NASP Ontario
We bring archery into schools and engage 15,000 students annually in this inclusive activity that builds focus and self-esteem.
Bringing Archery to Ontario Schools
Empowering Youth in Ontario Through School-Based Archery
In 2014, OFAH launched NASP Ontario by partnering with NASP (the National Archery in the Schools Program) out of its Kentucky headquarters. Since then, we have been training teachers in Ontario to bring curriculum-based archery back into schools across the province.
A relatively young program even in the US, NASP was started in 2001 to draw youth to outdoor activities like hunting and fishing, and quickly expanded globally to ten countries with 15 million participants in its history. Instructor training ensures safe teaching and safe activities, focusing on archer form and boosting self-esteem.
Archery through NASP is inclusive, catering to all abilities and ages, fostering school attendance and interest in outdoor pursuits. Over 30% of NASP participants are eager to explore more outdoor adventures, making it a bullseye for lifelong interests in an active lifestyle and our natural heritage.
(and counting)
How to Get Your School Involved
Getting started with NASP Ontario is simple. Participating schools must have at least one staff member to become a certified NASP Basic Archery Instructor. There are three requirements every school must meet in order to participate in NASP Ontario:
- A letter on school board letterhead approving NASP Ontario. A school must have permission from its school board to run the program.
- A letter from the principal on school letterhead stating the NASP Ontario program will be taught during in-class curriculum.
- Every teacher who will deliver the program to students at their school is required to undergo 6-8 hours of NASP archery training no matter how much archery experience they have. Training for up to five teachers is included in the purchase of your NASP Ontario equipment.
Schools in the program will need purchase a standard, safe, durable, modern, and universal-fit archery equipment kit, available from NASP Ontario. Every child in this international program, no matter where they live, uses identical bows, arrows, targets, and shooting style. This standardization is one of the reasons the program fosters such high levels of self-esteem in students, and it removes socio-economic barriers for participants.
This archery equipment retails for much more than the OFAH and NASP Ontario charge through this program. For a one-time investment, over the lifetime of the equipment thousands of kids at your school will learn this great sport. There are two NASP kit options to meet your school’s size and budget needs.
For more information about NASP Ontario and the kit options, contact Tim Watts, NASP Ontario Coordinator at nasp@ofah.org.
Teacher Training – How to become a Basic Archery Instructor (BAI)
Included in your NASP equipment purchase, up to 5 teachers will be trained to successfully and safely run the program as part of a physical education class. During the training session, teachers learn how to set up a safe archery range, teach the students proper shooting form, and maintain the equipment. If a school would like to train more than 5 instructors, additional training manuals will need to be purchased. Instructor training was developed so teachers in every participating school could be certified to present NASP lessons that are safe for students, instructors, bystanders, and the facility. To date, NASP has certified more than 25,000 instructors around the world – including 600 in Ontario!Here’s How the Training Works:
Fundamental to the NASP philosophy, teachers will learn how to set up and operate a safe archery range in their gymnasium. They are taught whistle signals to move students to taped lines on the range floor. These whistles indicate to students when to “get bows,” “shoot” and “go get arrows”. Instructors learn how to determine a student’s dominant eye and make a string bow training aid to teach archer form, shot execution, and follow-through using NASP’s Eleven Steps to Archery Success. Teachers are also provided extensive advice on how to provide positive coaching and sessions are conducted to explain inspection, maintenance, and operation of the equipment.Equipment
The archery equipment used in NASP is highly standardized to be safe, durable, economical, and most importantly, a universal fit for every student. In NASP learning the “process” of shooting is stressed far more than arrow scores. Sights, release aids, and stabilizers are not used in NASP in order to facilitate equipment sharing among students in archery class. Learn more about the equipment used in NASP Ontario.Tournaments
As we’ve returned to in-person activities after the pandemic, in 2024 we ran ten live NASP Ontario regional tournaments across the province to provide a deeper connection between schools and the program. There is also a virtual tournament schools can choose to participate in instead.Visit us at the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show in March!
Each year the OFAH runs a very popular interactive NASP Ontario shooting booth at the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show (TSS). Dedicated OFAH staff and volunteers introduced archery to over 2,200 people during the 4-day event in 2024. It’s also a chance for educators and parents to see the program in action – if you’re coming to the TSS, make sure to stop by and check us out in the OFAH zone!Shop
Many students introduced to archery through NASP have found their calling and want a bow to practice with at home. Since much of Ontario does not have a local archery store, the OFAH has stepped up and made the NASP Ontario store happen. Products have been chosen with the novice archer in mind with a few additional items to make your backyard range a success. All proceeds support the NASP Ontario. For school orders and bulk discount pricing, call 705-748-6324 ext.235 or email nasp@ofah.org.FAQ
Please visit www.ofah.org/nasp/faqs/ for answers to any other questions you may have, or reach out to us at nasp@ofah.orgResources and Policies
Important downloads for NASP Ontario are available at www.ofah.org/nasp/policies.Special thanks to leaders in the industry that are also eager to lend their support to this program.
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