By Ralph Cagle
Hartland coaches: Head Coach Robert Jellison and Assistant coaches: Darin Loruss and Shelby Simonds
Our chapter BOD representatives, Rich DeLisle, James Wandrie and Ralph Cagle went out to the Hartland Schools National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) practice session on May 30, 2018. We were able to watch and chat with the senior archery team while they practiced their archery skills. Head coach Robert Jellison and assistant coaches Darin Loruss and Shelby Simonds run a fun and efficient archery practice after school. The results can be seen by the number of wins that Hartland brings home every year and they do win and/or finish high in the NASP standings every year! Almost everyone of these youngsters came to us and thanked us for sponsoring their team. They were warm, smiling and happy kids who were enjoying shooting archery and supporting each other. As a parent and grandparent these are the kind of traits I wanted my kids and their kids to learn.
Senior Hartland Archery team with BOD members (old guys in front) James Wandrie, Ralph Cagle and Rich DeLisle our chapter has sponsored them for the last few years and they are National NASP champs!
NASP is an activity that doesn’t discriminate based on popularity, athletic skill, gender, size, or academic ability. It’s a different kind of team sport. It’s open to any student. Its biggest supporters are professional educators. Teams come together around one thing: archery. The National Archery in the Schools Program is an in-school program aimed at improving educational performance among students in grades 4th – 12th. And through it students are learning focus, self-control, discipline, patience, and the life lessons required to be successful in the classroom and in life.
Archery Equipment used in NASP® is highly standardized to be safe, durable, economical, and most importantly, universal fit for almost every student. In NASP® learning the “process” of shooting is stressed far more than arrow scores. The only bow used in NASP® is a “Genesis®” compound which has no let-off and is adjustable from 10-20 pounds in draw weight at any draw length.
The Hartland NASP Champions practice hard for their place on the team as you can see by their concentration while on the shooting line!
With the focus on archery skills and life lessons of discipline, focus and patience it is no wonder that youngsters are going to archery classes offered in our school systems all across the country. The lessons passed on to these kids by coaches like Rob, Darin and Shelby will be with them their entire life and can not help but make them better people and citizens! Our chapter is proud and happy to sponsor the NASP at the Hartland Schools they are a perfect example of what SCI and our chapter is all about. If you or your organization want to support the NASP go to their website and see how you can get the NASP in your school system.
