These coaches prove archery is more than hitting a bullseye

For Larry Brown and Roberta Jones, the sport keeps the mind and body strong.By Renata SagoWord in BlackBrain Health is a unique series focused on how to help you age well. These stories have been created in cooperation with AARP and Word In Black.In a sport where Black competitors are rare, Larry Brown and Roberta Jones are making waves as archery coaches in New York City. Their work challenges stereotypes about race and age and demonstrates how taking aim and releasing an arrow can be a powerful tool for mental and physical well-being.Indeed, Brown, 71, and Jones, 69, have found that archery offers benefits beyond hitting a target. It builds confidence, improves focus and enhances physical strength and cognitive abilities& — valuable skills across all age groups and crucial in our distraction-filled digital age.Jones, who began archery in her 50s, emphasizes the sport’s mental aspects.& “That ability to focus is real important for —to be able to weed out all of the distractions,” she says. You have to be able to center yourself.”Brown also says concentration is essential.& “The more you pay attention to the process, the more you pay attention to your physical ability to shoot the shot,” he...