Illinois State High School Archery Tournament Set for March 22

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will host the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Illinois State Tournament Saturday, March 22 at the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Participation continues to grow as 873 archers from 32 schools have qualified to compete. The 2013 State Tournament drew about 700 archers. 400 students competed in 2012. Top finishers qualify for the NASP National Tournament to be held May 9-10 in Louisville, Kentucky.

“We are proud of the student-athletes who are coming to Springfield to represent their schools in the State Tournament,” said IDNR Director Marc Miller. “Outdoor sports are a growing part of extra-curricular programs at many schools in Illinois, and we look forward to seeing these accomplished young men and women compete.”

Students will compete in three divisions, including Elementary (Grades 4-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8) and High School (Grades 9-12). Members of the Illinois Archery Association provide volunteer support for the event. Last year’s state champions were Schlarman Academy High School of Danville (Grades 9-12), Georgetown-Ridge Farm Junior High School (Grades 6-8), and Jefferson Elementary School in Charleston (Grades 4-5).

NASP is a nationally acclaimed youth archery program that implements a curriculum-based archery education program into the public/private school system through the physical education department. The program started in Kentucky in 2002 and has expanded to include 12,000 participating schools and one million students in five countries. Illinois was one of the first 10 states registered in the program.

Qualifying schools include:

Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire
Armstrong Potomac Grade School
Armstrong Potomac High School
Athens High School
Canton High School
Canton Ingersoll Middle School
Centennial High School, Champaign
Central High School, Champaign
Chicago Military Academy
Cuba High School
Evansville Attendance Center
Ewing Grade School
Foreman High School, Chicago
Georgetown-Ridge Farm High School
Georgetown-Ridge Farm Middle School
Highland Middle School
Jefferson Middle School, Champaign
Lane Tech College Prep, Chicago
Lewistown
Mark Bills Middle School, Peoria
Metamora St. Mary’s
Metamora Township High School
Next Generation School, Champaign
Oswego High School
Phoenix Military Academy, Chicago
Pinckneyville High School
Pinckneyville Junior High School
Riverton High School
Roberto Clemente High School, Chicago
Schlarman Academy, Danville
Tremont High School
Washington Middle School, Springfield