MoNASP holds state tournament in Branson

From March 18 through 21, more than 3,800 Missouri student archers from over 300 schools competed in the Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program (MoNASP) State Championship.

Each year in March, talented young archers from public, private and home schools across the state compete in 3D and Bullseye divisions for elementary, middle school and high school age groups. The Missouri tournament has grown to be the second largest state tournament in the nation, and even a quick stop by the Convention Center at the Branson Hilton can show some good reasons why.

Archery helps teach focus, goal-setting, dedication to practice and hard work, and encouraging one another. It also brings families together, as evident in the number of multi-generational families on hand to support their young competitors. Browsing through the vendor booths revealed an amazing number of resources designed to encourage young competitors in traditional, historical and family-friendly values and skills. Local attractions and restaurants, especially outdoor-themed ones, were also on hand with special deals or coupons for the visiting families, since many were preparing to enter spring break.

To check the scores of participating archers and schools, visit https://mochf.org/event/monasp-state-archery-championship/. Students who achieved a top-10 spot for their division, as well as top-ranking teams, will move on to next month’s national tournament.

MoNASP is coordinated through the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, the Conservation Federation of Missouri and the National Archery in the Schools program, with more than 800 participating schools and numerous supporting organizations throughout the state. Statewide, more than 83,000 student archers participate, with more than 200,000 since the program began.

Representatives from the coordinating and sponsoring agencies were also on hand, with a large number of students stopping by their information tables to inquire about possible careers in conservation-related fields. The overall top five male and female archers in both the 3D and Bullseye divisions received scholarships for future study, with approximately $30,000 distributed by the coordinating partners among these dedicated, hardworking students each year.