Paralympian Lukow volunteering at Salt Lake City 2017

Behind each archery tournament – of any level – there is always an organisation ensuring everything runs smoothly for the athletes, coaches and spectators. This is why volunteers are so crucial – doing all the little and large jobs that bring the big picture, and the event, together.

With jobs ranking from changing target faces to access control, or providing cold water in the Utah summer heat, a stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup wouldn’t run without them.

This is where Michael Lukow, a US Army infantryman and Team USA Paralympian, comes in.

While clearing up the practice range, set behind the competition field, under a sun shining strong above, he started his story from the beginning – way before becoming a local volunteer at this Hyundai Archery World Cup stage in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“When I was in the third grade, I told my mom I want to be in the army,” said Lukow. At 18, he enlisted, and then was deployed overseas in Iraq just a few years later. Only a short while into his tour, his world was changed forever. 

He was hit by an explosion that left him badly injured, costing him his right foot and severely damaging his left. And it didn’t just change things physically – but mentally, too. For months after the traumatic event, he would see the flash of the explosion in his sleep.

Michael speaks about that day with no remorse, even cracking jokes.

It gives a great sense of character for someone to be so lighthearted about such a personal and dramatic incident. He is a genuinely positive guy who seems ready to take on whatever challenge comes his way – which also helps explain his quick competitive rise and love for archery.

Lukow first picked up a bow when he was in rehab at the Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, where archery was an activity used to build back strength.

“It was either that or go back to my room and watch TV,” Lukow joked. And this was in the days before Netflix binges. 

It wasn’t long before he started to hit the competition circuit and, a few years later, he moved to Utah to commit to his training while travelling the world as part of the US para archery team in the lead up to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

“It was a good experience,” he said of his time in Rio. “I treated it the same since it was just another tournament.” Although the shoot didn’t go as well as he would have liked, Lukow said the experience was beneficial.

Para archers must overcome obvious challenges to perform at a high level and shoot great scores – but there are far less evident difficulties, too. Lukow has a black carbon prosthetic attached to his right leg around the knee. And as you can imagine, that black material gets extremely hot – and it sits right against his skin.

“Sometimes with the heat, I can only shoot three ends while practising before having to get in the shade so it can cool off,” Lukow explained.

Despite the issues, he continues to work hard as a competitive para athlete – and outside of his volunteering role at the Easton Foundations archery centre in Salt Lake, he benefits from having a world-class facility on his doorstep. That includes some of the cutting-edge technology available at the venue.

“I’ve gotten to use the high-speed camera before and that was cool. It definitely helps show you things form-wise that you normally can’t pick up on,” said Lukow.

He proudly looks forward to every opportunity he gets to represent his nation, whether in his USA Archery or Army uniform, as he still is serving as active duty.

With team trials for the World Archery Para Championships being held in Salt Lake City and then a potential trip to Beijing, China, Lukow is clear, focused and ready to perform at his best – when this week’s over, at least. Tomorrow he’ll be back running the practice range for the morning shift, volunteering his time for some other great archery athletes.

Another way for Michael Lukow to spend his timing in a sport that has given him a lot.

The third stage of the 2017 Hyundai Archery World Cup runs 20 to 25 June in Salt Lake City, USA.