Alexandra Paquette seeks championship bulls-eye in Argentina

Samantha MacConnell

The past couple of years have been an uphill journey full of endless hours of practice, professional training, and travel for Alexandra Paquette, as she worked diligently to qualify for her first international World Championship Games in compound archery. Only 16 years old, Paquette is the number one female compound cadet in Quebec and Canada and has qualified in gold squad to be eligible to compete at an international championship level.

Paquette's dedication to her sport has paid off as she hopes to attend the World Youth Games in Rosario, Argentina this fall. However, the cost of competing in compound archery has become increasingly expensive, and despite their best efforts to cut every penny in half, the Paquette family has started a GoFundMe page to help pay for the high costs of international travel.

An average archery season costs about $13,000 a year, and maintaining top rankings requires staying constantly up to date with equipment and training. The financial implications of Paquette's sport have increased this year, as the organization registered archers pay into, Archery Canada, now allocates its funds towards supporting adult archers. As a youth, Paquette will receive no financial support from the organization she pays into.

To date, Paquette's GoFundMe page has reached over half of its $5,000 goal. Her father, James Victor Paquette, expressed his sincerest gratitude for the support received and noted that some people struggling financially themselves are still donating what they can to support his daughter. The family has until the end of August to reach their goal. For more information, visit: https://www. gofundme.com/road-to-rosario-world-youth-champ.