Community Archery Programs: In-School and After-School Archery Programs Introduce Kids to Shooting Sports

Frequently Asked Questions

Is archery taught in schools?
How do school archery programs such as NASP work?
What are the general benefits of school archery programs?
How is the curriculum designed?
What other issues relate to implementing a school archery program?
Is there any scientific research available on the outcomes of a school archery program?
How does a school archery program benefit the school system?
What about after school archery opportunities?
How does school archery relate to recruitment?
How can I start a program in my area?
What is the industry doing to help these programs?

Is archery taught in schools?

States have been implementing school archery programs since 2002. The National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) is the leader in this effort and the primary program implemented in most states. School archery programs are an excellent way to introduce kids to archery.

How do school archery programs such as NASP work?

School programs are designed to teach Olympic-style target archery and the core content covers archery history, safety, technique, equipment, mental concentration and self-improvement. Before presenting the 2-week archery course, teachers take National Archery Association Level 1 archery-training in order to teach archery safely and with proper technique.

Students shoot at bulls-eye targets placed before an arrow-resistant net in their gymnasium. Equipment used is state-of-the art and designed to fit every student. Thanks to support from the archery industry, the $4,800 equipment 'kits' can be purchased by schools for about $2,600.

Each state’s program is organized and funded differently, so you must contact the state coordinator to get specific program information for your state.  For a list of state coordinators, visit www.archeryintheschools.org and click on Contact.

What are the general benefits of school archery programs?

There are significant benefits derived from archery programs. In Kentucky, NASP engaged more students in the educational process, improving classroom performance and reducing dropout rates. Most dropouts indicate they were not involved in extra-curricular activities. Archery taught through this program is accessible to all students of nearly all ages and skill levels. Educators report that school archery programs “engage the unengaged” and inspire students to greater achievement in school. In addition, archery is a life-time sport and one that can bring families closer through participation.

How is the curriculum designed?

The written curriculum exceeds national PE standards.

• The core content includes safety, equipment, technique, mental concentration, self-improvement and archery history.

• The curriculum is Olympic-style archery and can be used in grades 4 and up.

• Equipment is usually pre-packaged and includes bows, arrows, targets, back-stop neeting, ground quivers and plans for a storage box so the program can be conducted in the school gymnasium.

What other issues relate to implementing a school archery program?

• Most school insurance policies recognize the safety of archery by providing coverage under existing policies that cover all other recreational activities.

• A section on teaching students with disabilities is included.

• Teachers take National Archery Association (NAA) Level I training so they can teach archery safely and with proper technique. This training is usually coordinated through the state coordinator or through the National Alliance for the Development of Archery (NADA).

Is there any scientific research available on the outcomes of a school archery program?

In November 2004, ArrowSport commissioned a research study of the Kentucky National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) which was conducted by Responsive Management, a nationally recognized research firm.  The objective of the research was to determine the impact of the program on youth and the industry.  Nearly 1,500 Kentucky students responded to a survey administered by teachers certified to teach the archery in the schools program.

Click here for summary of research.

How does a school archery program benefit the school system?

Students who had experience in archery, target sports or sports in general found that the program made school and/or P.E. better.  One way of looking at this finding is that those who participate in sports have an interest in physical activity that is met by a physical activity-oriented program.  Schools can benefit by providing yet another means of keeping children interested and engaged while they are in school. 

Also, children benefit from opportunities to acquire and/or demonstrate competence.  In short, improvement of skills builds confidence.  Good teaching leads to those improvements, so the schools are the perfect place to help children gain confidence through good teaching.  But the relationship is symbiotic in that greater confidence makes for better students, and better students benefit the school system.

The finding that mastering a new skill improved students’ perceptions of themselves has been replicated in many other studies. One study found that children who were poor performers in math became confident and skilled in math by being taught strategies for solving increasingly more difficult math problems. In that study, the impact of this effective instruction method had a tremendous effect on children’s feelings of confidence. Schools can harness this same benefit using archery. Even children with little exposure to or few skills in archery can improve and feel competent. Opportunities for learning and enjoying the feelings of competence in school help make school more enjoyable and rewarding. 

The more varied the venues available for children to learn and demonstrate competence, the more opportunities for school to stimulate children’s interest in learning and keep them learning. Programs and clubs like band, foreign languages, history and sports all have potential for improving education for students by allowing them to see progress in their skills (process) and performance (outcome). Archery is another tool that can be used to improve education. 

What about after school archery opportunities?

Subsequent to taking the course, students are more likely to show interest in and participate in archery. Comparisons of rates of participation and interest prior to and after taking the archery course show large gains for archery. The course breaks down barriers to participation by helping students find companions who also want to participate, by providing information in general about archery and specifically about where to participate, and by alleviating concerns about safety among the students and their parents.

How does school archery relate to recruitment?

A key to the actual recruitment of kids into archery is repeated exposure to shooting. Research emphasizes the need for implementing after-school and recreational archery programs for kids who have completed a school archery program. Keeping kids engaged increases the odds of them continuing in archery.

The course appears to not only stimulate interest in archery in the short-term, but also the long-term. Additional benefits, as noted earlier, include the opportunity to provide another venue for children to learn and demonstrate competence, and stimulate and keep children learning and in school. 

How can I start a program in my area?

• Contact your state archery in the schools coordinator to find out how to get involved in the program. The coordinator will know if there are schools in your area that have implemented the program and if there is any funding available through the state agency. A contact list is available at www.archeryintheschools.org by clicking on Contact.

• If your state is not listed, please contact the National Archery in the Schools Program’s National Coordinator at (800) 858-1549 x309 to inquire about your state.

• Find potential funding sources like local archery and bowhunting clubs, local retail shops, local conservation and sporting organizations, Parks & Recreation departments and local civic groups. The cost of equipment to start a school archery program generally runs about $2,600.

• Get either Level I or Level II National Archery Association instructor certification so you will be a recognized archery instructor and can help teach students and teachers. Contact your state coordinators to find out when trainings are held near you (www.archeryintheschools.org, click on Contact), or you can contact the National Alliance for the Development of Archery (NADA) (www.teacharchery.com) to get a list of teachers or instructors certified to administer the class in your area. You can call the National Alliance for the Development of Archery at: (352) 472-2388.

What is the industry doing to help these programs?

• ArrowSport, a foundation of the Archery Trade Association provides funding directly to states to pilot school archery programs. ArrowSport will continue to fund pilot programs in many of the states that have not yet started the program. The funding is managed by the state wildlife agency and you must contact the state archery in the schools coordinator to discuss its use.

• ArrowSport in conjunction with the Archery Trade Association created www.archerysearch.com, where people interested in archery can locate ranges, clubs, instructors and retailers near them. If you are not currently listed on the website – please contact the Archery Trade Association toll free at (866) 266-2776 or visit www.archerysearch.com/login.asp for an application.

• ArrowSport and the Archery Trade Association have created “Explore Archery,” a media campaign promoting archery as a family sport. The TV, radio and print ads are customizable for retail use and can be seen at www.explorearchery.com. Or contact the Archery Trade Association toll free at (866) 266-2776 x1.

• The Archery Trade Association through its two foundations, ArrowSport and the Bowhunting Preservation Alliance, is developing a complete archery and bowhunting education package that will include units on all types of archery, including Olympic, Field and 3-D, Bowhunting, Bowfishing and Traditional. For more information about this program or any other archery and bowhunting program, please call toll free at (866) 266-2776.