COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Archery National Head Coach Elias Cuesta has been named World Archery Coach of the Year for 2025, recognizing his outstanding work during his first year at the helm of the U.S. program.
Cuesta was one of three nominees for Coach of the Year after guiding Team USA through one of its most successful seasons in recent memory. In his first year leading the program, he delivered historic results on the World Cup circuit and podium finishes at both the World Archery Championships and World Archery Youth Championships, marking another outstanding year for U.S. archery on the international stage.
Much of that success stemmed from Cuesta’s leadership of the Resident Athlete Program in Chula Vista, California, where he built on a world-class high-performance environment.
Stepping into the role previously held by legendary coach KiSik Lee, Cuesta has maintained elite standards while refining training systems, elevating athlete development, and expanding mentorship pathways across a growing youth pipeline.
His approach throughout 2025 combined performance consistency with long-term program development, helping establish a foundation for sustained international success.
Cuesta credited the athletes, staff, and wider archery community for their support. He said, “I'm so happy to have won this award this year, especially because this was my third nomination.
“I want to thank all the archers who were on the team for the trust they showed me from the beginning, to the entire USA Archery staff, and my partner, Chris Webster - this is yours too, Coach.
“Thanks, also, to all the archery community in the United States for the incredible welcome from the very beginning.”
The announcement followed a strong showing for USA Archery in the 2025 World Archery Awards, with the organization earning six nominations across athlete and coaching categories, further underscoring the depth of talent across the board within the U.S. program. Among them was Brady Ellison, who was nominated for World Archery Athlete of the Year.
You can find more information at usarchery.org.
