To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. Greg Staunton Shooting Sports Gain Popularity In Schools A n enthusiasm for the shooting grades 4-12 have received archery these students the rest of their life.” sports continues to grow in our instruction through the program. Many Indiana is one of the nine states particnation’s schools, thanks to the schools are even integrating archery into ipating in the NASP-commissioned study. increasing popularity of the National core curriculum areas such as math, The other eight are Arizona, Alabama, Archery in the Schools Program (NASP). science and history. By the end of 2008, Georgia, Kentucky, Florida, Michigan, The good news for parents, students, NASP plans to be operating in schools in Minnesota and Ohio. teachers and, of course, archery products every state. The NASP is a cooperative effort manufacturers and dealers is an unexbetween state education and natural pected serendipity — a positive correresources (wildlife and conservation) lation between archery physical educadepartments. School archery lessons, tion classes and enthusiasm for school focusing on international-style target in general. archery, are taught by P.E. teachers So, doing the Robin Hood thing — who have been trained as Basic under proper supervision — is leading Archery Instructors. to better behavior and attendance at “This program has and will continue to school? Maybe even better grades? make a strong impact on these students, as Apparently so, according to a 2004 well as everyone involved,” said Tim Beck study by a Harrisonburg, Va., firm, of the DNR Division of Law Enforcement, Responsive Management. who leads the Indiana program, where 211 Encouraged by the preliminary teachers/instructors have been trained as study, NASP has asked Responsive Basic Archery Instructors. Management to conduct a more extenOnce the students become sive yearlong study of the benefits of involved in archery, it’s likely they archery to a student’s well-being and will encourage their parents to overall school performance. The study become archery enthusiasts. will be conducted at a cross-section of The National Archery in the Schools Program is Archers already know it’s a great schools in nine states. While this will conducted in 44 states. family sport. I thank my dad, an avid include a fair number of students, it is a hunter and conservationist, for all the “This is one of the most innovative and mere fraction of students in schools engaging hours spent under his superviacross the country currently involved engaging programs that encourages students sion as a child zinging arrows (he even to be involved with the shooting sports,” said with NASP. crafted his own) in the general direction Since its beginning in 2002, the Rob Carter Jr., director of the Indiana of old straw-mounted paper targets. program has grown from 22 pilot schools Department of Natural Resources (DNR). To learn more about the NASP and the in Kentucky to more than 4,000 schools in “Regardless of the student’s athletic abilities, innovative youth archery school programs 44 states, plus Canada and Australia. To archery can be enjoyed by all and provides — plus how you can get involved — visit date, more than 2.3 million students in additional life skills that will be retained by www.nasparchery.com. Rinehart Targets Youth And Families R inehart Target, maker of 3-D targets from the realistic to the whimsical, is a major sponsor of NASP. This year, the company introduced a new NASP youth archery target. A stand is built onto the target, eliminating the need for metal stands that could scratch hardwood gym floors when archery classes are held indoors. The target weighs only 30 pounds and features Rinehart’s patented, replaceable insert system. Of course, the target is weatherproof and has an official 80cm FITA-style face painted on only one side to meet new NASP standards. The new youth target is made of Rinehart’s high-density, self-healing, easy-pull foam, making arrows easy to pull and preserving the target intact for countless hits. Rinehart also has its own program to introduce archery to kids and their families. This past summer, Rinehart gave families a chance to try out some of their popular 3-D targets during the company’s R100 Tournament Tour. With more than 6,500 adults and 1,000 kids participating in dozens of continued on page 39 Young archers take part in a Rinehart R100 Tournament. 36 www.shootingindustry.com • SHOT SHOW SUPER ISSUE 2008