There’s nothing wrong with being a team player and remembering that success tastes best when it is shared. However, there is always the choice to play a game for yourself.

The NIU Archery Club holds weekly meetings and is one of the few individual sports clubs here on campus along with the climbing, equestrian, skating and Brazilian jiu jitsu clubs.

While many students, athletes and those not-so-athletic alike are often pushed to join team sports for their benefits of teamwork and cooperation, individual sports have their own set of advantages. 

It is no secret that participating in a sport at any age has physical benefits. According to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, sports have been found to help develop skills such as hand to eye coordination, agility, endurance as well as motor skills

The University of Missouri Health Care has found that team sports help to build teamwork and communication capabilities in order to solve problems and are also generally less challenging as there are teammates to rely on if you falter in an area.

Individual games force you to rely on yourself. As an athlete trains, they set up their own personal goals and often must lead themselves to achieve what they want, even when things get tough.

Researchers at Fresno Pacific University have found that even with this extra pressure, solo sports offer a way to reduce stress with its physical activity and lead to better organization and decision making skills.

This space for individuality also leaves room for a competitive athlete to form a tighter bond with a coach as their training becomes more personalized.

As an individual sport, archery uses targets and long distances to set personal goals for the athletes. Reaching a certain target forces an archer to use their skills of hand-eye coordination and mental acuity to cement their confidence in that last breath as they release an arrow from the string.

If the pressure of holding up a team can feel too heavy, consider trying out an individual sport. Keep the benefit that comes with dynamic physical activity and find a space where you can let your own arrow fly free.