Archers line up to take their shots at the 2019 Western Ontario National Archery in the School Program (NASP) Tournament held at the Southampton Coliseum April 9.
Hub Staff
Archers from across midwestern Ontario congregated at the Southampton Coliseum for the first time for the 2019 Western Ontario National Archery in School Program (NASP) Tournament.
A total of 195 participants nocked their arrows at the event where competitors were split into three divisions, Elementary School (Grades 4 to 6), Middle School (Grade 7 and 8) and High School. Trophies were awarded to the best girls and boys in each division with each group shooting rounds from 5, 10 and 15 yards.
Archery is now part of the school curriculum, thanks to a partnership between the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) from Kentucky and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH). “They [NASP] came to Ontario and trained us how to do the program and then we administer it to the schools," said OFAH NASP Program Co-ordinator Tim Watts. Now that archery is in the schools, it introduces kids to the sport who otherwise would never get a chance to draw an arrow, he explained.
Saugeen Shores had a strong presence at the event with students placing in all six categories and taking two of the three team championships with participants from Saugeen District Secondary School (SDSS), G.C. Huston Public School and St Joseph's School.
The SDSSS girls dominated their division taking first, second, third and fourth. Nicole Burrows took home the 2019 trophy for High School Girls and matched her sister Natasha Burrows’ winning score of 264 from the 2018 competition.
Saugeen District Secondary School (SDSS) was on target at the Southampton Coliseum April 9, winning the division championship at the 2019 Western Ontario National Archery in the School Program (NASP) Tournament.
G.C. Huston won the Middle School team championship with a combined score of 2602.
Maddy Sheehan (left) and Sarah Poole, G.C. Huston competitors in the Grade 7 and 8 level at the NASP Tournament April 9.
From left, Natasha Burrows, Maddy Craig and Nicole Burrows, archers from Saugeen District Secondary School. Burrows took the championship in the Girls High School division.
Cassie (left) and Olivia (right) represented G.C. Huston Public School's Elementary division. Olivia took the trophy with 178 points and Cassie took fifth place with a score of 142.
Serenity Saunders, Grade 5, takes aim at her target among the other girls competing in the Elementary division.
The G.C. Huston Hawks were well represented at the Western Ontario NASP Championship at the Southampton Coliseum April 9.
Saugeen District Secondary School took four out of five placings in the High School Girls division April 9.
Saugeen District Secondary School competitors, from left, Darin Shular (Grade 10), Sam Hastings (Grade 12), Rahul Pandya (Grade 12) and Ethan Collins (Grade 9).
Students from St Joseph's School participated in the Western Ontario NASP Championship at the Southampton Coliseum April 9.
Editor's Note: The original version of this story didn't mention St Joseph's as having participated in the competition. The information has been corrected above.
