Photo: The eighth annual Missouri NASP state tournament drew 1,450 students in grades 4-12 from 94 schools across the state. Congratulations to all the student archers who made it to nationals.
Students, parents and coaches will be sporting their team colors, with archery bags in tow as they file into Louisville’s Kentucky Exposition Center May 12-14 for the 2016 National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) National Tournament. Nearly 14,000 student archers are expected to attend the anticipated tournament, and, like every one since 2007, it’s expected to break attendance record. Students from 47 participating NASP states and Washington, D.C., are scheduled to attend. To participate in Nationals, student archers advance through regional or state tournaments. Most who participate will have qualified on a 12-24-person team.
The top 10 boys and girls in each of the elementary, middle, and high school divisions who don’t come with a team are invited to represent their school as individuals.
Only students whose schools are enrolled in and offer NASP archery classes as part of the school curriculum may participate in NASP events. The Kentucky Exposition Center has the largest indoor range in the world at 1,350 feet long. This allows 540 students in each of the 27 hour-long flights to compete. That’s a whole lot of space for these eager archers, and one of the reasons these events are held in Louisville. Students attending nationals can register and participate in three concurrent events: the NASP IBO 3D Challenge, the new Centershot Ministry’s National, and the Olympic Archery in the Schools championship. For more information visit www.naspschools.org
One State’s Success Story
The recent state tournament in Missouri follows the trend of increasing student participation in the NASP program.
The eighth annual Missouri Archery in the Schools Program drew record number of 1,450 student competitors, grades 4-12, from 94 schools across the state.
MoNASP is coordinated through the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Conservation Federation of Missouri in partnership with more than 550 participating schools and numerous supporting organizations throughout the state.
More than 185,000 Missouri students in grades 4-12 participate in the sport.
“The growth of the Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program has been tremendous over the past couple years,” said Eric Edwards, MDC education outreach coordinator who coordinates MoNASP.
“This surge has led students outdoors with their families to participate in this lifetime sport. Students get way more out of MoNASP then just lifelong skills that come with archery. It gives them confidence and helps them excel in the classroom,” he said.
Edwards noted that this year’s MoNASP state archery tournament was the best ever.
“Each year the scores just get better and better,” he said. “Missouri students have a very strong chance at making the podium at nationals in May.”
The top overall archers this year include Carl Junction High School junior Steven Mann, who shot an impressive score of 294 out of 300; Helias High School sophomore Anna Reinkemeyer, who shot 292 out of 300; Sarcoxie Middle School sixth grader Max Wangler, who shot 293 out of 300; and Salem Middle School sixth grader Irvin Johnson, who also shot a 293 out of 300.
Edwards also noted that for 2016 competition, teams continued to improve.
“Lee’s Summit West High School set a new state team record with a score of 3,405 out of 3,600 this year and George Guffey Elementary in Fenton continued their dominance by winning the elementary team division for the eighth straight year,” he said. “I hope each Missouri team continues their impressive season at the NASP national tournament.”
Complete Missouri tournament scores are available by clicking here.
For more information on MoNASP, visit www.mdc.mo.gov.
— Contributors—Brittany Jones, NASP and the Missouri Department of Conservation
— Photo Courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.