Episode Transcript
[00:00:09] Speaker A: My name is Maddie Reinvolt, and these are some tips that I use to help me shoot better. So to start is your grip pan. What we tell the kids to do at practice is to make a finger gun with your hand.
So you put it on the bow like this with minimal pressure, just around the front of the riser. Next, you're going to knock an arrow and then you have to set your string hand. So what we do is we touch the thumb and pinky and then kind of like a boy scout, three fingers below the knock just on your lifeline.
And then when you draw back, you come straight back and then anchor right on the side of your face. So by touching your thumb and pinky together, you create a groove that you can lock under your cheek as a point of anchor. And then also use either your pointer finger or middle finger by touching a tooth to have a second point of anchor. And then lean your head toward the string so that it touches on your nose as a third point of anchor, which creates more consistency and eventually, hopefully, a better archer. So what I do, come straight back.
[00:01:15] Speaker B: Anchor.
[00:01:18] Speaker A: And then release on the side of your face, going flat.
[00:01:27] Speaker B: For Pennsylvania hunters and conservationists, our roots run deep. The episodes we bring to you on the Pennsylvania Game Commission's podcast, call of the outdoors, will take a deep dive into exposing the incredible work being done by agency staff and partners, including statewide habitat projects, the science behind wildlife management, and what drives agency decisions. The Pennsylvania Game Commission's mission is twofold, to manage and protect wildlife and their habitats for not only current, but future generations, and to promote hunting and trapping in the Keystone state.
Well, we're here in northeast Pennsylvania, and with special thanks to outdoor insiders for letting us use their awesome archery range back there. It's shooting sports month, and if you haven't got your bow out there, just take a look at those targets back there. It's going to make you get pretty excited about archery season. But we're here to talk about a real special thing that happens here at the Pennsylvania Game Commission and happens throughout the year. And that's our NASP, our national archery in the schools program. And we're going to get right into it with Todd Holmes. You know, Todd is the division chief for the shooting sports bureau and has a lot to do with how NASP got started here in Pennsylvania. So give us a little background, Todd, about Naspental and how that program came to Pennsylvania.
[00:02:43] Speaker C: So the NASS program started in Kentucky.
[00:02:46] Speaker B: That's one cool thing Kentucky's done.
[00:02:47] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. And the program kind of exploded. So it morphed from just Kentucky in the schools program to national Archery in the schools program, and a lot of the neighboring states picked it up. Pennsylvania picked it up in 2011, and it was run by just a guy that wanted to start archery here, run by the game commission that first year. And then as it continued to grow and more and more people wanted involved, the grant money wasn't available to just a random gentleman as a volunteer, but it was to our state agency. So the game commission took it over 2011, and then in 2012, we really kind of hit the ground running. We added, I think, 30 some schools the first year, and then it's continued to grow since then. To today, we have over 315 schools in Pennsylvania that are competing in NASP, or participating, I should say.
[00:03:40] Speaker B: Were you here at the inception of NASP at the game commission?
[00:03:43] Speaker C: No. So I started in 2014. So when I came on board, we had right around 100 schools. So it was a good starting point for me, and we had a good base built, and the competition side of things was really just kind of starting from its infancy. We had a state tournament happening, but anybody could attend. There wasn't a whole lot of intense competition. We weren't shooting scores that were going to get us to nationals or anything like that, but we did have a tournament operating at that point. And then over the last ten years, it's tripled in size and the competition's really ramped up to where we have state qualifiers now. We have 50 to 60 schools that come, they compete each year in the state qualifiers and the state tournament, and it's become highly competitive now through our state.
[00:04:30] Speaker B: How many shooters do we have a year in our program?
[00:04:33] Speaker C: So if you talk about all the kids that are in school, so not the ones that are competing or going to tournaments, but just the ones that are shooting in their elementary, middle, or high school, there's over 115,000 kids every year in Pennsylvania that shoot a bow because of the NAS program.
[00:04:49] Speaker B: That's incredible. And, you know, hats off to you. When I was a kid, this is dating me, too, because I'm old. But, you know, we had archery in gym class when I was in school. And, you know, it was amazing then how excited the people, especially the young guys at that time, that were so excited to go home. We couldn't hunt till we were twelve. So, you know, that was the closest thing we had to something that we had so much passion for. But I want to talk about. You talked about the grand and how things got rolling and Pitman RoberTson and a lot of folks, you know, Pittman Robertson hasn't gotten a lot of exposure out there. And, you know, it's the excise tax on that was set up in the thirties on guns and ammunition, but all of archery equipment has that excise tax on it for conservation. And talk about how important Pittman Robertson is to this program.
[00:05:33] Speaker C: Sure. So without Pittman Robertson, NASs probably doesn't happen in Pennsylvania. The amount of money that our state gets each year is pretty significant because the allotment for PR is based off of number of licenses sold and the square mileage or miles of your state size, which Pennsylvania is a pretty big state, and we sell a lot of hunting licenses. So we get a pretty nice chunk of change from Pittman RoberTson each year. And that money is designated to do a few things. One of them is education and outreach, which Nass falls underneath. So we offer grants to new schools that enroll into our program. We'll cover half the cost of the equipment for them to get started. We'll also pay for the training for those schools. Our agency has certified instructors that we send out to the school when they join. We'll train all of their teachers and their staff for free. We provide all the training materials and get them off and running without any pretty much startup cost.
[00:06:30] Speaker B: You said you came in, what, 2014?
[00:06:33] Speaker C: Correct.
[00:06:33] Speaker B: And then you just passed the torch? Just this year at this NASA tournament we have, as you've been promoted and now leading the whole shooting sports division here at the game commission, you passed the torch to a young lady that has come to us and is full of fire.
[00:06:49] Speaker C: Yeah. So we have.
[00:06:51] Speaker B: And we got to talk nice about her because she's standing right over there.
[00:06:54] Speaker C: So Kayla came to us. She was a PE teacher for ten years, actually met Kayla at the Great American Outdoors show. We had a nast booth set up there, and she inquired about getting a program started in her school and what to do and the grants and I. So we worked really hard for a couple years to try and get her school enrolled. Sadly, we didn't get them enrolled, but we at least got Kayla out of the deal. So it was a win. Right. But I've kind of tasked her with getting her school enrolled now, and she's the coordinator. That's like, priority number one.
[00:07:22] Speaker B: So EPR next January, February.
[00:07:24] Speaker C: That's right. So we'll see how she does with that. We'll check in next year and see if she was able to make that happen.
[00:07:29] Speaker B: But actually, next time we do a Nast podcast, you're out.
[00:07:32] Speaker C: That's right.
[00:07:32] Speaker B: She's in.
[00:07:33] Speaker C: That's right. Absolutely.
[00:07:35] Speaker B: So, like, who can participate in NASP in national arch engine schools program? I mean, you know, it is pretty broad, but there's some sideboards there we have to talk about.
[00:07:45] Speaker C: Sure. So it's fourth through 12th grade. So we cover elementary for a couple years there, and then middle and high school age limits. And there was a time where third grade was included in NASP as well, but NASP kind of decided that it wasn't in their mission statement, it was specifically stated four through twelve. So that's what they kept it as now. So that's where we're at.
[00:08:04] Speaker B: So Maddie's chomping at the bid over here to start talking about her experiences with Nast, but let's just talk about your tenure here. Has been pretty much from the start, but where it was and where it is today. I know we kind of hit on some things, but it's pretty amazing, this program and how it's taken off and really structured the growth to where it's at today.
[00:08:22] Speaker C: Yeah. So the competition side of things, when I took it over, the tournament was around 1000 kids participating. But those kids were just, anybody who signed up or registered could come to the state tournament. There really wasn't a score that they had to shoot. They didn't have to attend a state qualifier or anything like that. And over the years, the number of teams we've had, number of schools we've had competing has grown to like three to four times what we used to have. And with that comes higher competition. And so we've had to implement a state qualifier process. So I think we host anywhere from 20 to 30 state qualifying events in Pennsylvania, and the schools host them themselves. That's a good fundraiser for them. They essentially compete against local teams or really any team in Pennsylvania that wants to drive to their tournament.
And then those scores get uploaded to the website. And if they're in the top, so many teams in the top, so many individuals over the course of the qualifying period, then they get an automatic invite to our state tournament. So with that, we've seen our scores increase, the competition level has increased.
[00:09:27] Speaker B: Oh, they have their game face on when they come to the tournament. I mean, they're ready to. It's competitive.
[00:09:32] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. They're serious and, I mean, they're all friends.
[00:09:35] Speaker B: It's great friendly competition.
[00:09:37] Speaker C: And you see a lot of these schools, they compete against each other all year long in their state qualifiers and even their scrimmages and things like that. And then they come to the state tournament, and they'll be standing on the podium next to some of their best friends from a different school.
[00:09:48] Speaker B: Does that mean everybody's trying to beat you?
[00:09:51] Speaker A: Friendly competition.
[00:09:52] Speaker B: Friendly competition. Okay.
[00:09:53] Speaker C: That's right. So. But, yeah, the state tournament this year. You know, actually, last year we had to move to the venue, so we outgrew kind of Penn State. So we moved to spooky Nook sports in Manheim, which I think they're the largest indoor sports complex in North America now, and we only use a fraction of their space. So it's kind of nice that we have room to grow if we need to. But even this year, we hosted not only our bullseye state tournament in the same room, but also our 3d tournament in the same room on the opposite side. So we had two tournaments run at the same time. We had over a thousand archers in there that day.
And whenever the tournament starts, there's a lot going on, and the arrows are thwacking the target, and it's a pretty cool experience, if you've never been there before, to come and see in here.
[00:10:40] Speaker B: So you said over 100,000 students. How many schools across the state as well?
[00:10:46] Speaker C: So we have three. Well, I don't know. Caleb might know the exact number, but we're over 315 schools enrolled right now, and I know she did a great job with the outdoor show this year, and the amount of people that showed interest and have put letters in, commitment letters in with us has been pretty significant. So I hope we have another 2025 schools enroll this year, including the school.
[00:11:07] Speaker B: That she used to teach it.
[00:11:09] Speaker C: Yeah, that's one. That's a mandatory requirement for her to keep the job.
[00:11:13] Speaker B: So why, when NASP was created, why archery? I mean, that's a great question. You know, there's all kinds of disciplines out there that we could, you know, have that competition. But why was Archery chosen?
[00:11:23] Speaker C: So, archery is great for a lot of reasons. I feel like I kind of preached the choir with you guys all here sitting talking about this. But, you know, archery is something that everybody can do. It doesn't matter if you're big or small or short or tall. I even folks that have disabilities can compete in archery and excel in it. And sometimes archery can be an individual sport, but it can also be a team sport as well. So it's something that you can learn at a very early age, and then you can do it. Until my grandparents were in their late eighties, whenever they were still shooting, bow actually bought, or my grandmother bought a genesis bow when she was, like, 85 because she couldn't hold the weight back of her longbow or recurve anymore. And so that was a low enough draw weight that she could still, still continue to shoot with a genesis when she was in her eighties.
[00:12:06] Speaker B: We'll talk about the genesis and how all of it. You know, I know we've had you on a podcast before. Just recap how that equipment is chosen to compete with for the students.
[00:12:17] Speaker C: Yeah. So Nas did a really good job when they put this together way back when everything was built in mind of, we need to have a program that is easy to get into a school. And if you remember, whenever we were in school, you shot a bow and your arms were six inches longer than me, you had to hold another ten or 15 pounds in draw weight or.
[00:12:35] Speaker B: Way behind your ear.
[00:12:36] Speaker C: Correct. So everybody, by the way, they had.
[00:12:38] Speaker B: It fixed by the time you went to school. I got hand me down.
[00:12:41] Speaker C: I think you forget how old I am, but, yeah. So, archery equipment, even when I was growing up, you had to buy a bow every couple years. When you were in those years, your teenage years, because you're growing so fast, and they only have so much draw length or so much draw weight adjustment. And so when Nas sat down with Matthews and they designed the Genesis bow, they really did a good job in coming up with a design that allows you to pick up the same bow that anybody else can pick up and shoot it. They did that through a constant draw cam. So what that means is when you draw the genesis back, it stays the same draw weight no matter how far you pull it back. So if you have a 24 inch draw length, it's going to be the same weight as if you pull back 30 inches. And with that, we have uniform equipment that we can use from student to student and not have to make adjustments or changes. So it really changed the game when archery and in school, because you don't need specialized bows or a bow that's catered to every student, you can have one bow that fits every student that comes up to the line, and it allows everybody to use the same equipment, too.
[00:13:42] Speaker B: And it's true. We look at our bureau when we go do an outreach event. We have the NASA trailer there. We're pretty competitive. And the best shooter in our bureau is Nicole, who does our website like. And she's. She's won it like, three or four times now in her short tenure here at the agency. And she makes all the boys mad. I mean, she really makes it mad, especially Todd. Like, she. When she out shoots Todd, I like to.
[00:14:08] Speaker C: My claim to fame is I help teach her how to shoot. So I at least have that I can say so.
[00:14:12] Speaker B: So when you look at NASP, look at a bigger picture. How does NASP help students in other ways? You know, there has to be some other thing. How does NASP and archery help students in other ways, in your opinion, or things that you've seen through your career here?
[00:14:26] Speaker C: Sure. So, I mean, the beauty of archery is, like I said, anybody can do it. So you take kids that may not be a standout athlete or they don't have, like, a ton of friends, or they might not have anything they're really interested in in school. You know, they just, school is school to them, and you introduce them to something they've never done before. And if you've ever shot a bow, it's fun. I don't know anybody that shot a bow. And they're like, that wasn't fun. Like, no, it's something you want to do again and again, just watching arrows fly, something about that. It's just exciting. You want to keep doing it. So these kids get a taste of that, and they're like, you know what? That was really cool. And I had fun with my friends while I was doing it. And you know what? This is something that I'm going to keep doing. And then you see them kind of build some friendships. You see them build some confidence.
Their self esteem is up. And then there's a whole list of things that Nass brings with it when you implement it into your school, their attendance improves. The kids don't want to miss archery class. They want to go to school because they have archery that day. You see them develop better friendships. They're not nervous. They're not scared to talk anymore. They're actually making some friends, building relationships. They're interacting with teachers. They're interacting with coaches. Their mom and dad might get involved because they see how much they're enjoying it. Mom or dad might buy a bow. They might start shooting with them. They might join a local archery club. So just a whole list of things that kind of come with naspental. You know, it's really great for all the kids, even parents, grandparents.
[00:15:50] Speaker B: That's awesome. It's pretty incredible to see. And it is kind of a family affair. And, you know, when you think about NASP and then, you know, student that goes through it, maybe somebody that's never shot a bow before, and they start and they go through the program, what's the next steps?
[00:16:05] Speaker C: So, I mean, it's really, the sky's the limit. So we have somebody sitting here with us today, it's probably going to give us a little insight into that.
You know, we have kids that they shoot n aspen, then that might be the end of their archery career. And that's okay. You know, at least they had fun and they enjoyed it, and they introduced themselves and maybe their family and some friends to archery. But more often than not, those kids decide, like, you know what? I have so much fun doing this, I'm not gonna stop. So whether that means they shoot recreationally, you know, just at a club and shoot paper or shoot 3d, or they decide, you know what? I'm gonna try hunting, or I wanna learn more about bow hunting. Our agency offers some different programs for that. We have an explore bow hunting program where we teach people how to bow hunt. We go out, show them how to set up a blind and how to sight their pins in and shot placement and non vital and vital organs and blood trailing and wind direction. So we can really get into a whole bunch of stuff when it comes to the bow hunting side of things. But if they choose just to shoot recreationally and shoot paper or shoot foam, there's nothing wrong with that either. As long as you guys are shooting a bow, you know, I'm as happy as can be.
[00:17:07] Speaker B: We had an event a couple weeks ago at the total archery challenge, and last year, one of the former NASP students, who's now an adult, took a genesis bow, a Nasbow, and I think it was 100 yards and ten ring. The challenge there with a nasbo, no sights, no anything. And it was pretty amazing and just proof that, you know, if you shoot a lot of arrows, you know what that bow is going to do and your skills are sharp.
[00:17:33] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:17:34] Speaker B: So we're going to Maddie now because she's. We're tired of talking to Todd, for sure. But let, you know, let's talk about a little bit about your background and maybe why you started NASP and where it's taken you. And I want to talk about your achievements because it's pretty awesome.
We're proud that you're from Pennsylvania. We're proud that, you know, you get down there to Kentucky and show them how to shoot a bow.
[00:17:56] Speaker C: Absolutely. Absolutely. I'm so grateful that we have some. Some kids here in Pennsylvania that made it to nationals and then excelled at nationals and won nationals and won worlds. And that's where that whole thing we talked about earlier with the competition has really ramped up. So Maddie's been in the program since you were fourth grade, right?
[00:18:14] Speaker A: Yeah, for NASA. Since fourth grade. Yep. It started a little bit sooner than that, though, in third grade just because they had a center shot program that we could shoot in, which was really cool. I actually started that with my dad where we were kind of in a winter league, and I had a mini genesis that I was shooting took originally. So, yeah.
[00:18:35] Speaker B: Were you better shot than. Are you a better shot than your dad?
[00:18:38] Speaker A: Probably.
[00:18:39] Speaker B: That's being humble.
[00:18:41] Speaker C: I've seen him shoot.
[00:18:44] Speaker B: That's awesome. So you started in third grade, and let's talk about NAsp through your career, where you're at today.
[00:18:52] Speaker A: So, yeah, and you can brag.
[00:18:54] Speaker B: We want you to brag. I know you're very humble, but I want you to. We want it because you accomplished a whole lot when it comes to Aspen, the competition.
[00:19:02] Speaker A: Okay. So I started in third grade with the Genesis bows and then started shooting competitively. In fourth grade, I went to states and did not do so good. I actually cried on the line because I was so upset with my score, but it kind of, like, fueled the need to be better, which turned into a whole lot of practice time in our basement and at local leagues and the school and everything. So in fifth grade, came back, did well at states, made it to nationals for the first time, which was a really cool experience. We didn't have enough people to take a team, but we did go as individuals. And then I ended up going on to worlds and placing fourth. So that was, again, a really cool experience.
And then that kind of was the deciding factor that I want archery to be part of my future. So from there on, I've been involved in archery.
[00:19:53] Speaker B: It fueled a bigger fire.
[00:19:54] Speaker A: Yes. Yes. That's a good way to put it.
[00:19:56] Speaker B: Yeah. So, and that's like a lot of athletes, you know, anything in life you can do. What you want to do is put your mind to it and work hard at it. It's something you probably have to work very hard at and practice how, when you think about practice, how much do.
[00:20:11] Speaker A: You practice in the beginning? A lot more is because there's a lot that you have to learn, especially, like, when you're growing and, like, going through puberty and all that stuff. Like, there's a lot of things that aren't consistent because you're still trying to, like, understand how your body works because it's growing. And then there's draw length and your anchor and losing teeth even all affect how you shoot, which is not good when you're don't have an anchor tooth for me personally, but there was a lot to learn. So we were practicing a lot more to adapt to those changes that had to be made. So now probably not as much. I don't have to practice as much.
[00:20:51] Speaker B: I don't think you've developed your form and your style, and now you just fine tune it.
[00:20:56] Speaker A: Yeah. Once you get through that process of finding what it is that you need to do to be successful, you don't have to practice as much. So I probably practice, like, maybe once a week for a couple hours, but.
[00:21:06] Speaker B: So let's talk about from when you went to that first state national tournament, then just keep going through the rest of your career. Are we saving that for something else?
[00:21:15] Speaker C: We have to be here for a couple hours.
[00:21:20] Speaker A: So, yeah, the first year I went to states, I think I shot, like, a 216. I came back next year. I don't remember what exactly I shot, but I did. I think I was third, maybe something like that.
[00:21:30] Speaker B: 216 out of 300.
[00:21:31] Speaker A: Out of 300, yep. And then. Bye. The end of fifth grade, my highest was a 285. And then by the end of 6th grade, my highest was a 295. So I was, like, on the road climbing up and up. And then 7th grade, I was trying to break that 295, I remember. And then 8th and 9th grade, they did not do so well. They kind of fell off the wagon there for a little bit. But I kind of came back in 10th and 11th grade and started placing again and did better states after all the COVID stuff, which was not helpful at all, actually, that was very crushing, because we were actually at practice on a Thursday night. It was. And we got the call that states had been canceled, that the campus that we were supposed to shoot at had shut down. And then a week later, that Monday, school was out, and then we were out for the rest of the year.
[00:22:28] Speaker B: I remember that day sitting with Todd. Like, we were. It was very sad because we were like, is it going to happen? And then they made the call, and it was like, it just because he works. He worked all year to get this done.
[00:22:40] Speaker C: That was a terrible day. It was because they canceled it the day before our event, which was. We already had. There was things already there. Things were already set to be set up, and people were already in place, and they canned it right at the last minute. So we were a day away from getting that tournament in. And then, you know, if Covid happens, hey, at least we got our tournament in. But, yeah, that was crushing. That was terrible.
[00:23:03] Speaker B: Yeah. I don't want to relive that part. We're on the road to recovery here.
[00:23:06] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:23:07] Speaker B: So, you know, your family's involved obviously, let's talk about that a little bit. Even though you are a better archer than your dad. We've got that established.
[00:23:17] Speaker A: So I got my first bow when I was five, and it was like a little bear compound that my dad got me for Christmas. So he. He's been shooting since he was my age. Way before, actually, probably when he was like, ten or twelve. And so my love for archery definitely spawned from his love for archery because he kind of brought me into it. Some of my earliest memories are of shooting with him in the backyard in the summer at this little. It was a hurricane target. Like a bright yellow neon thing. It was wild.
[00:23:47] Speaker B: I have a hurricane target. I know exactly what you're talking about.
[00:23:50] Speaker A: But, yeah, so that's how it started. Was in the backyard with him, and then we did the winter league in third grade. And then when Logan was old enough to shoot, he obviously started competing, and so my sister came into it. Now we all have bows, and we all have genesis bows and compounds, and we shoot Ibo with, like, in the summer at the world tournament and everything, and we go hunting together. And that's another thing that I love about archery is that there's so many different disciplines. Like, I shoot genesis, and that's all cool and everything, but I can also go and shoot, like, leagues here or the ibo or hunt. Like, there's so many opportunities that you have through archery, and it really brings community and family together and gives them a chance to, like, do something together.
[00:24:34] Speaker B: Right. Does mom shoot a bow?
[00:24:36] Speaker A: She does have a bow. She doesn't shoot as much, but she does shoot good.
[00:24:41] Speaker B: Good. So let's talk about hunting, too. And what's your favorite thing to hunt?
[00:24:45] Speaker C: A.
[00:24:46] Speaker A: Probably deer. It is. I would like to try bow fishing, though.
[00:24:49] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:24:50] Speaker A: I think that would be good.
[00:24:51] Speaker B: I know a guy.
[00:24:53] Speaker C: Bow fishing is awesome. I'm not gonna lie to you. It's one of those things you start doing and you're like, man, this is awesome. I want to keep going.
[00:24:59] Speaker A: Sounds like a lot of fun.
[00:25:00] Speaker C: I'm getting too old for it now because you got to stay out late. It's past my bedtime.
[00:25:04] Speaker B: 830.
[00:25:05] Speaker C: Yeah, that's right.
[00:25:07] Speaker B: So we talked about your nAScaR a little bit, and let's talk about the. Your senior year and the championships. And I both as a competitor and a coach.
[00:25:15] Speaker A: Okay. So this one's important.
[00:25:17] Speaker B: Let it all.
[00:25:18] Speaker A: This year was really good, and I had a lot of fun. So it started at states. I was fortunate enough to be able to stand next to my brother, who won also at the 3d tournament this year, which was super cool and just huge for me to be able to stand next to him and share in that experience was really, really great.
And from states, we went to nationals, and that was the one thing that I hadn't done yet. So going out, like, as a senior was really cool to be able to walk away and say that, hey, I actually did win that, too. So. And there was a nice teal vote involved, so that was great because teal's my favorite color. But from nationals, we went to worlds in Daytona, had a great time down there, and had a really interesting experience because it was a lot like 6th grade. So in 6th grade, I was graduating from the elementary school to our middle school, and this year, obviously, graduating as a senior. And it was just me and my dad that year that we went. And it was very memorable because it kind of, like, cemented our bond and how close we were and so on the line down there. It was in Kentucky that year, and I was having a hard time. I was not shooting like I wanted to. And dad had pulled me aside and said, hey, listen, God has a plan for you.
You gotta believe in yourself and keep going. And sure enough, the next day we came back to awards, and I ended up winning with the score that I did not like, but.
And the same thing happened this year, same tournament. It was three d at worlds, and I was having a really bad day. I just did not like how I was shooting. I dropped a couple points. There was some issues with my release and ventilation systems and stuff. And he said to me again, he was just like, hey, God has a plan. You gotta believe in yourself. You gotta get through it. Get your head on straight and get going. So I took a deep breath, got on the line again, and sure enough, he was right. Came back the next day and managed to be able to walk away with a win, which is really cool.
[00:27:14] Speaker B: That's awesome experience. You brought tears to my eyes. Cause I have a daughter. And when you think about that bond that archery has there, like, for my daughter and me, it was turkey hunting, because that's our favorite thing to do. And she's 23 now, but she's still my favorite hunting partner. And you're gonna be like that with your dad the rest of your life, you know, when time comes and maybe there's boys running around, it's good to have a dad that it's like that because he's gonna run all the bad ones away.
Mom's gonna do a good job of that, too. But anyway, so let's just list your championships, if you would, just so everybody knows. Oh, I mean, just not all of them, because I'm sure we don't have enough time in the podcast, but the major ones that you're talking about, like when you said worlds and because a lot of people don't know what those are.
[00:27:58] Speaker A: Okay, so the world tournament, it's indoor world.
There's four tournaments. Well, there used to be four tournaments. My first two years there was both center shot and nast, three D and bullseye. And the biggest year for me, I think was 6th grade because that year I was able to almost sweep house. I had three first place wins in 1 second, which was a little crushing in the end because I really wanted the full sweep. But I did walk away with three wins and then the second place, and then this year I was able to win first place and then I think it was third place maybe, or 2nd. 2nd again. Yeah.
So those were two big years for me for sure. And then last year I think I did the same thing where I was first and second for Bullseye and 3D, so.
[00:28:51] Speaker B: But it's good because to be a good winner, sometimes you have to be a good, well, you have to be a good loser and you have to be able to handle yourself. I mean, we can't, we can't always be on top, but it just keeps driving forward and, you know, when you, when you think about your career and just, you know, think about how you got to that elite level, what, you know, what did you do personally? I mean, obviously you told us what drove you, but just talk about some of the ways that you've taken that drive and just tried to get better probably every day. You know, what would you attribute what you did to do that?
[00:29:22] Speaker A: So it's a commitment. Like, you can't slack off and just not practice and you can't, I don't even know, like, you can't, you can't skip those practices. You have to be present and involved in the team and your community and their archery community and make sure that you're making an effort regardless of what else is going on in your life. Like, even with school and grades and things, like, it needs to be a main priority. And more than that, you need to be persistent. Like, regardless of how you're shooting or the rough patches that you're going through, you need to keep the end goal in mind and continue pushing forward and try to get there no matter what. Regardless of, like, if you had a bad score today or you've been on a bad streak, you have to keep going. And I think that that's important, especially, like, as kids are growing and things, a lot of them develop, like target panic or bad habits or something. And I definitely did for a while, which is why I didn't have such a good year in 9th grade. But you have to keep going. You have to put in the hard work and stay persistent and consistent with it, for sure.
[00:30:31] Speaker B: And what your dad, the advice your dad gave you, all great advice and all true to life, but really, the biggest thing is we can get it in our own heads. And the mental aspect of archery or any shooting discipline is important. And, you know, subliminally, the first time he did that, and then the second time, as you grow up, you realize that, like, I gotta do better, and you just gotta get in that positive mind frame. And the mental part, I'm sure, is tough, especially when you're competing at that high level.
[00:31:01] Speaker A: 100%. Actually, what he likes to say is that it's all between your ears.
[00:31:04] Speaker B: He's 100% right.
[00:31:06] Speaker A: Archery is more of a mental game than anything physical because, like, you might be, you might have, like, the best form out of all of the competitors, whatever. But if you don't have the right mindset and you let that one bad arrow affect your mindset, it's all downhill from there.
[00:31:25] Speaker B: And it's any sport. You look at baseball and, you know, you get, you let that pitcher get into your head, you miss a fastball, you're behind or whatever, and he's got your number. And if it, if you don't have, get it upstairs. And, I mean, that's 100% great advice. And when you think about NASP, and obviously, you were downstairs getting a hunt license today, so we love that. But, you know, how has NASp helped you get into bow hunting?
[00:31:49] Speaker A: So shooting NASP, like, obviously in the beginning, we were just shooting bullseye estates, and then eventually we did get 3d tournaments as well. And when we did, that gave us the ability to qualify for three d at nationals and everything. And then, so once we started getting involved in three d and then the IBO program, we kind of got more involved with that aspect, like, animals and hunting and things, and then, like, going to worlds for IBo and everything, which kind of sparked an interest for, like, hey, let's go hunt and do this in the woods, too, like, for real. So we've been.
Which turned into, like, hunting in, like, in the fall and everything, and then, like, hey, let's go get a boat. It's not just, like, a target bow or. Yeah. Yeah. Like a real compound bow. So, like, it kind of, like, gives you, like, that next step, like, whether you do shoot, like, just indoor with your compound or whatever, but it gives you something else to do, like to get outside and actually use the skills that you've learned and made and everything.
[00:32:51] Speaker B: Do you shoot here at this range? I do leagues up here.
[00:32:54] Speaker A: Yeah, there are leagues. There's a winter league and a summer league that I think has started already.
[00:32:58] Speaker B: So you probably make a lot of boys mad when they come to try to shoot.
[00:33:01] Speaker A: I know I make my brother mad, that's for sure.
[00:33:03] Speaker B: Do you have a family competition, really, or.
[00:33:05] Speaker A: Oh, we're definitely competitive, for sure.
[00:33:07] Speaker B: Nice. Nice.
[00:33:08] Speaker A: It's always who has the highest score and everything.
[00:33:11] Speaker B: Your brother's younger than you?
[00:33:12] Speaker A: Yes, he is.
[00:33:13] Speaker B: Okay, well, maybe we'll get him on here next year. Maybe he'll sweep it this year. But let's talk about your future archery, whether as a coach or a competitor.
[00:33:23] Speaker A: Okay. So I'd like to keep competing for sure because that's been such a huge part of my life for so long that I don't know anything else. But like I said, ibo does have a lot of opportunities. So I like to, I plan to keep shooting that and definitely go to the outdoor world tournaments each year, and I can shoot here, like, in the winter leagues and things. As a coach, though, I definitely want to keep that up and do whatever I can to help improve the team because I really do enjoy working with those little kids and, like, watching them grow and learn. And every little accomplishment, whether it's just shooting 110 or shooting five tens, whatever it may be, helping them, is huge. And it helps the community grow, the team grow, helps our state grow, gets us on the map and moving towards success at the world tournament, furthering the.
[00:34:13] Speaker B: NASP, because now when someone shows up from Pennsylvania at the world tournament, they know they mean business, right?
[00:34:18] Speaker A: When they get there, hopefully.
[00:34:19] Speaker B: Yeah. That's incredible. So let's talk about, you know, how, how would you encourage a young student to, if they want to participate in NASP? Do you have any advice for, for any. Somebody that's maybe scared to get involved? Do you have any advice for them?
[00:34:34] Speaker A: Go on the Nass website and go to the archer. To Archer. There's a lot of great stories, and it kind of speaks for itself about, like, the archery community and what it is that you're getting yourself into. And I know that if you have any doubts, like those people, those writers could definitely convince you otherwise because they've.
[00:34:51] Speaker B: That'S a great resource. Yeah, that's awesome. And you know, Todd, you might want to weigh in here, too. If a school's interested in getting into the program that maybe tunes in or somebody sent them a link or the podcast or whatever, how can we go about getting that information to those schools?
[00:35:06] Speaker C: Sure.
[00:35:06] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:35:07] Speaker C: So Kayla is our state coordinator, Kayla Hess. And we have a website, we have a Facebook page. Her information is all over that, but also has information about how our grants work and how to enroll and what to start. You know, how to start the process.
And it's really, we keep it super basic here in Pa. If a school has an interest and you want to start a NAS program, you just send a commitment letter in that we've actually already wrote for you. So there's some highlighted areas. You have to put your school info in there, you send it in to us, and once we get that, we'll reach back out to you and say, hey, we'd love to give you a grant to get started up. What else do you need from us? And that's where we start the process of, hey, we're good to go. The principal says, we love it. We want to start this program.
From that point, we order the equipment and we use the grant funds to offset the cost for the school. Once the equipment shows up at the school, we'll send a trainer out there. We certify all of their teachers and I, staff and volunteers, and even parents that want to be basic archery instructors. And then the school is good to go to start teaching nine times out of ten class. But it's not limited to that. So we just returned from the state coordinator conference here last week, and they showed a graph on, it's taught in science class. Sometimes it's taught in english class. It can be in history class. Archery falls into all those categories one way or another. Even if your PE teacher says, nah, I don't want to do archery, that's okay, we can find another teacher that might be interested.
[00:36:31] Speaker B: I wish it was around when I was in school and had archery in all my science classes in history, because I would have really got better grades.
[00:36:38] Speaker C: Well, and that does happen. Like we talked about earlier, these kids are like, man, I don't want to miss archery or I want to learn archery. And so I'm going to go to school and I'm going to pay attention. You know, geometry and math and things like that are a little more interesting whenever you're talking about a bow, as opposed to you, just some lines and graphs and things like that.
[00:36:55] Speaker B: And even after high school level. I mean, there are collegiate opportunities in our tree as well. Have you looked into anything in that realm?
[00:37:03] Speaker A: Got a few offers, but the problem is that all of the schools that do have really good programs and things like that are a little bit further away. I don't really want to go that far.
[00:37:16] Speaker B: Hey, I understand.
[00:37:17] Speaker A: I'd rather stay close to home.
[00:37:18] Speaker B: Absolutely. Absolutely. And I know mom and dad want you to stay close to home, too. I hear you on that one. But is there anything else, any advice you have for any other kids or parents or schools out there to give while you're here?
[00:37:31] Speaker A: If you haven't tried archery, try shooting. Archery.
[00:37:33] Speaker B: Awesome. That's great advice. And thank you for joining us today. Thank you for having us at your friends over here.
[00:37:38] Speaker A: Thank you for coming.
[00:37:39] Speaker B: Absolutely. And anything else from you, Todd?
[00:37:41] Speaker C: No, it's been a pleasure to watch you shoot there over the last ten years. And I told Kayla she should probably look out for her job here in a few years. Cause Maddie's coming, so.
[00:37:51] Speaker B: And again, it's shooting sports month, and maybe you have a bow that's been sitting up on in the rafters or whatever. Maybe it was your dad's old recurve. String it up and let some arrows fly this month and, you know, celebrate, you know, in archery and just the discipline. And, you know, the biggest thing for us, too, as an agency, you know, again, every arrow, every release, every finger tab, every string silencer goes to help conservation the future of wildlife across this country. But thank you both for joining us, and thank you for tuning in to call the outdoors here at the Pennsylvania Game Commission's podcast.
