AGFC helps 11 schools host Archery in the Schools tournaments 

LITTLE ROCK — Eleven Arkansas schools received targets and other archery equipment in late December from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to continue the expansion of its popular Archery in the Schools Program. The money for all this equipment came through special grants provided by the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation.

Eight of the 11 schools received archery equipment to help host state-qualifying tournaments in Olympic-style bull’s-eye archery, while three received equipment to host state qualifiers for 3D archery competitions, which the program started offering last year.

“We delivered 25 targets, 200 arrows and three 50-foot arrow-stopping curtains to each school on the bull’s-eye list, and we delivered six 3D targets shaped like game animals and target stands to the schools on the 3D list,” Jose Jimenez, Recreational Shooting Division Chief for the AGFC, said. “The schools that received the 3D archery equipment showed a strong commitment to expanding their programs and providing more opportunities for their students, as well as AIS students overall. The total investment of $33,335 came from grants supplied by the Foundation.”

Michelle Alverio, who teaches eighth-grade math at Bryant Middle School and coordinates with the AGFC to offer archery to Bryant students, said the targets came just in time to host their tournament.

“We received the bull’s-eye equipment and used it for our ‘Reindeer Classic’ tournament in December,” Alverio said. “We had around 600 archers from all over the state shooting. We are saving the targets and curtains to use again next year for our tournaments, too.”

Alisha Moad, Waldron Middle School media specialist and coach for the Waldron Elementary archery squad, said the equipment given to her school district will be used across all three divisions of the program: elementary, junior high and senior high.

“Archery not only promotes discipline and focus, but also fosters teamwork and sportsmanship among our students,” Moad said. “I believe that our students will benefit from assisting in hosting a state qualifying tournament because it will help to instill a sense of pride in themselves, our team and our school while encouraging responsibility as well.”

Aimee Swaim, Archery in the Schools Program Coordinator for AGFC, said 25 state qualifiers for bull’s-eye archery and eight state qualifiers for 3D archery competitions were scheduled at schools throughout the state for the 2024-25 competition season. Schools will wrap up competitions by the end of January to prepare for the Bull’s-eye State Championship to be held at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs March 7-8.

“Teachers have been working with students since the beginning of the school year, and state qualifiers have been available since October,” Swaim said. “Schools can participate in any state qualifier and as many as they wish. The 30 teams with the highest team scores from the bull’s-eye state qualifying competition will advance to the bull’s-eye state championship in each of our three divisions: elementary, middle school and high school. If a team does not qualify for the Bull’s-eye state tournament, an individual can still qualify if they shoot a score of 280/300 during the state qualifying tournaments.”

Swaim said the IBO/3D state tournament will be held at Pangburn High School on March 22. Any team or individual who participated in an IBO/3D state qualifier will automatically qualify for the state tournament in that discipline.

Jimenez said the 3D competition is relatively new, with only one season under its belt, and the competition level likely will cause the qualification standard to change in coming years.

“We anticipate the qualification standard to rise as the IBO/3D side of the sport grows in popularity and participation,” Jimenez said. “But for now, all archers who participate in a state qualifier will be able to compete at the state championship.”

Visit www.agfc.com/ais for more information on the AGFC’s Archery in the Schools program. Archery in the Schools is one of many programs in the AGFC’s Recreational Shooting Division, which is sponsored by FiocchiUSA ammunition.

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CUTLINES:

PULLING ARROWS
Thanks to grants from the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, the AGFC has been able to help 11 schools host tournaments around the state so school-aged students can qualify for this year’s state championship archery competition. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath.

ON SHOOTING LINE
The top 30 archery teams in Elementary, Junior and Senior High Divisions will compete in the 2025 Archery in the Schools State Championship March 7-8. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath.

ANIMAL TARGETS
The Archery in the Schools IBO/3D state tournament will be held at Pangburn High School on March 22 and any school that participated in a qualifying tournament is eligible to compete. AGFC photo courtesy of Aimee Swaim.