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    Student Archers
    Pennsylvania Game Commission

    National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP)

    The National Archery in the Schools Program is an in-school program aiming to change lives one arrow at a time through the lifelong sport of archery. The NASP curriculum is a 4th -12th grade, standard-based curriculum that is taught during physical education or any other class throughout the school day.

    Fun Fact: NASP is taught in EVERY state, with over 300 schools enrolled in PA!
    More about NASP Inc.

    BRING ARCHERY TO YOUR SCHOOL!

    Does your school have at least one participating NASP grade (4-12)? Can someone teach the NASP curriculum for a minimum of 10 school hours throughout the year? Do you have building administrator approval? Are you interested in grant funds to help offset the cost of the equipment? If the answer to all those questions is YES, getting started is easy! Download & Complete the PA NASP Commitment Letter and email it to your state coordinator.

    Contact Your State Coordinator
    NASP upper dauphin school winners

    Participating Schools

    Click on the map to view participating schools. If your school is not shown on the map and you would like to initiate a program, scroll down to the Getting Started section.

    View Map

    CURRICULUM

    The NASP curriculum is a 4th -12th grade, standard-based curriculum that is taught during physical education or any other class throughout the school day.

    Fun Fact: NASP is taught in each of the United States and 11 other countries!

    ENROLL TODAY

    Does your school have at least one participating NASP grade (4-12)? Can someone commit to teach the NASP curriculum for a minimum of 10 school hours throughout the year? Do you have building administrator approval? If the answer to all those questions is YES, getting started is easy! Complete the PA NASP Commitment Letter and email it to your state coordinator.

    Fun fact: There are over 300 schools enrolled in Pennsylvania!

    GRANTS

    Grant funds are available to newly enrolled schools in the amount of $1,500 from the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Additional funds from other organizations may be available as well. Funding is contingent on the agency’s receipt of a commitment letter and recipients will be notified of status following submission.

    Fun Fact: Combined funds cover 75% of the total equipment costs for new schools and existing schools have annual grant opportunities as well.

    TRAINING

    A Basic Archery Instructor (BAI) certification is required to teach NASP. New schools will request to schedule a BAI field training at their facility once an order is placed and all equipment arrives. Trainings are conducted by the Pennsylvania Game Commission free of charge for 6-12 people, 18 years or age and older.

    Fun Fact: BAI certification is free and may be completed in just a day’s time!

    Request a Training

    kailhess@pa.gov

    BAI Course Schedule

    See Available Courses

    Trainings are scheduled upon enrollment for new schools and as needs arise for existing schools. If a scheduled training at a new or existing school has not reached full capacity, registration will become open to the public. At that time, the course will be posted as public and individuals 18 years of age and older may register to attend. Please read all details of a posted course to secure your registration, prepare accordingly, and successfully achieve your Basic Archery Instructor certification.

    nasp tournament

    From NASP In-Class to NASP Competitions

    Schools can create additional opportunities within their program by starting an after-school team. School teams help maintain student interest in archery, connect students with other schools, allow opportunity for competitions, academic recognition, and scholarships.

    Fun Fact: We have over 60 schools who created teams that compete in our state tournament!
    Learn More

    Pennsylvania NASP State Tournament

    Check out some video highlights from one of our state tournaments!

    YOUTH SHOOTING SPORTS OPPORTUNITIES

    Bowhunting in the Commonwealth: For some students, the next step in shooting may be bowhunting. In the 2012 archery season, over 300,000 bowhunters bought archery licenses. If students are interested in pursuing bowhunting, the Game Commission's Successful Bowhunting course would be a great place to start! For more information, contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Hunter Education Division at 717-787-7015.

    Community Organizations: Many sportsmen's clubs and other organizations offer opportunities for youth to participate in their events. If your organization or one you know of offers youth shooting sports opportunities, share your event info with shootingsports@pa.gov

    Explore Bowhunting is a curriculum developed by ATA and managed by NFAA that teaches students about hunting in their classrooms. With more than 20 activities to choose from, students will learn a variety of skills that will not only help them become better hunters but develop an overall appreciation for wildlife and nature. Read More

    4-H Shooting Sports – Archery Clubs: 4-H is a great place to improve upon the skills of archery students who participate in NASP. By becoming a part of a 4-H archery club, students have access to instructors that will help them learn about the sport alongside other junior archers. Students complete projectbooks and compete in showmanship competitions at their county fair. Look at the list of 4H Archery Clubs in Pennsylvania (PDF) in the state and see if your county offers one. If not, visit http://extension.psu.edu/counties to find the contact information for the Penn State extension office near you to see how you can start one in your county!

    Junior Olympic Archer Development (JOAD) Program: The Junior Olympic Archery Development program allows youth to excel in the sport of archery and is a natural next step for students in the NASP program. This organization is open to youth archers ages 8-18 and is a perfect complement to the NASP program as it offers instruction for archers interested in international-style target competition. Once a member of a JOAD club, the shooter will be taught by a certified coach or instructor and can be advanced in the sport shooting to either a compound or a recurve bow. JOAD holds tournaments at the Regional, State and National levels throughout the year at both indoor and outdoor ranges. With the goal of developing the skills of the individual archer, JOAD often recognizes achievements with awards. JOAD is a rapidly growing program and the organization has many different places that a child can join if they are interested. Look at the list of JOAD clubs in Pennsylvania (PDF) to see if one is nearby or visit JOAD Archery for more information on the program.