NASP Reaches 10,000 Schools: A Historic Milestone

The 2024–2025 school year marked a monumental achievement for the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP): For the first time in program history, archery lessons were taught in more than 10,000 schools in a single academic season.

With the close of the annual reporting period, NASP extends a huge thank you to the state and provincial fish and wildlife coordinators, school educators and coaches for their incredible efforts.

Since its inception in 2002, NASP has worked to bring safe, standardized archery curriculum into schools across the United States and internationally. Designed for students in grades 4–12, the program offers an inclusive opportunity for youth to discover archery through their physical education classes and beyond.

Participating schools identify an interested educator to undergo Basic Archery Instructor (BAI) certification. These certified instructors then integrate archery into the school day, using the 11 Steps to Archery Success to teach not just aim and form — but also focus, discipline and confidence.

“We could not be more proud of our coordinators and educators who push each day to provide in-school archery programming for our nation’s youth,” said NASP President Tommy Floyd Ed.D. “They are the backbone and real MVPs of the largest archery program in the world, and together we are making an incredible difference in the lives of students while growing the shooting sports. This milestone is a direct reflection of their hard work and dedication.” 

The growth isn’t slowing down. In addition to reaching 10,000 schools, NASP continues to see increased demand for instructor training, equipment grants and student participation at the local, state, national, and international levels. With continued support from educators, coordinators, parents, and industry partners, NASP is well on its way to empowering future generations of archers and student leaders.

Team Mathews Wins Big at ASA and IBO

Team Mathews finished the ASA season with an exclamation point at the final Pro/Am of the year located in Cullman, Alabama, claiming 12 podiums overall and adding four Shooter of the Year titles to its resume.

Team Shooter Levi Morgan finished the last event of the year securing critical points to earn the Men’s Pro Shooter of the Year title. This victory marks Morgan’s 14th Shooter of the Year title, further establishing his dominance in the competitive archery world.

“It’s been a while since I claimed the Shooter of the Year title, and I can promise it gets harder every year,” said Morgan. “Shooter of the Year is on my mind from the first arrow of the season to the last, and it has come down to that final shot so many times, as it did yesterday. Feels so good to be on the right side of that arrow again”.

In Men’s Known Pro, Team Shooters Kyle Douglas, Ace Coleman, and Stephan Hansen secured 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place making it a clean sweep for Team Mathews. Douglas’ 1st place finish this weekend solidified his title of Men’s Known Pro Shooter of the Year for the fourth season in a row.

Women’s Pro Shooter, Cara Kelly, capitalized on another great season by claiming 1st place this weekend, taking home another Shooter of the Year title for Team Mathews for the third year in a row.

Adding onto the team’s success, Team Shooters Tim Gillingham and Randy Morocco produced dominant performances, taking 1st and 2nd place in Senior Known Pro. Gillingham’s victory secured enough points to take home the title of Senior Known Pro Shooter of the Year.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better way to close out another amazing ASA season for Team Mathews,” stated Pro Staff Manager Derek Phillips. “Winning five out of six Pro classes and taking home four Shooter of the Year titles is nothing short of amazing. It’s great to see so many of our shooters dominate the podiums, especially at a highly competitive event such as the Classic”.

Team Mathews Crowns Two Champions at IBO World Championship

Team Mathews finished out the IBO season recently competing in the IBO World Championship located in Berkley Springs, West Virginia, crowning two World Champions and claiming seven podiums overall.

Team Shooters Emily McCarthy, Cara Kelly, and Kailey Pettepher swept the podium in the Pro Female (PRF) division, taking 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in an incredibly close race that came down to the wire. McCarthy’s victory this past weekend marks back-to-back IBO World titles with a Mathews TITLE in hand.

“Coming from two points behind two phenomenal shooters, Kailey and Cara, made this one a nail-biter,” stated McCarthy. “Their talent pushed me to dig deep, and I’m so thankful for the competition, the support, and this moment”.

In Pro Senior (PSR), Team Shooters Tim Gillingham and Rick Baker both produced outstanding performances claiming 1st and 2nd place. Gillingham shot an overall score of 497 and 17 X’s to take home the Pro Senior World Championship. Baker followed closely behind finishing with a 490 and 11 X’s.

Rounding out a great event, Team Shooters Levi Morgan and Dan McCarthy secured 2nd and 3rd place in Pro Men’s (PMR), capturing two additional podiums for Team Mathews. Morgan shot a great event only falling 3-points short of the lead.

“The IBO World Championship lived up to all our expectations,” said Derek Phillips, Mathews Pro Staff Manager. “Securing two World Championships and dominating the Pro Female division is a powerful reflection of the team’s skill, commitment, and the reliability of our equipment.”

Team USA Wins Five Golds and a Silver at the Americas PARA Archery Cup Leg 1

Team USAarchers had something of a gold rush at the Morelia 2025 Americas Para Archery Cup Leg 1 recently, as they finished top of the medals table.

Leading the way were Olympians Jason Tabansky and KJ Polish, with both taking individual gold. Tabansky, a gold medal winner at last year’s Paralympic Games in Paris, was the No. 1 seed in W1 Open Men, as was Polish in Compound Open Men.

The other gold medals came in the various team competitions. Jordan White and Karen Sternfeld won the Recurve Open Mixed Team, overcoming Colombia 5-3.

Polish had readied himself for the individual gold medal match with first in the Compound Open Men’s Doubles, alongside Douglas Godfrey Jr. They beat the Canadian pair of Comeau and Kyle Tremblay 146-141.

Hopes of a hat-trick of gold medals were dashed for Polish as he and Brandi Jones were defeated 147-145 by Brazil in the final of the Compound Open Mixed Team event.

Jones was part of the gold medal-winning team with Wendy Gardner which defeated Mexico 141-135 in Compound Open Women.

Other highlights included a fourth-place finish in compound open men for Godfrey Jr, a fifth place in recurve open men for 16-year-old White, fourth and sixth in compound open women for Jones and Gardner, and fifth in recurve open women for Karen Sternfeld.

Polish said, “I’ve been shooting all the USAT events and some world events. I’ve been blessed and lucky enough to win at all of them so far. I’m going to Outdoor Nationals; I’m going to everything I can, putting myself in every high-stakes tournament there is and there is just one goal in mind … represent my country and win.”

USA Archery Updates Athletes Safety Policy and Transgender and Non-Binary Athlete Participation Policy

To remain in compliance with a federal executive order and to meet requirements set by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, USA Archery is adopting an updated Athlete Safety Policy and Transgender and Non-Binary Athlete Participation Policy, effective immediately. These policies require athletes assigned a male sex at birth who identify as a transgender female or non-binary to participate in USA Archery and World Archery events as male.

USA Archery remains steadfast in its belief that sport should be a place where all individuals feel welcome and empowered to compete. Its events are built on the principles of fair play, integrity, and mutual respect. Discrimination, harassment, or exclusion have no place in our community.

USA Archery strives to foster a positive environment for everyone, recognizing that archery is a sport for all.

ATA Releases Updated Federal Excise Tax Collections for Archery Equipment

The Archery Trade Association (ATA) is sharing the most recent Federal Excise Tax collections for archery products, as reported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the quarter ending June 30, 2025.

According to the newly released data, total FET collections for archery products in the second quarter of 2025 reached $8,769,833, bringing the fiscal year-to-date total to $37,073,838. These funds include:

• Bows, Quivers, Broadheads: $7,035,678 this quarter; $30,360,693 year-to-date
• Arrow Shafts: $1,734,155 this quarter; $6,713,145 year-to-date

Additional information can be found on its FET resource page.

ATA reminds members that these excise taxes are critical to funding wildlife conservation across the United States. Collected FET dollars are allocated to state wildlife agencies through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program, supporting habitat restoration, land acquisition, hunter education and public shooting ranges.

Access Free FET Resources

ATA members have access to a variety of free tools and information on excise tax requirements, including quarterly FET reports, a comprehensive FET guide and comparative data from the sportfishing and firearms industries. These resources are available to ATA members in the ATA Resource Library.

In addition, ATA offers direct support to members to help manufacturers remain compliant with FET law. The ATA staff can help interpret FET guidelines and, if further review is needed, connect members with a contracted FET tax expert. While the ATA is not a tax accountant, it serves as the first step in helping members head in the right direction.

For additional questions, contact Dan Forster, ATA vice president and chief conservation officer, at danforster@archerytrade.org or (770) 601-5038.