National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP®)
The National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP®) is a nationwide youth archery program that was developed in Kentucky in 2002. NASP® promotes:
- Self-confidence & discipline
- Teamwork
- Physical fitness
- Participation in the lifelong sport of archery
The program's focus is to provide international-style target archery in a physical education environment to 4th-12th graders. Archery is a sport that nearly everyone can be successful with regardless of age, gender, size, or physical abilities. Statistics show that school archery programs engage more students in the educational process, improve classroom performance, and reduce dropout rates. Nationwide millions of students have safely participated in NASP®, and more than 200 schools in Alaska participate in the NASP® Program with more teachers being trained as Basic Archery Instructors (BAI) every year.
ADF&G also hosts an annual virtual tournament for all Alaska elementary, middle, and high schools enrolled in the NASP® Program. The virtual tournament is intended to give every student that participates in NASP® during the school day, regardless of their skill level, the chance to compete with other archers around the state, without the time and expense of leaving their own gyms. Prizes are awarded, and shooters and coaches receive t-shirts as part of their registration. Participants also have the opportunity to qualify for the Western National Tournament that is held annually in Sandy, Utah. During the 2023-2024 school year, 413 students from across the state represented their school in the NASP® State Bullseye Tournament.
In conjunction with archery instruction during school, scholarships and educational incentives within the NASP® program are available. The On Target for Life program is intended to recognize and celebrate the many instances where in-school archery, and the people involved with it, are positively impacting the lives of 2.23 million NASP® students each year. The Academic Archer Program is another program designed as an incentive and recognition format to promote academic achievement among participating NASP® students.
For more information about NASP® and these programs, please visit: https://www.naspschools.org/
Interested in having NASP® in your school?
In order to be considered an official NASP® school, NASP® lessons must be conducted by a certified Basic Archery Instructor (BAI) during the school day. Only NASP® certified equipment can be used. Grants for equipment are often available. ADF&G schedules training for teachers to become certified BAIs throughout the year as needed. Training workshops generally last eight hours and can be scheduled on weekends or weekdays.
Steps to take:
- Read about NASP® in Alaska to see if it is right for your school (PDF 74 kB)
- Have your Principal fill out the School Agreement Form (PDF 57 kB)
- Work with the NASP® Coordinator to purchase equipment for your school (this is a great opportunity to get your community and PTA involved, some grants are available) to save on shipping costs please contact dfg.dwc.hit.nasp@alaska.gov before ordering!
- Set up a training date to get yourself and other staff at your school trained as Basic Archery Instructors (BAI)
- Implement NASP® lesson into your curriculum during the school day and watch your students get excited about archery!
Check out scheduled upcoming BAI trainings in your area: https://naspbai.org/
For more details about NASP® in Alaska, contact (907) 267-2534 or dfg.dwc.hit.nasp@alaska.gov.