[level-non-member]
Members, remember to log in to view this post.
[/level-non-member]
[level-membersupporter]
FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky., will host the largest archery event in the world in 2011. On May 13-14, 2011 teams from 34 states will compete for more than 300 teams and individual medals, trophies, banners and plaques. More than 400 team slots will be filled by 393 schools, with total participation eclipsing the 2010 world record attendance of 6,784.
On April 25, with a few days to the close of registration, 6,956 youth had registered. Every team registered for the tournament qualified for the National Archery in the Schools Program nationals competition at their state’s tournament.
NASP is a coed activity and this year, 33 percent of the registered participants are girls.
Teams and their parents, coaches, sponsors and fans will fill local hotels and restaurants for several days. “Flights” of shooters will dominate the more than 1,250-foot (also a world record)
target range inside the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center starting Friday morning, May 13, at 9 a.m. Competition will conclude on Saturday night, May 14, at about 6 p.m. with the “Scholarship Shoot-Off” and awards ceremony.
The event is open to the public. General admission is $5 for adults and children over the age of 12. This provides access to more than 40 exhibitors on the show floor. Exhibits range from archery-related businesses to “ adventure tourism” activities. This year the exhibit floor and the tournament are co-sponsored by the Kentucky Tourism Development Cabinet and its Adventure Tourism section.
NASP conducts this event with tremendous support from host partner, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. NASP also partners with 47 state fish and wildlife agencies and the District of Columbia in this the eighth national tournament. NASP sponsors, the National Field Archery Association and Morrell Manufacturing, are providing much of the equipment and targets to build this mammoth indoor archery range.
NASP began with 21 Kentucky middle schools in March 2002 and has grown to nearly 9000 schools and 2 million student archer-athletes this school year. This year’s tournament will be conducted with more than 100 volunteers.
A press conference and briefing will be held at noon Friday, May 13, at the Southwing of the Exposition center. For more information and press credentials, contact tbennett@nasparchery.com. For more information about volunteering, contact rgrimes@nasparchery.com. ♦
[/level-membersupporter]