the double round NAA inner 10 ring of 578.

In March of 2007 Gary Holstein from the USA Archery High Performance Program, along with Matt’s Dad, began to coach him. Matt impressed Coach Holstein so much that he suggested that Matt shoot up in the Cadet Compound Division, with the 15 and 16 year old kids, so he would gain experience to try for the junior world team in August 2008 with his compound bow, which was about a year and a half away. Matt was not even 13 yet. He trained very hard to learn a new method of shooting called the B.E.S.T. Method (Biomechanical Efficient Shooting Technique). It was developed by Coach Kisik Lee, the National Head Coach of the USA Archery program. In August of 2007 Matt competed at the USA Outdoor Target Nationals tournament in Colorado in the Cadet Division and finished fourth. His performance caught the eye of Coach Lee, and in September 2007 he was invited to attend an evaluation camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista California for a position on the USA Archery Junior Olympic Dream Team which is overseen by Coach Lee. Participation on the Dream Team requires that you shoot an Olympic Recurve style bow. Matt had never shot this style bow before. His parents quickly put together a bow for him so he could attend the two week training camp. Matt was accepted into the program and attends training camp for a week four times a year.

He finished up the 2007 season on his compound bow and began training full time on the Olympic Recurve at the end of October. The goal of making the Junior World Team was now only 10 months away, and he was basically starting over. He was still shooting up with the older kids since his actual age group does not compete at world events. Although the hill Matt had to climb to reach the goal of making the Junior World Team seemed much steeper, Matt’s attitude never changed. He just kept saying, “I can do it”. As a member of the Junior Dream Team, Matt has a required training plan every week. Matt had a positive attidute and stuck to the training plan.

In January of 2008 he placed second in the California State Indoor Championships. In February he placed third at the Las Vegas World Archery Festival. In June he won the California State Outdoor Championships, and July he place second in the JOAD National Outdoor Championships in Oklahoma after tying in the gold medal match, tying two more times in a single arrow shoot off, and finally placing second after the third and final single arrow shoot off. In August, at the Junior world Team Trials in Colorado, Matt won six of his seven Round Robin matched and accumulated enough points to finish second and secure himself a spot on the USA Archery Junior World Team. He did it, He had a plan and he worked the plan.

The Junior World Team competed in Antalya, Turkey on October 6 through the 12th. At the Junior World Championships Matt finished the FITA ranking round in 69th position out of 101 shooters from over 50 countries. He faced the 60th ranked individual from Germany in his first Olympic Round elimination match at 60 meters. Matt won his first match 105 to 96. In his second match he faced the number five ranked indivudual from India. After the first 6 arrows Matt was leading 56 to 51. The boy from India shot and unbealeavable 58 out 60 to tie the match at 109 after twelve arrows forcing a single arrow shoot off to determing the winner. By the way, 109 was a personal best for Matt at 60 meters under the preasure of a OR Match. The single are shoot off again ended in a tie with both boys shoot a 9. India ultimately won shooting a 10 to Matt’s 9 in the second shoot off. Matt’s overal ranking for the Junior World Championships ended up 36th. A solid performance for a Cub shooting in the Cadet division, and only shooting a recurve bow for 11 months.

2009 has gone really well so far. Matt finished first at the California State Indoor Championships, JOAD Indoor Nationals, the Mexican Grand Prix in Baja Mexico in the Junior Division, as well as first at the SI Cup in Carbondale Illinois in the Cadet Division. He finished second at the Junior World Team Trials in Carbondale Illinois and secured a spot on the 2009 USA Archery Junior World Team, Cadet Male Recurve.

Matt will be training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista most weekends until he reaches the age of 15, when he hopes to be accepted into the Resident Athlete Program at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista.

Matt Zumbo Sets New FITA OR Record

Matt Zumbo

Sunday May 3, 2009
SI Cup Carbondale Illinois

JDT Member Matt Zumbo set a new Star FITA Outdoor record for a Male Recurve Cadet during the OR rounds of the SI Cup in Carboondale Illinois.

Way to go Matt!