The Weyburn Wildlife Federation is encouraging youth and adults to take up archery through their archery programs.
Although the 2014 program is full, it is held every Thursday evening at Queen Elizabeth School.
The program follows the National Archery in Schools Program (NASP) procedure. It teaches students the anatomy of the bow and arrow, proper maintenance of bows and arrows, shooting-range setup and safety, and the 11 steps to archery success.
NASP was developed in collaboration by the Kentucky Departments of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the Kentucky Department of Education, and Mathews Archery in the summer of 2001 as a means to improve student motivation, attention, behaviour, attendance and focus. Initially called the Kentucky Archery in Schools Program, it was launched in 21 Kentucky middle schools on Mar. 3, 2002. The objective was to enroll 120 schools in the program and teach target archery skills to 24,000 students in three years. However, the program was so successful that within one year 120 schools had enrolled in the program and schools in neighbouring states had taken strong interest in it.
Thereafter the program was renamed NASP, and to date over 7.5 million youth have participated in nearly 9,000 schools across the United States, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
Those that are interested in joining the archery program do not need to own their own bows. The NASP program incorporates the use of the Mathew Genesis compound bow. It is sturdy, easy to shoot, and the draw length and weight can be adjusted for the needs of the shooter. Even if a child grows six inches taller over the summer, the bow can still be adjusted to fit their needs.
The lessons continue outside of the program. The NASP program includes training with a “string bow”, a simple device that students make out of string that allows them to practice proper shooting technique at home where they may not have a bow. The string bow also prevents students from judging archery performance solely upon where an arrow hits a target.
Morley Forsgren of the Weyburn Wildlife Federation is one of the instructors for the Archery program in Weyburn. He has over 30 years of archery experience and enjoys bow hunting whenever he gets the chance.
Morley said that although the program is not currently a school sanctioned event, he hopes that the continued strong interest in the program will lead to its implementation in schools throughout Weyburn.
“What the Weyburn Wildlife Federation is trying to do is to get youth off the couch, away from the TV, and into the outdoors; archery is one of the best ways to do that. It is a fun, hands-on hobby that children and adults can both enjoy. Anyone can learn archery and we’re hoping that once people develop that passion for it that they will also develop a lifelong passion for nature and other outdoor activities,” said Forsgren.
In Saskatchewan there are approximately 170 schools and approximately 8,500 students enrolled in the NASP program.
“If the NASP archery program continues to be popular outside of school, then we hope that it can be implemented into schools throughout Weyburn in the years to come,” said Forsgren.
In addition to the NASP program, the Weyburn Wildlife Federation also operates a small archery range in the Goodwater rink on Wednesday evenings from 7-10 p.m. A monthly membership is required for the club; for more information contact Morley Forsgren or visit the Weyburn Wildlife Federation Facebook page. The WWF may also organize Indoor 3D shoots this winter at the Goodwater archery range. Those that are interested in helping to organize or take part in a 3D shoot are encouraged to contact Forsgren.
