A high school archer’s target shooting scores are trending up after four years in the sport, a testament to his stick-to-it-iveness at a charter school in south central Louisiana.
Andrew Hebert’s sixth-grade through freshman year seasons are in the books with the Archery in Louisiana Schools program. The 14-year-old student-athlete’s results improved considerably since midway through his freshman year of competition.
“I just think over the years I pick up tips and tricks to help improve my archery performance,” he said. “Every year I learn new things that I use to get better and better.”
Andrew noted he spent countless hours on stance, proper grip, draw and anchor, aiming and release while practicing at home and at V.B. Glencoe Charter School in St. Mary Parish.
His breakout matches happened in the first three months this year starting with identical scores of 264 on Jan. 17 in the 2025 ALAS South Regional Tournament and again 10 days later during the Tioga High 3D Winter Warmup. He slipped slightly on Feb. 6 at the 2025 ALAS 3D Tournament with a 261 but came back strong March 6 in the 2025 ALAS Bullseye Tournament by shooting a personal best 269, seventh in a 62-boy field of freshmen and 20th among 204 high school boys.
Before 2024-25, Hebert’s high-water mark was a 258 at the March 2023 ALAS State Bullseye Tournament. That score earned a ranking of seventh among 103 seventh-graders, 50th out of 202 middle school boys and 126th out of 820 boys.
Setting goals for the future
Andrew takes pride in the higher scores he’s registered this year and has already set goals for his junior year of high school.
“I would like to get 270. Two eighty if I’m lucky. I’m pretty confident I can do it,” he said in late May.
He has made great strides competition-wise since he first picked up a bow in sixth grade after deciding to try the sport at Glencoe Charter School. The team is coached by Brittany Durham, a veteran local educator with a big heart.
“It seemed like it’d be something fun to do,” Andrew said. “I liked the idea and all it has to offer.”
The son of Glenn and Sara Hebert of Jeanerette never gave up despite a rough start. One of his first scores his sixth-grade year was a 208 at a GSC Warriors 3D Tournament in 2022.
“He’s come a long way from the first time he put a bow in his hand,” his father said proudly. “The first time he started out with a compound bow he was a little shaky… it was hard for him to hold it back long enough to get his sight right.”
The most important thing he learned in recent months, Andrew confided, was patience before the shot, thanks to his father.
“My dad pointed out something to me that really helped me… that if I wait a few seconds longer, I’m more steady with my bow and it helps me line up my shots better,” Andrew said.
Practice, practice, practice
The freshman’s showing in the last state meet earlier this year planted a seed for the future.
“He did real good,” Glenn Hebert said. “(But) we’ve got a few more things to figure out to get a little better.”
Two weeks prior to tournaments, Andrew said he begins practicing with high school teammates after school for approximately 1 ½ hours before a big match and, additionally, on his own at home in the yard, for 20-30 minutes each day a week ahead of tournament time, to focus on “things I need to do.”
“I try not to practice too long (each day on his own) so I’m not tired when a tournament comes,” the teen said.
As a deer hunter who has hunted with a rifle, Andrew said he would relish the opportunity to harvest a deer with a bow, “just to say I did it.”
“I’ve been deer hunting quite a few years now,” he said. “I would like to do bowhunting.”
The likelihood of that scenario gets closer and closer as his accuracy and confidence improve.
