Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Assistant Archery Coach
Jonathan Clemins returned to Pikeville earlier this month with a pair huge achievements under his belt after spending two weeks coaching the Team USA's Paralympic Archery team in the World Championships. Two of his team members, Matt Stutzman, and Lia Coryell, were named World Champions in the competition featuring archers from over 40 countries.
Clemins, who is in his second year coaching the Bears, began his journey with USA Archery in 2020 after being urged to apply for a position on the International Team Staff. "I was encouraged to apply for the position, and that's exactly what I did," said Clemins. Some Team USA officials recognized the former Marshall University coach and Clemins did a series of interviews. "The next thing I know, I'm flying to Monterrey, Mexico with the team."
The trip to Mexico was Clemins' introduction to Team USA, coaching at the Pan American Championships which determined quota spots for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. For the last two years, Clemins has grown his role within the organization, coaching at events around the globe.
His most recent assignment brought Clemins to Dubai for the World Archery Para Championships which ran from February 19-27. The games proved to be one of the most successful and rewarding to date for Clemins and his team members. Clemins was a part of history, coaching USA's Stutzman in the Men's Compound in the first ever finals match between two armless archers. Lia Coryell, USA's first and only W1 women's archer, later took her first ever gold medal.
Stutzman, who was born without arms, entered his fourth Paralympic Games in Dubai, competing in the men's compound event. After an equipment failure in his first day, Stutzman was in 54
th but his hunger for the gold pushed him up the ranks. In prelims, the Iowan faced off with Belgium's Piotr Can Montagu, fulfilling his dream of competing with another armless archer. After defeating Montagu, the historic finals field put Stutzman up against Russian Aleksandr Gombozhapov for the first championship match in history featuring two armless archers. Stutzman was victorious.
"As a coach, there's no better feeling than seeing your athletes succeed. Getting to share those experiences with them on the world stage was really special."
Coryell, a native of Black River Falls, Wis., has led an inspiring archery career since her Team USA debut in 2015. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Coryell has lived her message "You are not your diagnosis." The US Army Veteran made history in her fourth Paralympic games, claiming the gold medal over Turkey's Nil Misir. With Coach Clemins by her side, the pair enamored fans and spectators, even becoming a viral video following the event.
"In one way or another, we all face our challenges" he said. Some people will see the thing that they want most and some people will see the thing that prevents them from getting what they want most. There are hundreds of reasons why someone without arms or someone with progressive MS can't shoot a bow, yet we choose to see what we want most. We adapt, overcome, and win by using what we have."
