Out on the range by Moyer's Landing, the wind is calm, but the sound of flying arrows sail through the sky like a whisper until, thud, they hit their mark.
Here is where athletes for Archery Canada practice for upcoming events. One of their youngest shooters is 16-year-old St. Benedict's student Janna Hawash.
She has positioned herself as one of the best young archers in the country and will go on to represent Team Canada at the Youth Archery Championships in Ireland on July 6.
"I'm really excited, a bit nervous, but I just need to stay calm and trust myself," said Hawash.
Having recently moved to Cambridge in 2019, the home of Archery Canada, Hawash is trying to stand out from her peers and competition, and make noise in the archery scene.
She is not alone in her journey, her mom Soha Mahmoud is a world class archer and coach for Team Canada. Mahmoud knows exactly what it will take for her daughter to reach the ultimate dream of competing in the Olympics, because she herself competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing for Team Egypt.
"If she wants to make it there, she needs to put in all the work and make sure she is staying disciplined," said Mahmoud. "To reach a place like the Olympics, you need to do more than just want it."
Hawash fired her first bow when she was just four years old, it was only plastic, but nonetheless would start her on the path to become one of the best young archers in world.
Despite her young age, the Cambridge athlete has shot arrows all over the world. From the United Arab Emirates, Egypt to Columbia and Mexico, the aspiring Olympian never travels without her bow.
"When I was shooting in Egypt, they offered me a spot on their national team and told me they would pay me, but I really want to compete for Team Canada," she said. "There can be a lot of added pressure when competing for teams like that and Canada has always accepted me."
Before coming to Cambridge, Hawash and her family lived in Manitoba where she quickly climbed the ranks to the number one spot. At the time, her mom was just her mom and not Coach Mahmoud.
"I kind of got the job by accident," said Mahmoud. "They saw my resume and asked me to apply, next thing we know we're on our way to Cambridge."
Separating the mother-daughter relationship between the two has been easy for the most part, but it has had its difficult moments.
At one event, Hawash was visibly upset after losing to another competitor, but Mahmoud being a coach to the other participants at the event meant she needed to remain professional and not show her daughter any special treatment.
"It was hard at first, it wasn't like I was sharing my mom, but the lack of support at times could really get to you," added Hawash.
To compete at such a high level, the mind needs to be taken care of just as much as the body to prepare for an event.
Hawash details everything you do can impact how you shoot. Diet, sleep, maintaining physical health and stress can all play a part in how you do in a competition.
"For a bit I started to hate archery, because it felt like with all the training and competition I was missing out on my high school social life or hanging out with friends," said Hawash. "It was really messing with my mental game, but I was able to overcome it."
The 16-year-old sharp shooter says her work routine has been revolving around practice and conditioning to get ready for upcoming events. Her mentality is focused, determined and she has the fire in her eyes, like she won't stop until she reaches her goal.
"I don't feel like I'm missing out on a lot of stuff anymore, because I know that what I'm doing, a lot of people don't get the chance to do," she added. "You need to be able to have a calm mind to perform well and I've been working hard to get there."
Hawash is aiming for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and with continuing with her training schedule, she is confident she will be able to get a spot on the national team.
"If she gets to the Olympics she will be the youngest archer to compete for Canada," said Mahmoud.
Joining five other Canadians at the world championships in Ireland, as soon as Hawash returns from her trip, she will immediately start training for the Pan Am Games and fighting for a spot on the Olympic team.
"I know that this is in God's hands and if I am to compete in Paris that would be amazing, but there is always the next one and there is always room for improvement."
