19th Annual Texas NASP State Tournament to Take Place in Belton

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is gearing up for the 19th annual National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) state tournament. Scheduled for March 25-26 at the Cadence Bank Expo Center in Belton, this event will bring together over 5,000 students from 150 Texas schools to compete in Bullseye and 3D archery competitions.

Participants will have the opportunity to compete for scholarships, awards, and a chance to qualify for the NASP® National Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. Kendrick Gray, Outreach and Recruitment Manager at TPWD, highlighted the importance of the event in promoting archery and conservation, stating, “This tournament is a testament to our efforts in fostering community archery and providing a safe, enjoyable experience for all participants.”

The competition is part of Texas’ hunter and bowhunter education initiatives, featuring mixed-gender teams as per NASP rules. Schools participating range from small rural institutions to large urban campuses and homeschools.

Continuing education scholarships totaling nearly $55,000 will be awarded at the tournament, adding to the $180,000 already distributed to top high school archers since the event began in 2006. Scholarships will be granted to the top five male and female high school archers, along with trophies, medals, and new bows and arrows for winners across all categories. Additional prizes include Genesis bows for first-place division winners and a limited-edition Genesis bow for the highest-scoring male and female archers.

Teams and individual competitors qualified through a preliminary state qualifying tournament held in January, which saw participation from over 4,200 students representing 188 schools. First-place teams in each division will earn automatic entry into the NASP® National Tournament, with additional qualifying slots available for teams and individuals with top scores.

The NASP initiative, supported by various sponsors, continues to provide opportunities for students to develop their archery skills as part of in-school curriculum and extracurricular activities.

For more information on the Texas-National Archery in the Schools Program, visit the TPWD archery website.

---