To the Administrator considering NASP®

At the time of our startup, a NASP® kit was around $2700 (~$3100 now). I knew that it was imperative to seek support from our community. I created fliers announcing that our small high school and eventually our entire district was interested in beginning the program. I contacted local sportsmen groups including chapters from Ducks Unlimited, NWTF, Quail Unlimited along with community organizations like Rotary, Kiwanis and anyone who would allow me to speak. I visited a local dove hunt on a Saturday and placed fliers on windshields there. By Thursday of the next week, I had enough donations to purchase the equivalent of two kits. We were able to publicly thank each and every group and continued to experience their support when I had the archers come to speak and thank each group. This was a huge win for everyone. These groups were able to support students and the students were quickly made aware that their community was behind them! While my community immediately embraced the program from the beginning, I believe that some sort of this type of support is possible anywhere there are outdoors folks looking to support the shooting sports and conservation. While you are likely aware of many types of fundraising going on at your school, the community is indeed out there…Go and seek them!

Before I could fully embrace this program with my students, I had to understand just how likely others would be receptive in the explanation of just how safe NASP® was.  I did not wait long. The training for Basic Archery Instructor (The term for someone trained by a NASP® instructor) was predominately about safety. I learned that the training was superior in quality to what I had received in many of my previous safety trainings.  Since 2002, NASP® has now had more than 19 million students go through the program without a serious safety incident. Considering the statistics of most of my high school sports teams, I learned that archery was safer and was only behind table tennis with respect to safety.  I learned that the Archery Trade Association had produced a document on the safety of archery that can be reviewed at:

Archery Trade Safety

Later, as I served as a superintendent, I remember discussing the program with my school board members at a work session and explained the available data and testimonials from similar sized districts that had enjoyed the program. Let me assure that you will be very pleased at the amount of information and the quality of the safety training and track record of NASP®!

I have heard from individuals considering NASP® that they are afraid that there will be increasing insurance costs for their district and that insurance costs will be a significant hurdle to overcome in implementing the program. On the contrary, I have not found this to be the case with any school district from my own experience or since. Having served as a member of the state-wide insurance committee for my state school board association (while I was a superintendent), I did not find any increases noted due to the adoption of the program. With the continued safety record of NASP®, the issues that contribute to rising costs in insurance coverage were not a factor that became additional expenses in premiums. Considering the safety record alluded to earlier, and the rising costs for student injuries in most contact sports, archery created no increases. As I know you will, I urge you to contact the many insurance vendors that offer coverage to districts in your state or jurisdiction that are likely already providing insurance coverage for school districts that are experiencing successful NASP® implementation. You will likely find my words to be true.

Regardless of the activity mentioned, I know that your facility is utilized almost every day, every evening, and most weekends. I also know from experience just how many outside groups want to use your fields, gymnasiums, buses and cafeterias. I know also that this is a constant conversation for those that manage your school or district facilities. Considering the information that I shared earlier with respect to student and culture considerations, I urge you to remember that while archery is the vehicle, it is the impact to students – many of whom you might have been previously unable to reach that will be participating sometime during the week both in PE class as well as after school – should your school or district engage in competitive after-school teams. While superintendent, we had archery going on after school in nineteen of our schools. This was a tremendous effort for scheduling with all the different organizations that request gym time. Again, it was the tremendously positive cultural impacts made with NASP® that made this so doable for us. On particular weekends when schools had fund raising tournaments, there were few parking spaces available there on whatever campus was hosting the event. Parents, grandparents, guardians, siblings and participants all came through to participate in the archery tournament. This was wonderful to see the families there together to support their archer(s). From this point, when our school teams were interested in participating in state and then national level events, we were more than excited due to the numbers of students that participated. I remind you that all I did as a superintendent, was to revisit what I had learned about NASP® as a high school principal, then open the door of possibilities for elementary, middle and high schools in our district. It was and continues to be a huge positive for my former school district.

I know that few other decisions are more important than “who” you hire or select to spend time with your students. For all certified and classified staff as well as the many volunteers and paraprofessionals that you choose, all have a tremendous role to play in building an environment where students can become more successful every day. I also know that certification and other issues sometime may prevent a wide array of choices for your particular situation. When choosing your BAI candidate who will lead the NASP® effort in your school or district, I have some experience to share for making a great choice every time. I suggest that if at all possible and prior to any other consideration, you look for the most “student-centered” educator available. Someone who is totally about every child’s success and someone that is a great relationship builder. I have so much faith in what I saw happen as a result of NASP® BAI training being able to establish safety and instructional expectations for the teacher. They will be ready to teach NASP®. However, it is the interpersonal attributes that I find most common among truly great NASP® teachers and coaches. These people arrive in the role from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. What they all seem to have in common is that they use archery as a tool to reach each student and enable them to continue to grow and develop as individuals and as team members. They become not only be better archers, but also better students in the classroom and more respectful citizens. In my opinion, someone who has a lot of archery experience prior to the BAI course is not at all a factor that I would now consider. The BAI training will give you as a school leader peace of mind regarding the instructor’s ability to address safety and quality of programming. However, if you choose the individual that matches the previous description and match these competent BAI teachers with “super kid advocate” attributes, you will soon be responding to many expressions of gratitude from the parents, guardians and students at your school where you adopted NASP®. As you know in any personnel decision, it is all about the “who” that you choose!

I can think of no other better example of where NASP® provides yet another leverage point for consideration at your school than what it does for the physically challenged student. Like you, I have watched so many of them observing classmates that are engaged in a school sponsored event where their particular physical situation prevents them from taking part in the action. I am proud to relay that I have seen hundreds of examples where a student is able to fully participate right alongside all other students in NASP®. I have spoken with family members again and again to hear how this opportunity has once again been recognized as “life changing” though the participation of the student – many for the first time. Realizing that your efforts for inclusion, connectedness and participation for all students with disabilities is high on your list of priorities as a school leader, I urge you to give NASP® a serious look!

Read more of reducing barriers so more students can experience NASP®!

Most of what I have provided above would be excellent to share in-advance with decision makers such as school councils or school boards. Whatever, your role and whatever the process in your school system; I strongly suggest that you get these folks on board to share in the pending success that is about to unfold in your school or district. Most decision makers are in those positions to help students experience success. Please plan on explaining to them about your plans to utilize in-school archery to engage and motivate students (many for the first time) as NASP® continues to do what it does in 47 States, 8 Canadian Provinces, & 11 Countries. Yes, once you do, you will have official support due to council or board action. What you will really have are partnerships with people who said “yes” to something that can alter lives.