The National Archery in the School’s Press Release
10th Time is a Charm for Student Archers at NASP® Worlds
June 12, 2018
By: Brittany J Jones
Since its inception in 2002, the National Archery in the School’s Program (NASP®) has been hosting its eastern national tournaments in the Bluegrass State’s one and only, Louisville, Kentucky. After sixteen years, Louisville’s Exposition Center opened its doors for the first time to host the 2018 NASP® World Tournament. Archers from all over the United States, along with friends and family, gathered June 7-9 to showcase all the hard work and dedication they’ve invested throughout the year. As these dedicated archers approached their assigned lanes, they carefully “nocked” their arrow, took a deep breath as they aimed and released to establish their “rank” in the NASP® world!
More than 10,000 friends and family came to spectate this renowned tournament and more than 180 volunteers signed up to make this event a success. Exactly 4,967 student archers from 358 schools participated in this year’s tournament, breaking the 2015 world tournament (held at Nashville’s Music City Center) record of 4,871. With regards to the range, there were no surprises as NASP® maintained the same competitive format used from past tournaments. Each flight was 60 minutes in length during which each archer shot five practice arrows and fifteen scored arrows; A total of forty arrows. Archers shot “bare-bow” style from ten and fifteen-meter shooting lines using no stabilizers, sights, or release aids. As the whistle sounded, arrows took flight, and results flew in!
Beginning with the Elementary Division, the top male and female shooters are as follows. Mathew Harper, a fifth-grader who attends Maysville Elementary School in Ohio achieved the top male spot with a score of 294 (24 tens). Lola Norman, also a fifth-grader and Academic Archer (AA) who attends Foundation Christian Academy in Kentucky, shot a 291 with 24 tens, earning her the top female spot in the Elementary Division.
In the Middle School Division, Karson Warrington, an eighth grader who attends Zaneis School in Oklahoma, earned top honors with his score of 298 (28 tens). Beth Merrifield, an eighth grader and AA from Jefferson Middle School in Illinois was awarded the top female spot with her score of 293 (23 tens).
Last, but not least in the High School Division, Donald Holupka, a tenth grader and AA who attends Hillsboro High School in Missouri achieved top male honors with this high score of 298 (28 tens). Kamryn Twehus, also a tenth grader from Blair Oaks High School in Missouri shot a near perfect score of a 299 (29 tens). Congratulations to all archers on your outstanding performance!
In addition to the divisional winners, NASP® also recognizes the overall winners from the combined divisions. The overall male for the 2018 World NASP® Tournament went to Missouri’s Donald Holupka after winning a tie-breaker with Oklahoma’s Karson Warrington who both shot 298s. The overall female winner was awarded to Kamryn Twehus, a tenth grader from Blair Oaks H.S. with her score of 299 (29 tens). Overall runner up went to Emilee Manning, a twelfth grader from Chandler H.S. in Oklahoma. Congratulations to these archers!
NASP® teams are comprised of 12-24 student archers with students of both genders required to be on the team. The top possible score is 3,600 points. Top team honors in the bulls-eye competition go to: Benton Elementary School with a total score of 3317 (152 tens), Caudill Middle School with their score of 3410 (211 tens), and Castle High School with a score of 3454 (244 tens).
While the bullseye competition was ongoing in the North Wing of the Expo Center, the NASP®/International Bowhunting Organization’s 3D Challenge (NASP®/IBO 3D Challenge), was underway right next door in the South Wing. 1,529 archers from 167 schools participated in the 3D challenge this year, a thirty percent increase from last year’s world tournament in sunny Orlando, Florida, which stood at 1,179.
The overall male winner in the 3D competition went to Tommy Wills, a seventh grader and AA who attends Mcewen Middle School in Tennessee, with his high score of 298 (28 tens). Overall male runner up was awarded to Roby Mullins, a twelfth grader and AA who attends Lincoln County H.S. in KY. His score was a 297(27 tens). The overall 3D female shooter was awarded to Kimberly Matherly, a tenth grader and AA from Reitz Memorial H.S. in Indiana, with her score 298 (28 tens). Runner up female went to Lilly Machart, representing Iowa’s Alamosa High School with a score of 297. The top teams in the 3D event went to Benton Elementary with a score of 1645 (81 tens), Caudill Middle School with a score of 1713 (116 tens), and Bullitt Central High School with a score of 1729 (122 tens). Congratulations to all individuals and teams!
To date, NASP® has awarded $1.6 million dollars in cash scholarships to NASP® students to use for any post-high school education of their choosing. A total of seventeen male and female archers, determined at the Eastern and Western National Tournaments held in Louisville and Salt Lake City, competed in a scholarship shoot-off at this year’s World Tournament. Each archer shot five practice arrows and five scored arrows at fifteen meters. The results of the scholarship shoot-off are as follows: In the male category: $20k in cash scholarship was awarded to Dalton Hinkle, Caleb Thornton received $15k, Kaden Christenson was given $10k, Donald Holupka received $5k, Cole Murphy received $2.5k, and finally $1k was given to Jerod Aycox, Thomas Fletcher, Justin Liveoak and Trenton Meyer. In the female category: Holly Snow received $20k, Anna Herbert was awarded $15k, Breann Holtz (from Western Nationals) won $10k, Ally Nordell received $5k, $2.5k went to Maria Zielinski, and finally $1k went to Dorothy Cobb, Rachel Hatfield, and Brooklyn Keck.
“My experience at NASP® Worlds was amazing! I never dreamed that I would have this experience as a Freshman or that I would end up in the third-place spot,” says Breann Holtz, a ninth grader from Lawton-Bronson Junior/Senior High School (Iowa) who won ten thousand dollars in the 2018 scholarship shoot-off described above. Holtz also said, “The scholarship shoot-off was intense, and I am so grateful I was able to participate and hope I will have an opportunity again in the future.” This is Holtz’s first time competing in a National or World Tournament since the Nationals was split into two events, Eastern and Western Nationals. “Offering NASP® archers in the western U.S. an opportunity to participate in a major tournament closer to home, is one of the main reasons the Western Nationals was implemented. Breann’s first-time participation and success validates our decision”, says NASP® CEO/President, Roy Grimes.
Of course, the success of NASP® tournaments rely heavily on the hard-working volunteers that set-up and work the range from start to finish and the medal-level sponsors that provide the necessary equipment to make the competitions a success. Such sponsors are: Mathews, Mission, Genesis Archery, Morrell Targets, Easton Technical Products, Gordon Composites, National Wild Turkey Federation, Easton Foundations, Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, Feradyne Outdoors, Rinehart Targets, BCY, Academy Sports + Outdoors, and EA Promotions. Kudos and thanks the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife for their help volunteering and providing conservation officers that kept this NASP® event safe and enjoyable!
This was the 10th year of the World NASP® Tournament since the first one was held at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando. Due to minimal participation from other NASP® countries, NASP® will be making some changes to the World Tournament, possibly offering a “remote” option to allow other countries a more convenient and far more affordable way to establish world archer rank in 2019.
Looking ahead, international NASP® All-Star Teams will compete in the All-Star Championship in Calgary, Alberta July 8-11. Teams who will be competing in this all-star event hail from Africa, Canada, and the United States!
For more information regarding NASP® tournaments and events, please visit www.naspschools.org.