P.A. Day camps at Arena!
Archers Arena does camps! Who knew? Well quite a few people actually. We’ve had Kids from Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Brantford, Scarborough, Markham come all that way to join are camps which is a fantastic compliment! On top of all that, our repeat customer ratio is outstanding so what is it that has these kids coming back for more and more? Let me dive into it.
Well to start off, we have very passionate and enthusiastic coaches. The games and activities that are hosted through our awesome team would only be sub-par if it wasn’t for their infectious energy (even early in the morning). On top of that, the first thing our coaches talk about with the kids is our zero tolerance to bullying. Everyone is here to have a good time!
Our kids program starts at 10am (9am for an early drop-off) and ends at 5pm. Our coaches bring the kids through what we like to call “the icebreakers” which is simply peeling off the shyness anyone might have! We all introduce ourselves and play a few games to remember everyone’s name, then we’re off to the races.
Generally, after our icebreakers and warm-up games, we get the kids through one “Big activity” before we break for lunch at 12. Every camp day,
During lunch time, we get everyone to wash their hands and grab their lunch (if they have one) and meet up in the party room. After everyone is all set up, we generally like to play a movie for everyone to watch while we eat and after about 30 minutes, we’re back at it. To let all the food settle before we start running around again, we like to start up slow with our famous “hide and seek” where almost the entire facility is at the kids disposal. Lights are dimmed, our spotlights are turned on and 1-2 seekers try to find the hiders (our coaches know some really good spots) and seekers rally up points on who they find!
After our after-lunch game, the day is decided by our coaches with input from the activities the kids prefer. A day at camp is never the same with so many possibilities so each day is customized to make sure everyone gets time doing what they want! A list of our activities include (but aren’t limited to)
· Archery tag
· Nerf Wars
· Hide and seek (unbelievably popular)
· Bubble soccer
· VR (Virtual Reality)
· Ultimate Frisbee
· LARPing (live action role-play)
· Dodgeball
· Assorted Board games
· New release movies
· A bunch more!
The camps have been so popular that we’re opening them up to P.A. days when they come around so if you’d like to sign up your child, give us a call in advance to join a “wait list” and once the minimum of 10 kids have been reached, we’ll launch the camp day!
I personally love facilitating the kid’s camps and I can’t wait to make a bunch more unforgettable days.
The League of extraordinary archers
Battle Archery, the greatest sport you’ve never heard of. Perhaps you have heard of it or better yet, experienced it but what makes the sport of Archery dodge-ball so enticing and captivating to its audience? Well to be honest, there are many things but the common denominator that everyone seems to enjoy most is League.
Now let’s dive into what exactly is league? League is the heart of battle archery. League is the community that pumps its enthusiasm through the sport and energizes all that we do. Through weekly meetups with a team of 6-8 people (only 6 will be representing your team at any given time) you play other teams of 6 archers with the same skill level and achieve a ranking and finally play in a “play-off” at the end of the quarter (season). Meeting new people and potential friends as an adult is tough for most of us, really tough, but how easy is it to go out, exercise and do something fun while meeting new people that have the same interest as you? It’s in that essence what fuels the league at archer’s arena.
How does the league work? Well every single Wednesday we have all our league teams come to the arena and face off against a specific team in a specific game mode for that week. The game mode will be released the week prior so teams have a chance to strategize and practice for their upcoming match. Depending on the teams we have, we play a best of 3 or 5 and record the victories of the teams who played that day and at the end of the season, we have a climactic play-off where everyone brings their A-game.
The beauty of our archery dodge-ball league is that it’s accessible to everyone and caters to beginners. I personally like to think of battle archery League as “beer league” baseball where the only thing you need to bring is a good attitude and the willingness to play (running shoes, shorts and t-shirt will help).
For those of you wanting to take your battle archery game a little more seriously, “community night” (Tuesdays and Fridays) are made available to those in League at a discounted rate! Community night is the perfect place to hone skills and learn new tricks as it is where the regular archers and coaches come to play.
We’ll see you in League!
The most wonderful time of the year! (no, not christmas)
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, not Christmas but it’s just as magical. The best archers from all over Canada get together to square off against each other in a 6v6 tournament bonanza and that’s what this week’s article is all about! Best part is, it’s happening this year at Archers Arena August 26th!
Bows and arrows aren’t that common anymore and the only time we ever see them used are generally with target shooting (Olympic style) or hunting but during this special time of the year, you get to see and surround yourself with the best arrow-slinging warriors Canada has to offer. Yes, they exist.
This archery is different. This archery requires speed and mobility, strategy and cunning. This kind of archery rewards quick minds and quicker feet. This kind of archery is the same archery that built or destroyed empires and won wars. I know it’s hard to imagine but these are the men and women that turn the beautiful art of archery into its deadliest form.
What kind of competitive level do this men and women bring? Well it’s hard to describe since we don’t get to see bows used like this too often but it’s high. Very high. These competitors are shooting 10 arrows in less than 15 seconds, holding 5+ arrows without a quiver and picking up an arrow mid-run and firing it before their back foot lands to change direction. These fighters are also snatching arrows mid-flight shot from 29lb bows and dodging (more like dancing) around volleys of enemy arrows. It’s an exciting time as a player and spectator alike because it’s so easy to recognize the level of skill and if you’re a fan of the sport, surround yourself around those like-minded.
This year is going to be either 6 or 8 teams that face off against each other and even if you’re new to the sport, we encourage people to come watch or play. It’s an opportunity to see or play against some of our coaches and most regular customers to put your skill to the test and if you’ve ever played a game of archery tag, will have a much deeper appreciation for the speed and skill of the players.
The tournament games are simple elimination matches with players having ONE life each and having 1.5x the number of arrows for each player (18 arrows total). Teams play in BOTH courts (1 bigger, 1 smaller) and some games have players start with arrows while others have players sprint to the middle. Don’t miss your chance and come play or watch the best archers in Canada.
Real life Fortnite (Nerfnite) and Game of Thrones (Game of foam)
Greetings and salutations fellow nerd-dorks! Grab your thickest pair of spectacles and jump in your coziest onesie because we’re getting our nerd on in this week’s blog!
With our pop-culture buzzing with gamers and TV-series enthusiasts alike, it’s no surprise that we get TONS of new customers flocking to our doors to live out their gamer fantasies like going rogue in PUBG, raining down arrows in a sniper tower from “the battle of Blackwater” (Game of Thrones) or playing a real-life game of duo’s (Fortnite) with their favorite buddy! And that’s great because we are gamer and TV series enthusiast as well! So we’ve crafted a real life experience that is second-to-none.
Gamers rejoice! Whether you’re bob the builder with a gun or hunting down other players with a frying pan, Fortnite and PUBG are some of the biggest names in first person shooters and our Nerf Wars (Arena and game modes) has done an excellent job in capturing the essence of both these titan games! Our fortnite game modes include “Duo’s” that have you and your favorite nerf buddy face off against a bunch of other Duo’s in this semi free for all game mode (yes, you can heal your teammate) with the added ability to build (acquire) bunkers. If building bunkers isn’t your thing (certainly isn’t mine) than maybe you just wanna hit someone with a frying pan like in PUBG! (Yes we have pans. No you cannot hit with them). With our ever evolving Nerf Wars, you can finally jump in your favorite game and show us those gamer skills!
If you know Game of Thrones, than you probably know you Ramsay Bolton is and you probably know he’s a fantastic archer. Well what if I told you that you can represent house Bolton in our Game of thrones game? (or you can fight against them). After dozens of hours of game testing, our Game of Thrones game mode has become and easy fan favorite, with dozens of houses to choose from, each gaining a unique power, you can represent your Favorite house and claim the throne of foam. The game of thrones game mode has been a personal favourite due to its immersion and flavour while keeping a tight, competitive feel. No house is considered “too powerful” and no house doesn’t have its own weaknesses.
So there we go. If I don’t see you in the Arena, I’ll see you in Fortnite.
Cheers!
Mr. Aimazing (Kyle)
It's all fun and games until someone gets competitive...
Every Tuesday and Friday night starting at 8pm, Archers Arena hosts a “community night” where those who want to become effective combat archers can learn the skills!
Archers Arena is home to Archery tag and Nerf Wars and while both are incredibly fun and rewarding, it also happens to be particularly challenging when looking to compete within the sport. Yes, you can compete in the sport and that’s what todays blog is about. COMPETITION!!
Now for today’s topic, I’m going to be talking primarily about Archery tag over Nerf Wars because as fun as Nerf Wars is, it’s incredibly difficult to monitor and ref a competitive game of nerf wars vs archery tag, also, archery tag has a very high skill curve (and a very rewarding one as well) that develops quickly when playing and has apparently no end.
The art of archery has been around since seemingly the dawn of time where mankind learned the pointy end of the stick hurts, bows and arrows were made shortly thereafter. The concept of the bow and arrows is simple, the limbs of the bow create tension on a string that is used to launch a pointy stick at your enemy so with such a simple concept, how difficult can the sport be? Well since I’ve worked for archers arena, the answer is staggering. The difference between a pro archer and an amateur is just as big a gap as a pro and amateur boxer or swimmer.
The first layer to the competitive nature of archery is speed (that’s right, not accuracy but speed). I’ve been a boxer for most of my youth and I’ve learned that in ALL my combat sports experience, speed kills and archery tag is no exception. The ability to move nimbly and dodge incoming arrows all while launching a volley of arrows strikes yourself has proven time and time to trump slower players. Accuracy IS king in the sense of “what’s the point of speed if you can’t hit your target?” but the truth is, I’ll take a slightly faster player over a slightly more accurate player any day.
Catching. Yes you can catch arrows in archery tag and we have some players that are crazy good at it. Catching an arrows not only negates the damage of an arrow AND depletes the enemy of their arrow resources but it also has some BIG added effect in all games that we play (even the highest level competitive games). I’ve seen the classic 1 vs. many scenario so many times won by the underdog player because of a well anticipated catch. Catching > dodging. Always.
There is a plethora of skills to learn to be an effective combat archer like a fast quick draw (picking up an arrow and firing it as fast as possible), holding multiple arrows, team strategy and synchronization and resource (arrow) acquisition but these are skills ill touch up on another day.
Renovations to serve you better
Summer is soon upon us! That means it’s time to bust out your sunglasses, Nerf Balls, your favourite speedo and your bows and arrows!
To add to the excitement to summers much anticipated arrival, there are BIG new changes happening at Archers Arena! All these changes are in the spirit of serving you better and making your trip to Archers Arena even more unforgettable so without further ado, allow me to reveal these amazing changes to you in this week’s blog post!
The Upper Deck – Perhaps the biggest change is the second floor that we recently had constructed! This second floor has been installed to give spectators a bird’s eye view of all the action happening in both courts. This is undoubtedly the best place to be in to see the fight without actually being in it.
Upgraded Sniper towers – Our sniper towers have now doubled in size! We can get many snipers comfortably into a tower at once that can maneuver swiftly around each other. Furthermore, the lining of the tower has been padded with soft rubber to ensure sniper comfortability while leaning over to make difficult, angled shots. Holes have been drilled out of the side of the towers so ammunition can be delivered to snipers with ease and without the sniper having to divide his or her attention between ammo gathering and sharpshooting. Special bows have been installed in both towers on a rack that are more suitable for sniping gameplay. Lastly the ladder has been replaced with a staircase to ensure players can get up and down quickly and more importantly, safely. Life’s good as a sniper!
Air Conditioning Unit – its summer but this thing can (but won’t) make it feel like winter! A common request during summertime is to play in air-conditioned courts and it has been granted. No sweating just looking at a bow and arrow!
Extended party room – Our current party room is being extended 2x its size! If you want a private or personal party with your huge group of friends, no problem! A sectional is going to be added between the two rooms as well to host multiple groups.
New Turf Court – We mowed the lawn and got rid of our grass court and replaced it with a new rubber court to make things clean and pristine
Archers Arena is always under development to make your experience better but we’ve never had such dramatic changes like this! I’ll see you in the sniper tower
Mr. Aimazing (Kyle)
To be the coach
Alright my friends! Today you get the inside scoop. A few questions I get asked quite frequently by people is “what’s it like being a coach at Archers Arena?” “Could you compete with Katniss Everdeen or Legolas Greenleaf?” and the famous “does it hurt?” Well I get to dig into these questions and more with you in today’s blog!
No, it doesn’t hurt. Especially not the Nerf Wars
I could possibly compete with Katniss but am almost certain I would have a losing win/loss ratio and I couldn’t possibly compete with that majestic elf Legolas.
Well I guess that just leaves “what’s it like being a coach?” and thankfully there’s layers to this question or else this week’s blog would be exceptionally short!
The short answer to that question is, it’s amazing but saying its amazing is too vague so allow me to elaborate. First off, I believe we’re all children at heart at it feels fantastic to play games over and over as a means to make a living! In a society crippled by work that causes anxiety and nervous breakdowns, it feels great to take a page out of the Jokers book and say “why so serious?” secondly, energy is everything, so in a business that’s only purpose is to bring guests in and make them have a great time, it’s pretty hard not to be swept away by the positivity that emits from people.
They say “it’s all about the people you work with” and let me tell you, that’s the truth. The employees at Archers Arena are like no other team I’ve experienced. Handshakes, hugs, and laughs are only the beginning of what makes this group of archers not only a working team, but a family (cheesy I know but bare with me). To work at Archers Arena is to be invited into a family, to be trusted and to be encouraged to grow and pursue whatever in life you want to chase and this is demonstrated through frequent chats and one-on-one sit down talks. These people care, and that’s hard to find.
And lastly, competition. As a coach, you’re encouraged to practice your archery (obviously) and to participate in community nights where we get some regulars in to play the game we love. In my humble opinion, the strongest friendships are forged through competition and that’s exactly what we do. Not only do we encourage you to grow as a person, but also in sport.
“Hitting the target isn’t the hard part. It’s finding a target worth hitting”
Mr. Aimazing (Kyle)
Summer Festivities!
Summer is finally upon us in Toronto so you know what that means! Beer. BBQ beers, patio beers, backyard beers, and beer beers. Let’s face it, there’s never not a good time to crack open a cold one with the boys (or girls!) during summer!
To turbo-charge the love for our delicious hoppy nectar, Toronto has their annual BEERFEST happening July 26th-29th. People from all over Canada get together to celebrate their favorite frothy drink and rejoice over it with friends and food. Now here’s a riddle. Q - What’s more fun after pounding back a few wobbly pops under the sun? A – Everything and archery tag is no exception, in fact, humans have been warring with bows and arrows and celebrating their victories (or trying to forget their loses) since the delicious dizzy juice has been discovered. Archers Arena will be special guests attending this frothy foam party so if you’ve never tried nerf wars or archery tag before, No problem, ask your closest mate to “hold my beer” and learn the ferocious art form. Just make sure you have a couple brewskies before playing so you’re seeing double because double the targets means it’s harder to miss. Bro-science
Archers Arena invades Anime North!
Hey there Ashitaka (princess mononoke) pretty nice costume you got there, are your archery skills as sharp as your costume? Anime North is closing in on us fast on May 25th -27th and that means the cosplayers are coming out to play! Time to dress up as your favorite anime character for this massive meet-and-greet with your favorite anime artists. Woah there Pokkle, (Hunter X Hunter) you’ll have to leave your cosplay bow at the door, only the Archers Arena bows can be used in combat. Archers Arena is also going to be bringing their nerf guns as well so all the Major Motoko Kusanagis (ghost in the shell) can rejoice!
Whether you’re into beers or anime, (or both) Toronto has exciting upcoming events for you worth being excited over. Archers Arena is going to be at both events sampling their archery and nerf so if you’ve never experience it before, than this is the perfect opportunity. Throw on your favorite anime character costume, grab a beer and let the nerf balls and arrows fly.
Mr. Aimazing (Kyle)
The place to bring your date.
Date night! That was my reason for going to Archers Arena for the very first time because why not? i’m a big nerd myself and never tried combat archery so lets see how my date deals with that, plus, who wouldn’t like shooting your date with arrows?
We went in on a Friday and couldn’t believe how busy it was. The lobby was filled with chatter, laughter and people gazing at the game modes decorated over the walls. After my date nervously signed her waiver (fearful the arrows hurt which surprisingly didn’t at all) and coach Moe introduced himself to the 15+ wannabe battle archers in the lobby who he had their attention firmly grasped. I was impressed to say the least. Calm and personable, Moe was a natural leader who led us into the next room which was the practice range. Bows neatly lay on the racks with buckets of arrows close by had this date night getting very cool, very fast.
After a more in depth introduction, Moe gave us our safety equipment and had us pledge (literally) that we would not “dry fire” his bows which stirred up some laughter in the crowd. We were taught the anatomy of the bow and arrow as well in the compressed, crash course archery lesson which helped a lot seeing as how my date had never done archery before. After basic archery tag technique, Moe started teaches us the real meat & potatoes of combat archery which included the “quick draw”, holding multiple arrows and power-shots. I’m pretty sure it was at this time that Moe had more attention than my date. I was hooked!
It was time. Moe started fitting everyone with their helmets to enter the arena. My date was nervous about getting shot but she was approached by a coach and was gently reminded that kids of all ages play this and that she would be fine with their 22lb bows. We entered the Arena having a bunch of pictures taken to commemorate the occasion and told they are completely free of charge which was amazing. We were then divided into two teams and taught the court rules quick with integrated jokes that always had some of the group laughing after which, we were asked to go to the back walls to start the game. The coach counted us down and BOOM! The game started!
After a hail of arrows were launched, we were quick to learn that archery tag didn’t hurt at all! With my new found archery skills taught by Moe and these fluffy Q-tiped arrows, I stormed to the front lines to give the opposing team a piece of my mind. After an hours worth of non-stop games, Moe let us know about “community night” that happens every Tuesday and Friday and invited us to come by to experience a more competitive type of play.
What an amazing amazing time! I went back for community night, again and again.
- Mr. Aimazing (Kyle)
Resolutions and resolutioners
New Year new you,….right? At least that’s the theory. January 1 seems to be that magical reset button day. The day you promise yourself you will stop or start something to make your quality of life better. There’s always the lose weight promise, or swearing that’s the last cigarette. Some folks opt to keep promises simple like pledging they will always hang up their clothes on laundry day.
Or maybe….just maybe…. You’ve decided to try a new sport. Just gunna throw this out there but why not try some archery dodgeball? Or Nerf Wars even?
READ MORE: 18 Benefits to Playing Archery Dodgeball
Why not right? If you want to be a successful “resolutioner”, you gotta make SMART goals. Lemme break it down:
Specific: Goals are more obtainable when we focus on the scope of the benefits we want. So instead of saying “I’m going to get more exercise”, you could say “I’m gunna try a new sport to get more exercise”.
Measurable: Measure the benefits of the sport to what your goal is or how it parallels your lifestyle.
Attainable: This is pretty easy….get in touch with Archers Arena to book your archery dodgeball, archery lesson or nerf wars party.
Relevant: I’m assuming if you’re reading this you’ve got at least a slight interest in archery dodgeball or nerf wars. That’s a start! Dive into those curiosities! If a friendly, competitive and fun atmosphere sounds good to you….its because it is.
Time-bound: Set aside time to dedicate to your new sport (c’mon we both know its gunna be archery). It takes some discipline and getting used to but find a way to fit it into your schedule on a regular basis.
READ MORE – NERF WARS: The Backyard Games Have Changed
So here we are, well into February….and I need to take my own advice. I made a goal to be more organized and that has crumbled into a million pieces. I think that we don’t have to wait for January 1st to make a change in our lives. It takes practice and habit to reach our goals. So go ahead, pick a day….any day and let that be the day you do something for you. And should Archers Arena be part of that, you’ve come to the right place. Our coaches are here to help and the equipment is ready to go, you just gotta make the call.
Your fellow archer,
Erin
Happy Holidays!
Holidays!! Wow that came up quick didn’t it? Hope you’re ready! We are getting ready too and Archers Arena will be closed December 25th and 26th and then again on December 29th until January 2nd. We will be open in the new year on January 3rd.
In the meantime, there are many cool ways to incorporate archery into the holiday season. Maybe rock this archery themed Christmas sweater? How about these holiday themed targets?
Did you come to Archers Arena for the first time this year and discover a new love for archery dodgeball? Consider joining our new league starting in January! (Click here to read more details on the new archery dodgeball league starting in the new year) Great way to join a new sport, meet new people and tackle that new years resolution of getting more exercise 😉.
Here we are on the day of Christmas Eve surrounded by bows, berries, lights and ornaments. Family bustling about cooking, last minute shopping and wrapping. Or maybe you’re sitting front of the TV taking in the holiday movies or singing along to the carols being played on the radio. However you spend your Christmas, the entire team from Archers Arena wishes our archers community a merry Christmas!
Hey, you guys! New NERF gun is here!
When Archers Arena says they keep up with the best equipment, they really mean it! Archers Arena is excited to share a new NERF gun that is being added to the NERF gun line up. Ladies n gents, boys n girls, help us welcome the new and freakin awesome NERF gun called Hera from the Rival line! We chose the Rival line as our top selection as they hardly ever jam. Check it out here for a full unboxing and review. This 12 shot blaster has a streamlined magazine reloading feature with the quick thumb tab and is more lightweight from the change to a smaller battery size. We’re so excited to be adding this to our NERF gun selection, check out this blog for more on the NERF guns used at Archers Arena.
Ever notice when some businesses say that they provide the best equipment out there? Then you get there and the equipment is over used, falling apart and has funky smell that makes your stomach turn. So disappointing right? We take care of our equipment at Archers Arena. Check out this video of Coach Christine doing a regular cleaning of the archery dodgeball equipment. As she mentions in the video, lots of people come through the arena and we want to ensure that our customers are using clean and safe equipment for their next archery dodgeball or NERF war games. Nobody wants to put on a mask where you can tell someone just wore it (ew!) and nobody wants to get their equipment only to discover that the trigger doesn’t work or a strap is too loose. If we do ever come across a NERF gun that has some issues, we have a technician that comes on site to help fix those quirks. In fact, if you own a NERF gun that needs tweaking, bring your NERF gun to Archers Arena and we can help you get your rifle back into tip top shape! And if you really enjoy NERF guns and NERF wars, Archers Arena is hiring new NERF wars coaches. Click here to find out more information and how you can apply.
Its all in the little things that make the biggest impact and we pay attention to those details. Why? We just want you to have fun without the worry. Leave the worry at the door and let us take it from there. Pick up that bow or NERF gun and fire away those stressors!
Your fellow archer,
Erin S.
How to not feel so much of the post archery dodgeball burn
The Archers Arena community knows the ache very well after a solid session of archery dodgeball, so we wanted to share a few suggestions to help ease those aches. Anyone who has ever played archery dodgeball knows all the running, dodging, dive, squats, lunges and pulling that goes into a game. Its usually around 12-48 hours later that all of those activities can catch up to you. This is referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness and its quite common to experience soreness or stiffness after enduring exercise or movements you don’t usually do. Here’s a few tidbits to help ease the burn:
Light post-archery dodgeball stretching
After your dodgeball archery games, do around 10 minutes of light stretching focusing on trapezius, hamstring, hips and anywhere else that may feel tight.
Ice, Ice, Baby!
You know that bag of frozen vegetables in the back of your freezer? That bag you swear you’ll use up but never do? Time to put it into use and apply it to the sore area intermittently. Don’t over do it though,, only apply for a maximum of 15 min. This can also be applied to bruises
Protein
As soon as you’re done your archery dodgeball session, replenishing your body is a good move. When you exercise, your body is using up crazy energy and the stored glucose in your muscles need to be replenished. By consuming protein in the first 30 minutes post exercise assists in rebuilding the stored glucose. Why is restoring important? It helps decrease the chances of muscle soreness. Here’s a few things you can eat post dodgeball archery.
Say “No” to Bed Rest
Keep moving and don’t let those muscles rest for too long. Its important to keep the blood flow going to all areas to prevent muscles from getting too stiff and uncomfortable. The oxygen in our blood helps repair the muscles that got a work out.
Lingering Pain
If you feel that its been a day or two longer than usual for your body to recuperate, never ignore lingering pain as it may be an indicator that you may have done some damage. If you suspect somethings not right, please contact your health care provider.
Going forward, its best to be prepared before any archery dodgeball game. Stay hydrated, stretch and wear appropriate athletic wear and foot ware. It truly makes all the difference in ensuring you have the best experience at Archers Arena!
Your fellow archer,
Erin S.
Let the kids pew pew!
The other day we went into Archers Arena for a little dodgeball archery session and we got there a little early. I didn’t mind waiting around because we got the opportunity to watch a BIG group of kids playing nerf wars. Dozens of kids running around laughing, shouting and the odd “YEAH!” rang throughout the arena.
It really is incredible to step back and see all the things that a child can learn by participating in group sports like NERF wars or dodgeball archery.
Socializing: NERF war and dodgeball archery games at Archers Arena are structured so that it encourages players to connect with their teams to strategize. This means it gives children the opportunity to learn how to socialize with their friends and the new people that they get to meet!
Hand Eye Motor Skills: Even though video games are good for this kind of coordination, it doesn’t beat getting your kids away from the console and engage in some real time action. Actually using a NERF gun or bow, reloading and lining up shots is a great way to further enhance hand eye motor skills.
Leadership: NERF wars and dodgeball archery really does tap into what kind of leadership skills you have. It gives kids the opportunity to discover their leadership qualities through strategizing and observing team players skill sets.
Exercise!: Again, get the kids away from the game consoles! Kids need at least 60 minutes of physical activity per DAY. By booking a NERF wars or dodgeball archery session at Archers Arena, let the kids run and have a great time with our coaches in a safe and friendly environment.
Archers Arena is able to host children as young as 5 years old (and oh my gosh those lil assassins are just adorable!). Bring the family and friends! Parents can also play with the kids and what a great way to be able to get some quality family time into our busy schedules.
Planning a birthday party? Let us help!
The birthday party game certainly has stepped up hasn't it? So much that if I could do a re-do on my 7th birthday party....I'd do it. Luckily we have access to sites that inspire us to make these occasions incredibly special (Pinterest....so much thanks!). We also have Archers Arena and their birthday party packages for combat archery AND NERF Wars! What a great time to be parenting in! So here are a few links to some really fun DIY projects to add that special magic to your son or daughters birthday we hope you enjoy.
Combat Archery Party
Cakes n Treats
Invites n Decorations
Archery Colours – banners, streams and signs
Party Favors
Thanks for Coming! Arrow and pencil note of thanks
This fun archery themed goody bag
NERF Wars Party
Cakes n Treats
Invites n Decorations
Party Favors
These lil projects do take some time, but that's OK! Years down the road seeing old videos and pictures of the party at Archers Arena will always bring back fun memories and appreciation for all the work you did to make sure they had an amazing day. Let us help you make it happen and contact Archers Arena for any questions or more information.
Your fellow archer,
Erin S.
How to Optimize Your Archers Arena Experience
Whether its your first time or you’ve lost track on how many times you’ve played combat archery at Archers Arena, there are always helpful hints and skills we can learn to enhance your experience.
Clothing: You’re in for a workout so be sure to bring something comfortable. Like you could wear jeans..but yeah don’t. Totally wore jeans my first time and that wasn’t fun to run around in. Oh! And of course your running shoes! Archers Arena also has lockers available if you need to change.
Booking and Checking In: We really encourage everyone to connect with Archers Arena to book their combat archery (or even Nerf Wars?!) session as drop in times can get limited. Once you get in just be sure to check in at the front desk and hang out in our comfy lobby till your orientation starts. Chill out on the couch, play a game of pool and sit upon the throne of arrows and snag a selfie with friends.
Our team of coaches have streamlined the orientation process to ensure everyone can enter the arena feeling totally confident. In the meantime, here are a few links to tips and tricks for your next combat archery session from our Archers Arena coaches and community:
Top 3 tips for Beginners as shared by members of the Archers Arena community
Coach Mike shares how to do an even faster quick draw and the secret to making sure everyone has a great time
Post-Combat: Hydrate! Stretch! Protein!....and possibly some A535 (ok maybe not that far for most…but still). With all of the sprints, pivots, lunges, squats and reaching, you’re gunna want to take care of yourself. By doing some stretching and keeping hydrated, it’ll help dull any muscle aches the next day.
Interested in more? Consider joining the Archers Arena combat archery league that starts in January. Better yet, come out on coaches night for some next level competition. These two opportunities will help you grow in your combat archery skills and it’s a great way to get your exercise time in.
So now you’ve got some great hints and even a few tricks, come by Archers Arena and try 'em out for yourself!
Your fellow archer,
Erin S.
It's here! A league is happening!
Yeah man, you read that right. Our fearless leader dropped some pretty sweet news the other day and its truly a sign of the growing community at Archers Arena. (Check out the video blog here from Sam) After sharing the combat archery sport with so many, there's always bound to be a few of us that want more. Well my fellow archers, we wanted more and Archers Arena is delivering more!.
Now, this calls for an appropriate time to start a group chat because you and your buddies are gunna want in on this. Here’s the details for that group chat you’re gunna start soon (copy, paste and share. I insist!):
What: Combat Archery League at Archers Arena
Who: Everyone! 12 teams with 3 players each
How much: $150 per person ($450/team) for a chance at the prize pool. $75 if you don’t wanna win any money
When: Starts January 10, 2018. League will run for a total of 12 weeks. Two of those weeks will be dedicated for playoffs. Combat archery league nights will be on Wednesday nights starting at 7:30PM.
Why: Why not? Great activity for you and your friends and an opportunity to meet fellow archers from the Archers Arena community. And….well…you could win some money! All just playing some combat archery once a week.
So, assuming that everyone wants in on a chance to win a piece of the prize pool, here’s what’s up for grabs:
$2,700 Prize Pool!
1st Place: $1,350
2nd place: $810
3rd place: $540
Not bad eh? Oh! Let your buddies know as well that there will be a new game mode every other week to look forward to as well. Signing up for a combat archery league with your friends is such a great opportunity! Especially with the winter months coming up, its such a great way to keep in touch, get some exercise, keep warm and have some fun.
Go ahead, copy and paste that info and hit send. As always, the folks at Archers Arena are always happy to hear from you if you’ve got any questions. They can be reached at (647) 992-7362 and you check out their facebook page for updates and video blogs.
Your fellow archer,
Erin S.
Welcome back SPARK!
Archers Arena will be once again hosting a component for Spark Show Production′s Little Prince and Princess 2017 pageant.
On Sunday November 19th, 20 kids with their folks will be coming to Archers Arena to show case their skills. With the support from their parents and Archers Arena Coaches, these lil prince and princesses must make a short video demonstrating their leadership and teamwork. This video will be used as a part of their judged components. So it totally makes sense that they demonstrate those skills by playing both combat archery AND Nerf wars at Archers Arena!
There are so many benefits the contestants and their parents will get to experience by participating in playing some combat archery tag and Nerf wars.
Great exercise! - Sprinting, ducking, reaching, bending and lunges always makes for a great workout.
Developmental growth – Hand eye coordination level 100 after a solid combat archery match or strategic Nerf war game. Same with focus, serious XP gain after concentrating on your target while maintaining awareness of your surroundings.
Communication – Strategizing with your team mates encourages you to be clear and concise in how to develop the perfect plan to defeat opponents.
Under Pressure – Believe it or not there are good kinds of stress. Indulge me a moment. You’re playing combat archery and the game mode is elimination. You see your team dwindling and the other team is growing and the next thing you know it dawns on you, you’re the last one standing (Archers Arena community..you know what I’m talking about). Coping with stress in small amounts in a gaming environment helps when dealing with stress at higher levels.
Getting in tune – Combat archery is best played with patience and a clear mind to allow instinctiveness and the awesome to flow. Confidence helps set a clear and determined mind!
Comradery – Combat archery and Nerf wars is a great opportunity to learn to maintain friendship, respect and loyalty! Even though the contestants are competing against each other, they must find ways to work together as a team and establish those loyalties.
The princes and princesses will have so many opportunities to showcase their individual skill sets as Combat Archery and Nerf wars showcase focus, dexterity, strategy and fair competitiveness. Not only do they get the chance to shine, they’ll have a great time meeting new people, making new friends and creating so many wonderful memories with their parents. Good luck to all of the princes and princesses! We hope you have an amazing time!
Let's take a stroll down artillery lane, shall we?
Artillery Lane --> This Way
Clearly, Archers Arena isn’t messing around when it comes to Nerf Guns. Our goal: making sure you have a great time. How do we make that happen? Making sure you are equipped with the best Nerf Guns possible for your Nerf War. Our criteria? Nerf guns must be accurate, have power, be reliable and have streamlined reloading. Why? When your immersed in a competitive Nerf War, the last thing you wanna worry about a timely reload when your team is on the edge of GLORY.
Like any great warrior, one must know their weaponry…and well.
Primary Line: Rival
Archers Arena is equipped with two lines of Nerf War weapons. First line (and most bad-ass) of weapons is the Rival line. Solid accuracy and power!
The high-capacity ARTEMIS XVII-3000 blaster holds 30 high-impact rounds and fires them at a velocity of 100F/S (30M/S). Get ready for battle quickly with the easy-load, integrated magazine. Launch each round individually for calculated targeting, or inundate your opponents by unleashing all 30 rounds rapidly with slam-fire action. The ARTEMIS XVII-3000 blaster has a rotating barrel, trigger lock, and tactical rail. Experience the intensity of the Nerf Rival ARTEMIS XVII-3000 blaster!
Automatic Heaven The KHAOS MXVI-4000 blaster holds 40 high-impact rounds and fires them at a velocity of 100F/S (30M/S) at full automatic, with quick ammo magazines you can lay suppressive fire as your allies move up and flank your enemy.
In our sniper towers, you get outfitted with the NEMESIS MXVII-10K. The weapon is named after Nemesis, a goddess is Greek mythology who exacts vengeance upon those who succumb to hubris. That vengeful power now rests between your hands, to annihilate the hordes of enemies with its 100 high-impact rounds hopper. Additionally, the NEMESIS MXVII-10K has the higher ammo capacity of any Nerf blaster in history.
Secondary Line: N-Strike
Not to be outdone by the Rival line, N-Strike is ready for a quick draw.
STRONG ARM - Rapid Fire Pistol
Speed and mobility are yours with the quick-draw and rapid fire of the STRONG ARM blaster! With the same long-range accuracy and power as other N-Strike Elite blasters, it rapid fires 6 darts when you pump the slam-fire repeatedly while holding the trigger. Loading is fun and speedy with the flip open rotating barrel.
Put some serious blasting power in your pocket with the TRIAD EX-3 BLASTER! Don't let this 3-dart blaster's micro size fool you - it's small, but mighty, possessing the same long-range power as other N-Strike Elite blasters. Quick to reload so you can get back in the game just as quick.
Well that concludes our stroll for now. In the meantime, Archers Arena is fully stocked and loaded with the best Nerf has to offer to make sure either your family outing, get together with friends or team building with colleagues adventure is 100% awesome.
Season 12 Combat Archery Tournament.....Results are in!
Just sitting in the orientation space watching the teams warm up as they prepare for the ultimate combat archery tournament at Archers Arena here in Toronto. The air is friendly with familiar faces from the Archers Arena community but with there was an edge of competitiveness…..its pretty awesome to see. Coach Jones gathers the archery teams and announces the game and arena rules for the tournament. Since the combat archery teams are playing for the chance to play against combat d’archers in Montreal, so tonight, we’re playing by Montreal rules. The game mode tonight: elimination with a few Montreal rule tweaks.
The teams tonight who are battling for the ultimate prize of bragging rights:
Bows Before Hoes
Blood Bath and Beyond
Coon and Friends
Strapsicles
Powerpuff Girls
“No bad mouthing your opponents, we’re all friends here” – Jones explaining tournament rules
From the sidelines you can hear team mates encouraging each other and chatting about how they prepped for the tournament. “I was nervous at my first combat archery tournament but then I started coming out to Coaches Night on Tuesdays and Fridays. I learned so much and my agility is like at an all time high right now. Plus, I got way better at loading my bow quicker, so I can kick some serious butt now.”
I got to observe from the sniper tower and the competition was fierce and unforgiving. The team dynamics varied and they were all on the tips of their toes. Quick, strategic and competitive, the combat archery teams worked hard for their wins. It was so fun just seeing the fist pumps in celebration of getting a shot on their opponent!
After several rounds of combat archery and with exhausted archers, the winner of the tournament was finally announced…….. congrats Strapcicles for winning Season 12 of Archers Arena Combat Archery Tournament!! (woohoo!!)
Everyone gathered for photos and were all chirping at each other “I got gunned down right away!”, “We targeted for you!” and “You have a powerful shot!” echoed with the laughter. Such a great energy that filled the room!
More details to come about who will be heading to Montreal but the Archers Arena team is up for the challenge. No worries, we’ll keep you in the loop on the what’s what.
In the meantime, got some pretty cool news to share. Archers Arena is starting a combat archery league! (yes!yes!yes!) Look forward to the next blog for more details but here’s what you need to know now: teams of 3, league starts in January and registration is on now! Contact Archers Arena at 647-992-7362 to register your team.
Your fellow archer,
Erin S.