Folklore icon Robin Hood never tested his archery skills to compete in the Olympics, but 17-year-old Hana Tabit has.

Tabit currently competes on an elite-level team called the Hall's Arrows All-Stars, and is a member of the local USA Archery Regional Dream Team (RDT).

In 2015, Tabit competed in a series of tournaments in Texas to secure a spot on the U.S. Olympic archery team, although she wasn't prepared for the intensity of the competition.

“It was a really unique experience because there was pressure there like you’d never believe,” Tabit said. “It really affected my shooting.”

Tabit began practicing archery competitively in 2011, but got her start at a young age with an old toy bow she had found in her mother's house. She went to a national tournament, and after meeting former members of the U.S. Olympic archery team, was inspired to take up the sport.

“[RDT] is just a couple steps below the USA team,” Tabit said. “We still get the same level of coaching, but it’s a broader range of individual talent.”

At an August 19 demonstration — held as part of Round the Bend Farm’s Open Farm Day — Tabit shared archery basics, safety tips, and games designed to make practice more fun, like shooting arrows into a tic-tac-toe board mounted onto the target.

Habit recommended that newbies start with a Polaris or KAP recurve bows, or Genesis compound bow instead of buying the advanced and expensive Olympic recurve bow she competes with. She also recommended learning from established archers through local clubs like Trader Jan's and Buckley Family Archery. The two Fall River-based companies offer programs and classes.

Tabit added that archery requires regular exercise, and strength and conditioning training just like any other sport.