National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP)

[Danny Roberts]

NASP started out in Ky. With a program started as "On target for life" at a Whitley Co. school in Ky, a joint venture between the Ky Dept of Ed. and the Ky Dept of Fish and Wildlife developed. This was the front-runner of the NASP program. Jennie Richardson actually started it after an injury that ended her softball coacing at WC. She was looking for a way to integrate archery into her middle school math class and the rest is history. It has gotten thousands of kids nation wide into archery. The UBK, United Bowhunters of Ky, help out at shoots. We just had a regional in Brandenburg,Ky and the State shoot will be Mon and Tue. We look forward to helping with the State and the National NASP shoot, in Louisville. At our booths, the kids ask a lot of questions about trad. We hope that some of them will get into it. I know some around Brandenburg are interested in it. I look forward to doing a traditional showing for the kids here soon. Contact Jennie Richardson if your state or area is wanting to get started JennieRichardson.com
It'd be nice to have a trad program like this. SSL

[Tom D]

Missouri held thier first State Tournament last weekend. Close to 300 kids many who do not participate in other sports.

 I have been involved with this program from the start in MO and since we got the Missouri Department of Conservation on board it is growing. Last year we doubled in the number of schools in the program and it is just taking root.

The program teaches form and with the #20 or less pull the students can learn form first. Then they can shoot well with any bow which makes it more enjoyable for them therefore they will most likely stay with Archery.

The kids who nail the form down will usually out shoot those who don't in my observations.

Tom Dickerson

[HoytBoy]

i am new to this sight but my dad is on this sight.... i shoot in the nasp program. ive been shootin traditional since i was 4

[Ssamac]

Illinois has a program. It's also supported by the IBO. They do use Genesis bows however, and typically go on to compound shooting.
Have one here locally. Nice program. Generally costs the school nothing if they can get a teacher to sponsor it who knows how to shoot

sam

[suburbanirma]

I applaud the NASP program for getting kids hands on experience with archery equipment. The bows the kids use are set at 20# at any draw length, the kids use fingers and no sights. The program teaches responsibility and discipline, as well as solid shooting techniques that can easily transfer to traditional archery if they like. I am a NASP teacher trainer in Wisconsin and have delighted in seeing "not so enthusiastic" PE teachers get turned on by this basic archery program and later turn on their students to archery. I have helped out with the NASP sponsored Outdoor Education Expo in southern Wisconsin and witnessed thousands of elementary school children gleefully get back in line for another 20 minutes just to take 10-12 more shots. The WTA (Wisconsin Traditional Archers) also supplied low draw weight recurves and longbows for the kids to try. The NASP program gets kids involved with archery in a structured environment. Any way that kids learn to enjoy responsible archery is a "plus" in my  opinion. Hopefully, some kids will decide to give traditional archery a try too. They are the future of our sport. Tom