'Puts a smile on my face every time': Archery adapted for blind participants at Vision Forward

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58) – It’s one of the world’s oldest sports. Archery first began as a means of hunting and combat. Now, it’s also a way to test your competitiveness and accuracy.

A group of people at Vision Forward in West Allis aren’t just learning how to shoot a bow and arrow. They’re also learning how to break a barrier many never thought would be possible.

Limitations are challenged in the basement of Vision Forward. It begins with a stand to help guide archers.

“It is a sport of absolute perfection and repetition,” said archery instructor Lyle Maryniak.

Dale Feltes spends every Wednesday afternoon learning how to shoot a bow and arrow.

“It just feels so good to be able to do something like that,” said Feltes.

Lined up right against the target, it’s up to Feltes to execute the shot.

“It makes me happy when I can hit the target,” said Feltes. “Gets my heart pumping.”

Again, and again, and again, until the motion becomes second nature.

“I was born blind. Been blind ever since birth,” said Feltes.

Feltes, like most in this room, are vision impaired. Dawayne Kilber lost his vision in 2018 from diabetes.

“It was hard,” said Kilber. “My family did not know how to deal with a blind person because everyone in my family has vision.”

A life without vision doesn’t mean a life without new experiences.

“We have to come up with a process that overcomes that,” said Maryniak.

For Maryniak, it meant learning how to teach his craft in a new way.

“I can’t just model it. I have to actually help them through the whole process,” said Maryniak.

If you ask Feltes and Kilber, it doesn’t get much better than this.

"Puts a smile on my face every time. Every time I do that,” said Feltes.

Maryniak will tell you the exact same thing.

“It is one of the most amazing things I get to do is work with these people,” said Maryniak.

Some might think a life without sight is a barrier.

“Just because you’re blind, don’t think that you can’t do it,” said Feltes.

Here, it’s a barrier that’s meant to be broken.

“It has been a wonderful thing for me, and I hope for them too,” said Maryniak.