A Hollywood box-office hit typically does not turn kids into athletes. Yet, Archery on Fire, The Woodlands area indoor and outdoor archery range, has witnessed a surge in interest in archery since the launch of the "Hunger Games" movie series.
Business Administrator Monica Todd said the facility has seen an increase in business since Jennifer Lawrence first appeared on the screen as sharp shooting archer Katniss Everdeen.
"I think young girls are trying to follow in the footsteps of 'Hunger Games' heroine Katniss Everdeen, who is fiercely talented with a bow and arrow," Todd said.
Owner Cam Cope said he has seen an uptick in sales in the bowtech shop of the type of bow Lawrence uses in the movie—a recurve bow.
Cope said another reason people are attracted to archery is that it is family-oriented. Kids, grandparents and everyone in between are physically capable of participating in the sport.
"It is one of the few sports where the father, mother and kid can all compete together," he said. "If you wanted to play soccer, you're not going to be able to compete with your kid. There's no reason your 11-year-old daughter can't shoot as well as you."
Cope compares archery to martial arts disciplines like karate and kung fu in that much of it is about concentration.
"You've got to have the mental attitude to do archery," he said. "You have to think 100 percent on the middle of that white circle. That's why it's such a mental challenge."
Cope said parents are beginning to notice that many universities have archery programs for students.
Archery on Fire hosts Woodlands Junior Olympic Archery and the Montgomery County Archery Association for competitions. The business runs several youth tournaments throughout the year.
"That's one of the things that we push here is for junior Olympics for [archers age] 17 and under," Cope said. "The majority of our stuff here is for youth."
Lessons typically range from an hour to an hour and a half. Lessons are $40 per hour and offered to students age 6 and older. Archery employees are also available to competitive archers preparing for tournaments.