Davis said that growing up she was hardly an athlete.

''I was on the girls' track team in high school,'' she said. ''I did the high jump and the hurdles, the tall people's events. I was 6 feet tall by the time I was 18, but in track I stood around mostly. I never considered myself athletic or coordinated.''

Davis, who won an Oscar for her role in ''The Accidental Tourist,'' was introduced to archery by watching the 1996 Atlanta Olympics on television. She was impressed by Justin Huish, the 21-year-old Californian who won two gold medals.

''I was fascinated by how he shot arrows across the street at home and through his garage,'' she said. ''It was kind of cool. He made it sound like fun, and that inspired me eventually to look into it. I met Justin at the beginning of 1997. He hooked me up with his coach that spring and I started taking lessons.

''I started competing in tournaments after the first six months. My first tournament was in Tucson. I don't remember how I did. Unless you go in with the intention of winning, it's just seeing how well you can do. And how good was I going to do? I thought it was tremendous fun. Everybody was so welcoming and encouraging and supportive.

''I had one problem there. I tried to figure out when to go to the bathroom. I thought I had picked the right time, but I didn't and I missed a chance to shoot against the No. 1 archer. She felt so bad that she went to the judge and said, 'This is her first tournament. Can she shoot?' They let me.''