Record Breaking Results Expected At The 2017 NASP® Tournament
NASP® Press Release
By: Brittany J Jones
Across the country, student archers are currently competing in the National Archery in the School’s Program’s (NASP®) state archery tournaments, to determine who will move on to the highly anticipated 2017 NASP® Nationals on May 11-13. Student archers, coaches, and parents will travel to the Bluegrass state’s Exposition Center (KEC), located in Louisville, Kentucky, for another exciting and record breaking year!
More than 14,000 archers are expected to compete in this national tournament. This will be an increase of 9% over last year’s national record total of 12,897 student archers. Nine hundred and fifty schools, from forty-two participating states, are anticipated to attend this year. Of course, the competition wouldn’t be complete without the 28,000 friends, family, and 180 volunteers who will share the fun. Derek Jones, a United States Air Force service member and a regular volunteer at the National and World tournaments, had this to say about the tournament, “It’s great to see kids, from all over the United States, competing and overseen by a dedicated corps of adult lane officials. Being a volunteer allows me to be apart of this amazing event.” Without the hard work and long hours by volunteers, the tournament would be impossible, so thanks in advance to all NASP® supporters.
Speaking of volunteers, they will spend the first two days, prior to the tournament setting up the range for the bulls-eye competition and the NASP®/IBO (International Bowhunting Organization) 3D Challenge. More than four thousand archers are also expected to shoot at this year’s NASP®/IBO 3D challenge, which is a companion event held at the same time and place in Louisville. By event’s end, nearly 750,000 arrows will be shot during this pair of simultaneous contests. Laid end to end, those 30″-long arrows would cover almost 355 miles — a lot of arrows!
Of course, record- breaking participation isn’t the only noteworthy event that will occur at Nationals. For the first time, results from the tournament will be used to announce each state’s all-star archery team of the top twelve boys and girls. Additionally, teachers and coaches across the county are currently signing up their archers who have made their school’s “honor roll”, for NASP®’s Academic Archer (AA) recognition (http://naspschools.org/instructors/). Some of these archers will be named to the “All-American Academic Archery Team” based upon the national tournament results as well. Speaking of scholarship, $159,000 in cash scholarships will be awarded to this year’s top individual and team archers. Students who win these scholarships may use the money to pay for post high school education of nearly any kind at any institution, including; University, college, technical school, and military training.
In 2016 NASP® implemented a new program entitled OTFL (On Target for Life). OTFL recognizes student archers and coaches for displaying academic excellence, community service, and leadership. NASP® will present OTFL awards at nationals again this year. For more information and to nominate your student or coach visit: http://app.naspschools.org/ontarget/
To give you a sneak peek into future news and events for NASP®, beginning in 2018, student archers who live out West, won’t have to travel so far from home to compete in the national tournament. NEXT YEAR, NASP® has committed to implementing an extension of the national competition in Salt Lake City, Utah. The results of the Salt Lake “Western Nationals” and Louisville “Eastern Nationals” will be blended to produce national rankings. Geographically, this will be more accommodating for student archers, coaches, and family. Less travel time, more practice time!
2017 looks like it’s going to be an exceptional year for NASP® and IBO archery with the growing number of students and events coming aboard. Preregistration for the national tournament is set for March 13th through April 7th. Final registration is April 10th through 14th, and the tournament will be held at Louisville, Kentucky Exposition Center May 11-12th. For more information regarding the national tournament, please visit www.nasptournaments.org .
As always, good luck to those archers currently competing at the state level, and we look forward to arrows meeting targets this coming May.
