A state-of-the-art facility for indoor archery training officially opened Thursday at the U.S. Oympic Training Center in Chula Vista.
The Easton Archery Center of Excellence is the gift of Jim Easton, formerly chairman and CEO of Easton Sports, well know for innovative aluminum and carbon-fiber composite sports equipment for baseball, softball, cycling and archery.
The 42,629 square-foot facility includes a 70-meter indoor range, fitness room, athlete lounge, coaches’ offices and multiple classrooms and conference rooms. State-of-the-art technology includes ultra-high speed video, a 3D imaging system and other tools to assist Olympic athletes. Housing for 30 is located nearby.
“Part of my vision to support the development of sports education and programs for youth and aspiring Olympians and Paralympians has included designing, building and supporting archery training facilities,” said Easton. “The Easton Archery Center of Excellence is the culmination of years of planning and hard work by a team devoted to the goal of providing…leadership, facilities, programs, training and education for the growth and development of archery.”
Easton said the new center will be a place for “archers from around the world to pursue their competitive dreams.”
The building was designed by Easton’s brother Bob, who is a champion archer and also renowned architect.
The new center is expected to help California attract and host major archery events, including world championships.
“Archery has meant so much to the Easton family for over 90 years,” said Greg Easton, president of the family’s Easton Foundations. “Through the Easton Foundations, my father’s dream of supporting archery from the grassroots and community level all the way to high-end competitive archers is being realized.”
In 1939 the Easton family began developing and manufacturing aluminum arrows in Los Angeles. This was the beginning of a trend in materials that would change traditional archery and ultimately other sports.
In addition to the new center in Chula Vista, the foundation has developed archery centers in Van Nuys, Salt Lake City, Newberry, FL, and Yankton, SD, in the United States, as well as in Spain and Switzerland.
