The third annual National Archery in Schools Program (NASP) provincial archery shoot was hosted by the Yorkton Regional High School (YRHS) for the second consecutive year over the weekend.
Shoot coordinator Darren Wandy, YRHS archery coach, says the event attracted about 400 young archers in Grades 4-12 from 18 schools around the province.
In order to accommodate all competitors at the meet, both YRHS gym and the gym at Dr. Brass School were pressed into service, Wandy points out.
Participants are each permitted one practice round at 10 metres. Following the practice round each archer shoots three rounds of five arrows from 10 metres.
After a practice round at 15 metres, they shoot three more rounds of five arrows from 15 metres. Their results are tabulated for a possible total combined score of 300. "If you can shoot 300, that's a perfect score," Wandy notes.
Yorkton competitors included 13 archers from YRHS as well as young archers from local elementary schools, Wandy reports.
Braydon Jarvis and Hunter Frankfurt from M.C. Knoll School as well as Eric Pedwell Lea Burnard from YRHS appear to be favorites at the provincial shoot, Wandy suggests.
Jarvis came into the shoot as the defending provincial and national champion from last year.
Wandy appreciates all the volunteers who worked the event including teachers and parents as well as members of the Broken Arrow Archery Club and community volunteers. "It's typical Yorkton people who offer to come out and help. Everything seems to be running very well," he says. He's also appreciative of the support and sponsorship of the Saskatchewan Wild-life Federation, The World of Whitetail, and Bird Dog Archery as well as the Good Spirit School Division, YRHS and Dr. Brass Schools.
The provincial shoot follows international style shooting using paper faced targets, Wandy points out.
The shoot is held indoors to minimize the effects of weather on the competition results, he explains. It helps that Yorkton has suitable indoor facilities to host an event of this nature, however Wandy cautions that a larger facility might be needed in the future as the sport continues to grow. "It's a very controlled atmosphere here. The kids know where they're shooting. Everything's numbered," he adds.
Both provincial and national championships are open to all archers with no qualifying event required. The NASP aim is to encourage maximum participation, therefore there are no restrictions put on participation such as requiring a shootoff, Wandy states. "We went from having 100 kids four years ago to over 400, so what does that tell you?" he asks.
Anybody can take part, boy, girl, athlete, non-athlete, popular kid, not popular kid no matter what their ability because everybody receives the same training and uses the same equipment, Wandy says. "There's no bias and kids don't have to buy their own stuff because the school usually gets the equipment and everybody can use it," he explains.
The national shoot is completed virtually, Wandy reports. Archers basically shoot and submit their scores.
Wandy says he's been lobbying to initiate a national event. With six of 10 provinces currently involved in NASP, he says he hopes to see a national event as early as next year. He's willing to host a national event should it be offered.
JeanAnne Prysliak, education coordinator for the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) is the NASP coordinating body for the province. The SWF helps to set up training, the provincial shoot and promotion of NASP in Saskatchewan, she explains. While local coordinators like Wandy and Jason Gordon organize the local facilities and volunteers, Prysliak and the SWF works with registration and funding for trophies and awards. Many SWF branches are strong supporters of NASP. The Saskatchewan Bow Hunters Association and The World of Whitetail are also major NASP and tournament sponsors.
Prysliak is a proponent of archery as she feels it is a sport anyone can take part in. The provincial shoot illustrates her assertion that participants really enjoy the competition and meeting others with the same interest. "It's a sport where you can set goals for yourself but you're also part of a team," she notes. It appeals to everybody, not only the typical athletic youngster, Prysliak adds. "Anyone can do archery. If you want to put the time in, you can get to the next level. It all depends on your commitment, I guess" she closes.
