Rural Missouri - March 2023 - 12

Size, strength, age and gender rarely determine who
comes out on top because the equipment is all the same.
Participation is evenly split between boys and girls.
" You can have the biggest football player and you can
have the smallest girl and she can compete right alongside
of him, " says state Rep. Tim Taylor, another of the
hundreds of volunteer coaches and assistants who make
MoNASP possible. " It just brings out the best in people
and it gives them a lifelong thing to carry with them and to
pass on to their next generation. "
Last year Tim was successful in passing legislation that
made archery the Missouri state sport. He also brought
archery to the two-room Zion Lutheran School in Lone Elm
and now serves as assistant coach for Bunceton's school.
" The best of all worlds is to have parents who can spend
the time, " says Tim, who followed his son, Carter, from
one school to the next. " It's a one-day training and it's
very simple to do. Even if they have no archery experience,
that training will teach the person how to shoot, how to
set up the range. It will make them an archery coach and
someone who can change a kid's life. "
MDC Conservation Educator Ashley Edwards says
that while MoNASP competitions are all done indoors,
she and other educators teach how to set up an outdoor
range as part of their goal to get kids interested in outdoor
activities. Some will take the sport into the woods during
hunting seasons as well.
" Our goal is every school in Missouri is going to have
NASP. Basically, the creators of this stress that archery is
fun and safe. And archery is for everyone. It's all-inclusive
and makes kids feel like they are part of something. And
then of course scholarships are offered for the top shooters
at the state tournament and the national level. "
She adds in order to compete, schools must include at
least 10 hours per year of archery instruction. " Their idea
was that if it's taught in schools, they are going to teach it
the way it's supposed to be taught. One of the lines in our
teaching is that it is the safest sport next to table tennis. I
have never heard of an incident taking place. "
The $1,500 rebate offered schools is enough to get
started with eight to 10 bows, arrows and targets Jeremy
says. He adds that grants from organizations such as
Missouri Whitetails, the National Wild Turkey Federation
and the NRA have helped Blair Oaks add better targets,
enough bows to outfi t the entire team and a safety net to
protect the gym walls - though he adds with a laugh that
the net is seldom necessary.
" There are lessons being taught and lives being changed
thanks to this organization, " he says. And that's what
keeps him coming back to practices after a long day at the
cooperative.
You can learn more about MoNasp at education.mdc.
mo.gov/monasp.
Top: Willard High School's Ollie Blackburn releases an arrow during
the Bullseye competition. Everyone uses the same model bow and
arrows, leveling the playing fi eld. Center: Coaches anxiously watch
the action during the tournament. Hundreds of volunteers keep the
program strong in Missouri. Bottom: Students can also shoot in the
3D competition, taking aim at one of six animal mounts at distances of
10 and 15 meters.
http://www.education.mdc.mo.gov/monasp http://www.education.mdc.mo.gov/monasp
Rural Missouri - March 2023

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