From May 12 through 14, multiple world records were broken in Louisville, Kentucky, as students gathered to compete in the 2016 National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) National Youth Archery tournament.
The world's largest indoor archery ranges, totaling more than a half-mile, were set-up in just 20 hours at Kentucky's Exposition Center. During the next three days, student archers broke the NASP national tournament record with 12,897 archers, 7 percent more than the previous year.
The NASP/IBO 3D Challenge was host to 3,416 shooters, an increase of 20 percent, and Centershot Ministries had 953 archers, an increase of an astounding 1,200 percent.
Archers from 909 schools in 41 states and Washington, D.C. competed in the world’s three largest archery tournaments.
Female participation at Nationals also grew to 47 percent, an increase of two points. Student archers shot five practice and 15 scoring arrows from 10 meters, and shot the same again at 15 meters. The highest score possible for an individual was 300 points. The average score shot for all grades and genders was 250.
Teams consisted of 12 to 24 archers with at least four of both genders included. The top 12 individual scores from each team were summed to calculate team rank. The highest possible score for a 12-person team was 3,600 points.
During the awards ceremony $192,000 in cash scholarships were presented to members of top teams and individuals. The dollar total for scholarships awarded since NASP's inception 15 years ago, reached $926,000. Complete tournament results can be found at www.nasptournaments.org
Top awards:
1st Place High School Team – Hartland HS, Hartland, Mich., 3,437 points
1st Place Middle School Team – Benton MS, La., 3,404 points
1st Place Elementary School Team – White Hall ES, Ky., 3,255 points
Overall Male Archer – David Machart, Anamosa, Iowa, 299 points
Overall Female Archer – Ashlie Garrison, Newburg, Ind., 297 points
Elementary School Female – Macayla Falls, Campbellsville, Ky., 291 points
Elementary School Male – Toby Aycox, Wilson, Okla., 293 points
Middle School Female – Ashlie Garrison, Newburgh, Ind., 297 points
Middle School Male – Logan Kelly Mount Vernon, Iowa, 296 points
High School Female – Rowen McAllister, Stillwater, Minn., 297 points
High School Male – David Machart, Anamosa, Iowa, 299 points
Awards for a new category, On Target for Life, were presented while tournament administrators awaited final competition results. On Target awards were given to students and adults nominated by their peers for academic prowess, courage, community service, volunteering, coaching, outstanding alumni and a very special legacy presentation. More information about these special people can be found at www.naspschools.org
Before the awards ceremony began, there were 27 ties to break between participants of the bull’s-eye and 3D competitions. During the tie-breaker, each archer shoots five practice arrows and five scored arrows from 15 meters. If a tie persists, each archer shoots a single arrow at 15 meters. The arrow closest to the Morrell target center is the winner. In a scholarship shoot-off, the top five male and top five female archers took aim one more time in front of the awards ceremony audience of about 3,000 parents, friends, coaches and teachers.
During the shoot-off each archer shot five scored arrows. Based on these scores, the top five positions, for both genders, received a cash scholarship of $20,000 by Mathews Archery & Gordon Composites, $15,000 by Plano & Morrell, $10,000 by Saunders & Feradyne Outdoors, $5,000 by BCY & NAP, or $2,500 by NEET & Lancaster. New this year, team scholarships were presented to each member of the first, second and third place high school teams. Members of the first place high school team received $1,000 each thanks to Academy Sports + Outdoors; second place team members received $750 each, and third place team members received $500 each by American Whitetail Targets.
All scholarship dollars are held in the student's name until they are ready to pursue any post-secondary education including college, university, trade or military.
Also present during the event were nearly 100 exhibits surrounding the tournament area. Interactive exhibits were set up to allow attendees to try their hand at aerial archery, bow fishing, Archery Golf (SACO), pop-up 3D, floating orbs, and more. The National Archery in the Schools Program is a nonprofit organization. Everything accomplished for the more than 2.3 million students who participated in 2016, was made possible by sponsors and partners, including Diamond Mathews/Mission/Genesis Archery, Platinum Morrell Targets, Gold Cabela's Outdoor Fund, NWTF, Easton Foundations, Silver Whitetails Unlimited, Easton TP, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Gordon Composites, Bronze EA Promotions, Rinehart, Feradyne Outdoors, BCY, RMEF, Bull’s-eye SCI, KY National Guard, Bowtree, Pope & Young, Lancaster Archery Supply.
More than 4,000 of these U.S. archers will travel to the NASP worlds to be held at the Myrtle Beach Sports Center June 24 to 26. Student archers from up to ten other NASP-participating countries will be also will compete.
The 2017 NASP Nationals and 3D Challenge will be held in Louisville May 11 to 13.
Educators, parents and students whose schools do not participate in the NASP program can find more information about the program by contacting info@naspschools.org.
— Photos courtesy Charlie Baglan, National Archery in the Schools Program.
— By Roy Grimes, president, National Archery in the Schools Program