NASHVILLE --- For the first time since 2019, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will host the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) 15th State Championships, March 31-April 1 in Murfreesboro. The 2020 championships were cancelled due to the pandemic and last year’s championship was a virtual event.

The NASP State Championships will be returning to the Tennessee Miller Coliseum for the 11th year. Close to 1,500 students representing 80 schools are registered to participate. There will be three divisions. Schools will compete in the elementary, middle school and high school divisions. Awards will be presented to the top teams and individual finishers in each division.

Many of the Volunteer State’s best student archers will participate in this year’s event. The NASP program began in Tennessee in 2004 and has seen tremendous growth since its inception.

Competition will start at 9:30 a.m. with the final flight scheduled for 3:30 p.m. each day. The awards ceremony is expected to begin at 5 p.m. on the second day of the competition. The public is welcome and invited to attend. There is no admission charge.

Tennessee began NASP in late 2004 with 12 pilot schools participating in the program. The number of schools has grown to more than 600 that now participate in the program. NASP is a two-week curriculum taught during school that teaches International Style Target Archery.

Each student will shoot 30 arrows, 15 from 10 meters and 15 from 15 meters with a maximum score of 300. The top team and top 10 individuals in each division automatically receive a bid to compete in the 2022 National NASP Tournament to be held in May in Louisville, Ky. There will also be at-large bids for those who qualify.

If a school or teacher is interested in starting a NASP program, please contact Don Crawford, Assistant Chief, Multimedia Division at Don.Crawford@tn.gov or (615) 781-6542 or Matt Clarey, Regional Training Coordinator in TWRA Region III at Matt.Clarey@tn.gov or (931) 484-9571.