Archery Takes Alumnus Robby Weissinger from USD to a National Championship
“Being able to represent my country was my biggest childhood goal and dream,” said Weissinger. “So being able to wear USA across my back is extremely humbling. It’s special knowing that I’m a part of the most elite archers in the world, and I get to represent my country doing the sport I love the most.”
A 2020 graduate of the USD School of Education, Weissinger competed in the barebow non-gender division at the national competition and emerged victorious with a gold medal.
“Every one of my matches was decided by a one arrow shoot-off, and my last two matches, I came back from a losing score to force those shoot offs. I hit the bullseye in the shoot off to win gold,” Weissinger said. “It meant a lot to me to be able to walk away with gold because all the years of hard work I have put into this sport finally paid off.
“It also felt good to win because I recently lost my mom, and I really felt like she was there helping me the whole way,” he added. “I struggled to find my groove, but when it counted the most, I was able to put the arrows in the middle. I was just doing what I could to make my mom proud and to bring God the glory.”
At only 24 years old, Weissinger has already had a highly successful archery career, making two world championship teams and two national teams. He said he hopes to someday win a world championship or set a world record. What the archer and former Coyote is most proud of, though, is how the sport has shaped him as a person.
“I’m most proud of how it’s built my character,” said Weissinger. “Archery has been one of the greatest teachers in my life, and it has helped me get through some of the hardest times in my life. I’m really proud of who I have become because of archery. It has taught me patience, perseverance, hard work, consistency, control and to have faith. I think I am truly a better person because of archery.”
While Weissinger’s archery career has taken him to the national and international level, it has a much more humble beginning – the USD Archery Club. He credits his involvement in this club and his time at the state's flagship university for helping him get where he is today.
“USD had an archery club that started off small my freshman year but grew into a team that went on to compete at national events,” Weissinger recalled. “I was very dedicated to my training at USD, and I trained for hours a day, at least five days a week. This level of dedication was the building blocks for who I am as an archer now.
“I have built off my college experiences, and I would not be where I am today without my time at USD,” he continued.
When reflecting on what motivates him to reach new heights in his archery career, Weissinger’s answer is simple: his love for archery.
“The biggest motivator for me is how much I love this sport,” Wessinger said. “I love shooting my bow. And when I run into difficulties, it’s the love that keeps me going. Sometimes there are breaks, but it’s always the love of the game that brings me back.”
