ViVA Outstanding Competitor Cup was awarded to David Perry

by Steve Shiell  |   

Prince William Sound College - Valdez Archery Club is pleased to announce David as the recipient of the 2019 Vegas in Valdez Archery (ViVA) Kaysea McDermott Outstanding Competitor Award. Each year, this honor is awarded to a competing archer who demonstrates exemplary sportsmanship, community service and dedication to the sport of archery. Any person who competes in the ViVA annual tournament is eligible.

David is recognized for his decades of tournament participation in Alaska and nationally. In addition to regular participation in ViVA, he also travels each year at the annual NFAA Vegas Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Redding 3D Competition in California. David competes as a Master Senior Free Style archer and represents the Alaska archery community well.

David’s wife June says, “David received his first stick bow (long bow) for Christmas when he was nine-years-old from his uncle. He shot balloons at the fair every year, three arrows for a quarter. David would get another arrow every time he burst a balloon. David was able to keep shooting for a long time on that one quarter. As a teen, he shot often at a target attached to an oak tree. He liked the twang of the arrows hitting the hard oak. David made his own arrow points (broad head style) out of some of his mom’s US Navy forks. He would grind down the forks and lace them to arrow shafts Indian style. He didn’t shoot a bow again until he moved to Alaska in 1974. He found a compound bow at a garage sale for fifteen dollars and started shooting competition in the mid-1980s at Fletcher’s Archery in Wasilla. David has been shooting 3D, Vegas, and NFAA 5 spot target archery for 35 years and still loves it. Both of his adult sons and two grandsons got interested in the sport because of David’s passion, which makes for excellent fun-filled family times.”

David has attended most all ViVA shoots for the past nine years. As the most senior archer at the ViVA tournament, David is highly respected for his quiet, patient approach to the sport and his willingness to help everyone young or old. Congratulations on the much deserved recognition, David!