Las Vegas, NV – The Nevada Department of Wildlife will host the 11th Annual Nevada National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) State Tournament Wednesday, Feb. 5 at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas.

    Nearly 800 student archers representing 41 schools from across Nevada are registered for the event, which includes both on-site and virtual competition. By the time the tournament is over, competing archers will have fired nearly 32,000 arrows.

    Sponsored by NDOW, the tournament will take place in the South Point’s Priefert Pavilion. The competition will begin at 9 a.m. and wrap up around 1 p.m. with awards to follow.

    Teams and individual students who shoot a qualifying score can move on to the US Western National Tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah where they can compete for scholarship money. That event will take place in late April.

    “Archery is a great sport for our youth because anyone can do it. You don’t have to be the fastest, strongest, or the most athletic to be a successful archer,” said Holly Brisendine, archery education coordinator for NDOW. “NASP has a fully standardized program that focuses on safety and fairness across the board.”

    Students in grades 4 through 12 can participate in NASP and compete in the tournament. Though an archer from high school might shoot next to one from middle school, the students compete against archers within their own age group – elementary, middle or high school – and they all use the same bow and arrows to maintain a level playing field.

    Though not an official part of The Vegas Shoot, which is the world’s largest indoor archery tournament and begins Feb. 7, organizers of that event provide the space and targets used by students during the NASP Tournament.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. Find us on Facebook, Twitter or visit us at www.ndow.org.