One of the faster-growing shooting sports programs in
North Dakota is the National Archery in the Schools Program.
The State Game and Fish Department started working
with NASP in the mid-2000s, and since then more than 180 schools have since
implemented NASP activities, with more than 10,000 North Dakota students from
middle elementary to high school participating
Most schools in North Dakota that offer NASP include
it as part of their physical education curriculum, so all students in certain
grade levels are exposed to archery target shooting, just as they are with many
other types of PE disciplines.
The Game and Fish Department administers the program
in North Dakota, and has a grant program set up to help schools with costs for
bows, arrows, targets and safety equipment. There is also a national NASP grant
program. Together, the two grant programs can help schools defray about half of
the initial startup costs for equipment.
All schools that offer NASP instruction in-school
through PE or other classroom integration are eligible to send teams to the
state tournament. This year the state event is March 22-23 at the State Fair
Center in Minot.
Game and Fish NASP coordinator Jeff Long says he expects
750 to 800 kids at the state tournament bull’s-eye competition, which is archery
with Olympic-style targets. Many of those same kids also participate in a 3D
competition, which is where they shoot at foam animal targets.
The state tournament features team and individual
categories in elementary, middle school and high school. The top 10 boys and
girls qualify for NASP nationals in Louisville, Kentucky.
In addition to the state tournament, North Dakota
schools held a record 18 in-season tournaments in the last year. The format is
much like the state tournament with bull’s-eye targets. Schools that have large
enough facilities have also included 3D competition.
One of the reasons for the growth of NASP in North
Dakota is the North Dakota Youth Archery Advisory Council, an organization of
mostly certified instructors who work on their own time to develop initiatives
such as a “pin” program to reward young archers for reaching a qualifying score
at any tournament, or raise money for scholarships awarded to top finishers at
state.
The Game and Fish Department is an advocate for NASP
partly because it introduces kids, many of whom have never held a bow prior to
taking the class, to a shooting sport. Just as important is the benefit to the
kids, whether they pick up a bow again after the class or not.
Any school that has not yet participated in NASP but
may have an interest, can contact Long at jrlong@nd.gov, or call 701-328-6322. All
potential coaches go through an eight-hour training course that includes
teaching archery properly, as well as a strong safety component, which is one
of the reasons NASP participants nationwide have had no accidents in more than
15 years.
