Nashville, TN -(AmmoLand.com)- Over a 3-day period last week, multiple world records were broken in Louisville, Kentucky.
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. Then, over the next three days student archers broke the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) national tournament record with 12,897 archers (up 7%).
The NASP/IBO 3D Challenge (“3D Challenge”) hosted 3,416 shooters (up 20%), and Centershot Ministries (archery in the church) had 953 archers (up 1,200%). Archers from 909 schools in 41 states and Washington D.C. competed, in these, the worlds largest archery tournaments! Female participation at Nationals was 47%, another record for NASP by 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 12-24 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. This brings the dollar total for scholarships awarded since NASP’s inception, 15 years ago, to $926,000.
Complete results can be found at: www.nasptournaments.org.
Top awards went to:
- 1 st Place High School Team Hartland HS, Hartland, MI — 3,437
- 1 st Place Middle School Team Benton MS, LA – 3,404
- 1 st Place Elementary School Team White Hall ES, KY– 3,255
- Overall Male Archer – David Machart Anamosa, IA – 299
- Overall Female Archer – Ashlie Garrison Newburg, IN – 297
- ES Female – Macayla Falls Campbellsville, KY – 291
- ES Male – Toby Aycox Wilson, OK – 293
- MS Female – Ashlie Garrison Newburgh, IN – 297
- MS Male – Logan Kelly Mount Vernon, IA – 296
- HS Female – Rowen McAllister Stillwater, MN – 297
- HS Male – David Machart Anamosa, IA – 299
A new category called “On Target for Life Awards”, were presented while tournament administrators awaited final competition results. These 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.
As usual, before the awards ceremony commenced, multiple ties were settled. There were 27 ties to break between participants of the bulls-eye and 3D competitions. During the tiebreaker, 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.
The top five male and top five female archers had to shoot one more time in front of the awards ceremony audience of about 3,000 parents, friends, coaches, and teachers. This was the very exciting scholarship shoot-off. During the shoot-off each archer shot five scored arrows. Based upon these scores, the top five positions, for both genders, received a cash scholarship of $20,000 (by Mathews Archery & Gordon Composites), $15,000 (Plano & Morrell), $10,000 (Saunders & Feradyne Outdoors), $5,000 (BCY & NAP), or $2,500 (NEET & Lancaster).
New this year, were team scholarships presented to each member of the 1 st , 2nd , and 3 rd place High School teams. Members of the 1 st place HS team received $1,000 each thanks to Academy Sports + Outdoors, 2 nd place team members received $750 each, and the 3 rd 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.
Student archers enjoyed touring 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 non-profit organization. Therefore, everything accomplished for the more than 2.3 million students who participated in 2016, was made possible by sponsors and partner, 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
- Bulls-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 24-26 th . Student archers from up to ten other NASP-participating countries will be added to the fun there!
As my Grandmother would say, “God willing and the creek don’t rise”, the 2017 NASP Nationals and 3D Challenge will be held again at the KEC in Louisville, Kentucky May 11-13.
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About National Archery in the Schools Program:
The National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) promotes student education, physical education and participation in the lifelong sport of Archery. The mission of NASP is to promote international-style target archery as part of the in-school curriculum, to improve educational performance and participation in the shooting sports among students in grades 4-12.
For more information, please visit www.NASPSchools.org.