Robin Hood didn't make an appearance at the Great Outdoor Games Archery event this year. However, the Decker family should check their family tree to see if he's a distant cousin.

Jerry and Cindy Decker are a husband-and-wife team from East Benton, Pa., in the process of building an archery dynasty. Jerry took the first step by winning silver at the Great Outdoor Games.

Cindy, who had been eliminated earlier, was surrounded by a small army of family members, all clad in electric green T-shirts that read, "Decker's Archery Team." This was the unofficial cheering section for Jerry. And each target that he hit was greeted with a wave of screams and cheers from the group.

Jerry has been bowhunting for years and owns a small archery store. (The shop began in his basement but expanded recently.) During the fall he would head to deer camp for two weeks, irritating his wife but also piquing her interest in the sport.

"I was tired of him leaving, so I learned archery. Now we hunt together in the fall," she said.

The couple set up an archery course near their home in Pennsylvania.

"To simulate the moving targets, we had a friend drive a tractor back and forth with targets attached to the back. That was awfully dangerous, so now we use a remote-control snowblower to drag the target," she said.

Both Deckers claim to have an easier time shooting the moving targets at the competitions because they don't bounce. "The snowblower knocks them all over the place," she said.

According to Cindy, being a married archery couple has some advantages. The two can train together and push each other hard in practice. At the events, having a built-in cheering section is a confidence booster, as well. There are three younger Deckers who the parents hope to get involved in archery sports down the line.

Despite all the advantages of competing together, there is one concern: shooting against one another. "It's the ultimate fear for both of us," Cindy said. To date, the two have never gone head-to-head.

As for which one is the better shot, Cindy believes it's still a toss-up. "If you talk to me, I am," she said. At the end of this tournament, though, she wasn't the one wearing the silver medal.

Final standings

1. Keith Brown, Greensboro, N.C.
2. Jerry Decker, Dalton, Pa.
3. Mark Wagner, Des Moines, Iowa
4. Randy Hendrix, Clemmons, N.C.
5. Rod White, Mount Pleasant, Iowa
5. Tim Gillingham, Orem, Utah
7. Randy Ulmer, Cave Creek, Ariz.
8. Darren Collins, Galena, Kan.
9. Cindy Decker, Dalton, Pa.
9. Bradley Gohlke, Houston, Texas
9. Karen Demaris, La Pine, Ore.
12. Jackie Caudle, Gadsden, Ala.
12. Josh Deering, Maple City, Mich.
14. Mike Slinkard, John Day, Ore.
15. Wayne Endicott, Springfield, Ore.
16. Ginger Hopwood, Marietta, Ga.

The Games will be aired on ESPN and ABC Sports July 13-17, 2005. Click here for the broadcast schedule.

This article on the Great Outdoor Games 2005 Web site is brought to you by the editors of Field & Stream and Outdoor Life. For more information, visit www.fieldandstream.com and www.outdoorlife.com.