About Bend High Archers
Welcome to the Bend High Archers, Central Oregon’s competitive high school archery team! Hosted by Bend Senior High School, we are proud members of the Oregon High School Archery League (OHSAL). Our club is made up of dedicated students and volunteers from across the region, united by a shared passion for archery.
At Bend High Archers, our mission is to provide a safe, supportive, and competitive environment where students can grow as archers while building confidence, teamwork, and skills that last a lifetime. Whether you’re new to the sport or a seasoned archer, we welcome you to join us as we promote safe archery practices for both competition and hunting.
Season & Practices
The club's indoor archery season spans from November to March, with the outdoor season starting on April 1st.
Our practices take place at the Bend Bowmen Archery Club, located off Knott Road in Southeast Bend. Most sessions are held at the Bend Bowmen Clubhouse, with occasional outdoor or off-site practices during the competitive season.
Our Coaches
Coach Chris Ferguson
Chris Ferguson serves as Team Manager and a USA Archery Level 2 Coach, overseeing much of what keeps the team moving both on and off the range. He develops practices, coordinates coaches, manages equipment, helps with competition strategy, organizes events and tournaments, and leads many of the team’s recruiting, fundraising, and community outreach efforts.
Chris is an active competitive archer with numerous wins and podium finishes at the local, regional, and national levels. He also serves as Vice President of Indoor for the Bend Bowmen Archery Club and as the Oregon High School Archery League Tournament Director.
Chris is also the founder of Burly Archery, where he designs and builds specialized archery equipment and accessories, including equipment used by the team. He especially enjoys solving unusual equipment challenges and developing solutions when standard equipment doesn’t quite fit an archer’s needs.
More than anything, Chris enjoys making things happen—building better practices, better equipment, better competitions, and more opportunities for young archers. His goal is to share his love of the sport while creating a program where athletes can learn, compete, grow, and develop their own lifelong enthusiasm for archery.
Coach Melissa Chee
Coach Chee is a nationally ranked competitive archer specializing in Olympic Recurve across target, field, and 3D formats, with coaching experience spanning Barebow and Longbow as well. A two-time 2026 National 3D Champion, 2026 Southwest Field Sectionals Champion, and three-time Oregon Bow Hunter Triple Crown winner, she brings a well-rounded competitive resume to the team.
Chee returned to the sport after a 24-year break and worked her way back to the national level, a journey that gives her a genuine appreciation for the learning process. She is especially passionate about the mental side of the game, helping young archers build the focus, consistency, and confidence that carry well beyond the range.
Coach Kent Thomas
Coach Kent found Archery late in life but immediately fell in love. He’s an accomplished bowhunter and started shooting target archery less than 10yrs ago as a way to shoot his bow year around and have an outlet for his need to compete.
Outside of the elk and deer woods, he prides himself on being “slightly
above average” in all the different disciplines & games of target archery (Indoor, Field, Safari and 3D) where he often finds his name at or near the top of the podium in these varied competitions. He shoots every single day with a desire to always be improving.
Kent truly has a passion for coaching/ teaching and has been coaching
competitive athletics, from Youth Leagues all the way to High
School/Varsity level, in many different sports for over 30 years. He loves
the process of figuring out what each, individual kid needs to be successful and helping them get there.
Coach Kent has 4 grown children, two grandsons and lives in Sunriver withhis perfect wife Laurie and Gus, their 11yr old Chocolate Lab who is the goodest boy.
COACH Todd Beauvais - Bio to be added soon.
COACH Chris Campbell - Bio to be added soon.
COACH Jordan Behrens - Bio to be added soon.
Resources
Tutorials and resources:
-
LC Archery's Big 4 video series: