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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Arrow Wars brings archery to Gainesville

<p dir="ltr">Claire Seiler, an 18-year-old UF computer engineering freshman, draws her bow behind an inflated barrier during Arrow Wars on Monday afternoon. The free event was put on by Sportans Entertainment LLC, a company dedicated to hosting interactive sporting events.</p>

Claire Seiler, an 18-year-old UF computer engineering freshman, draws her bow behind an inflated barrier during Arrow Wars on Monday afternoon. The free event was put on by Sportans Entertainment LLC, a company dedicated to hosting interactive sporting events.

Moises Rivero and Rafael Carrasquilla spent Monday afternoon shooting arrows at each other and ducking behind yellow and blue barriers.

Carrasquilla, 26, said movies have inspired him to try archery.

“Every kid sees Robin Hood and wants to shoot arrows at people,” the UF biology junior said. “I’m pumped to get to do that today.”

They joined a group of about 20 people in Arrow Wars, an event put on by Sportans Entertainment LLC, a startup company created by a UF student and alumna. Monday’s free event on Main Street near Depot Park introduced Gainesville to the idea of Arrow Wars, said Kevin Bautista, who co-founded the company.

“We want to entertain people,” the 23-year-old UF finance senior said. “It’s something new; it’s different.”

In the heat of the afternoon, soft-tipped arrows hit their human targets, transforming a large concrete lot into an arena.

Rivero said the event reminded him of shooting pumpkins in his backyard when he was younger.

“I had those plastic bows with the suction-cup arrows,” the 26-year-old UF mechanical engineering graduate student said.

Bautista and his girlfriend, Ana Martinez, started the company in June after they entered the UF Big Idea Gator Business Plan Competition. They created a 40-page business plan and did extensive research on their Arrow War idea, Bautista said. Although they didn’t win, they decided to pursue their business model anyway.

“Within the span of a month, we had to get everything,” he said. “We sourced equipment from China, we got our business license, our insurance — everything.”

Bautista and Martinez financed the $9,000 endeavor themselves, taking out a loan to cover the costs of the equipment, rental spaces and transportation for events. Novice archers started the event with target practice. Frank Pistella was one of them.

The 20-year-old had never shot an arrow before, but he heard about the event from a friend.

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“It seemed like fun,” Pistella said. “Also, I ran out of homework this weekend. I’ll probably end up tripping and shooting the arrow at myself, but I’m excited anyway.”

Claire Seiler, an 18-year-old UF computer engineering freshman, draws her bow behind an inflated barrier during Arrow Wars on Monday afternoon. The free event was put on by Sportans Entertainment LLC, a company dedicated to hosting interactive sporting events.

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