National Archery in the Schools Program

[Tim Nuss]

#4456

Just wondering what everyone thought about the National Archery in the Schools program (NASP)?
Do you think it helps or hurts us in traditional bowhunting?

Tim

[David Petersen]

#30819

Nuss — I’ll bet others are like me … basically ignorant of the details. If they’re teaching with compounds — well that becomes a very complex and difficult topic! And safe to bet they are. So please fill us in on some details, provide a website, educate us so we can kick it around. Thanks! dave

[Tim Nuss]

#30912

Hi Dave,
The National Archery in the Schools Program has a web site, it is http://www.nasparchery.com. It has all of the states and the contact people for each state out on the site.
For me I didn’t know much about it so I found schools that had it in use and talked to the administrators about the program. Then I went and watched it being done in some of the schools in my area. That is what I would recomend for anyone interested. See the young people shooting in the classes, talk to them about the program, better yet talk to some of the parents of the kids in the program. Then make up your own mind.
For me it is a winn- winn type of thing. I wished that I would have had it in the school when I was that age.
For me my opinion is yes it is teaching the young people to shoot and it gives them a plase to shoot that they may not have if it wasn’t for the program. I started off my bowhunting with a compound bow and that was the spark that started the fire in me for traditional bowhunting.
Thanks for making the United Bowhunters of Illinois banquet such a good event this year. You sure did a great job in your talks with us. Thank you from all of us with the UBI.

Tim

[Konrad]

#31509

NASP uses the “Genesis” wheeled bow; however, it is a constant draw weight bow with no let-off or “back wall” to draw against.

Basic technique, marksmanship, sportsmanship, team work and building self confidence based on small successes (not just getting patted on the back because you are drawing breath) are the primary focus of the program.

Of course, it is supported by some of the larger archery product manufacturers in the business. They are farming future recruits for their products and I think it is a smart approach.

The equipment, while wearing wheels, is very basic. No sights, stabilizers or mechanical releases.

I agree, it is a win/win situation and I too wish it was around when I was in school.
Only the girls got to take archery.
When I asked if I could go shoot with them instead of playing football, my coach smiled at me and said, “Go run track Konrad (that’s not the exact term he used) if you don’t want to play football.”

I never understood why he didn’t want me to go play with the girls!

http://archeryintheschools.org/activea.asp?CompID=44&action=&CategoryID=&ProductID=

[David Petersen]

#31545

Nuss — It was my pleasure. A great bunch of folks you have there. And I’m getting good use from the camp ax, splitting kindling for the cabin woodstove. Oddly we use more kindling spring and fall than winter, since we let the stove go out and light it only when needed, while in winter it never goes out for months so little kindling needed. Thanks.

Konrad — My own “archery in schools” experience was a 1 credit class at the U. of OK … the only A I made that semester!

I would think the choice of bows the schools use would often depend on what they can get for free. A national drive to get simple inexpensive longbows for school use could be productive in that arena. dave

[Clay Hayes]

#31931

I’m not sure, but I think one of the major pluses for the Genesis is that they are the same poundage, no matter the draw length. Correct me if I’m wrong. I’m pretty sure our hunter ed program uses them.

I too started with a compound. That’s just what you hunted with if you wanted to bowhunt where I came from. I never knew anyone that used trad equipment. It was a great day when I found Traditional Bowyers Bible. 😀

ch

[mittenm]

#48746

I contacted NASP back in 2005 and tried to let them know about our Primal Dreams movie and how it could be used as an educational tool during their class program, but they told me that much of the programs were geared toward big city schools and they did not want to bring up hunting directly with the curriculum. Now it is 5 years later and and I have heard that many of the rural programs do address hunting and even have support from state wildlife agencies.
So again I am throwing this out there, we have a condensed edition of Primal Dreams now that will fit very nicely in a 50 minute classroom time. It is available at reduced price for this type of function. Please PM me or contact us through brothersofthebow.com Mike

[Cottonwood]

#49962

When I started way back in lets see here, I was 12 yrs old and my bow that I started with was a Ben Pearson green longbow with a rubber or plastic handle that could be shot by either right or left handed shooters. No sights and tons of fun to shoot.

Dang what year was that now, I’m almost 54 😛

[Barney]

#51653

Nuss wrote: Just wondering what everyone thought about the National Archery in the Schools program (NASP)?
Do you think it helps or hurts us in traditional bowhunting?

Tim

Don’t see how it could hurt…..they’re kids. Let them shoot a Genesis now and make up their mind later as to what they want to shoot. At least they’re getting exposed to archery with some form of guidance.

I’d have to say a good portion of the “traditional” shooters used to be compound shooters. From what I’ve seen at alot of shoots, some of them should have stayed with the compounds:roll:

[crash87]

#9681

My children both shoot in the NASP. Son, 14, daughter 11. They have been in it now for about 3 years. I go to their practices. In our area it is put on through the city Rec dept, sanctioned through the NASP. Genisis bows are furnished, and easton genisis arrows also. The bow has different poundage from a min. to a max. with no let off and not draw length specific. You grow with the bow, in fact, I can shoot it, unfortunatley, for me, not as well as my kids. But that is a good thing. While some schools have established teams, ours would be what you call a pick up team. If you are signed up for the program you are entilted to go to state and compete. We usually have all kids signed up as a High School team, our youngest was in 5th grade this year. We are able to do this because otherwise we do not have enough High school age kids to make a team. The kids also shoot in there respect gruop as individuals. With that I am proud to say that our team took 4th palce in state competition, (2nd striaght year) and one of our high school girls was Co-state champion. Unfortunatley budget cuts and lack of fundraising did not allow our team to go to nationals in Kentucky. We did go last year however. Our co champian did however did get to go with the generosity of the other co champions team and also with monies donated from various local orginizations.
With that said, I think it is a good thing, There were over 5000 shooters at the nationals, That would be 5000+ school age shooters interested in the sport of archery. But what about the teams that did not go to the nationals? You have to place and meet a minimum score, I really do not no, what the total number would be for all the kids that are in the program one way or the other, But I do know it’s well more than 5000+. While these kids shoot a compound they also, DO NOT shoot, with all the gizmo’s associated with todays “kill em all, it’s not quality but how many and how far”. Fingers, no sights, no 99% let off’s, no triggers, scopes, infrared heat seekin nothing.
More to come……….Crash87

[crash87]

#9693

I thought I lost my son to shooting bow, because of lack of interest. I bought him a fibergalss “kids” bow when he was 4 and started teaching. As he grew older I could see He wasn’t interested as much as he used to be, until one summer he shot with me once. Everytime I asked if he wanted to shoot he said no. I wasn’t going to push the issue and let it be. I did some thinking and relized that he felt he just wasn’t enjoying it because of not being very consistant in hitting the target. I enrolled him in the NASP program and never saw a more excited kid when bullseyes were hit with consistancy. I bought him a Genisis bow and things turned around. Target shooting, Stump shooting, And when I introduced him to the spring sucker run and fishshooting, well lets just say he gives his dad a run for his money, with not only fish, but enthusiasum as well.
My feelings are that the Kids must not only be interested in a sport, but also enjoy it. Getting him a Genisis compound put the interest back into it and made it enjoyable. Let’s not forget, when shooting on a team there is also competition. A lot of the girls can really shoot. In fact we have had 2 state champions, both H.S. girls. the boys want one too. I decided it would be best, for him, to make his decision on what he wants to shoot, not I. If He wants to go trad. He has a bow, well a couple to choose from. If not maybe down the road he will have a change of heart and say, “you know my dad used to shoot one of those, I think I’ll give it a try.
Getting thousands of kids interested in archery is what the NASP is all about, Mfg’s needed to get invovled too or it wouldn’t have happened, rules established etc. ALL kids are shooting on an equal basis, equipment wise. What other shooting sport or othe sport in general can you say that about? I think it’s great, Besides I now have 2 new shootn’ partners.
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[Charles Ek]

#51675

I got a local school started in NASP, and I completed the training to train other instructors. Most of the program highlights have been covered here so I won’t rehash them. For those who might question its role in attracting young archers to traditional equipment and traditional bowhunting, I’ll just say: Was it the appearance of a longbow or recurve that put a smile on your face the first time you shot it? No, it was the experience of shooting the bow.
Whatever gets kids thinking that archery is fun is all good. Those kids that are prospects for traditional bowhunting will get a leg up with the shooting success they experience in NASP.
They will of course need good instructors and mentors to make the transition to traditional equipment if they choose to do that. One way to stimulate interest is to take part in public events focused on outdoor activities and be available to parents and kids who show some interest. Lots of outdoor retailers and the “game fair” organizers would be interested in having traditional archery and traditional bowhunting represented.
You might notice that NASP does not involve itself in promoting hunting. The program is not anti-hunting, it just sticks to its mission of getting kids hooked on archery and building their self-esteem and self-discipline in the process.

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