MoNASP Archery Tournament brings students and families to Branson

The Branson Convention Center was buzzing with excitement recently as the MoNASP State Archery Championship returned to Branson. Along with more than 4,000 student archers from grades four through 12, representing over 300 participating schools and teams, many family members were on hand to cheer their students on, and local archery enthusiasts enjoyed stopping by as well. The timing of the tournament with many schools on spring break helped bring many families to enjoy other area activities and attractions while in town, and tournament coordinator Anna Burns said Branson is an extremely popular destination. 

The tournament, in its 17th year, is presented by the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation and the Missouri Department of Conservation, along with returning exclusive presenting sponsor Bass Pro Shops. The Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program (MoNASP) is part of a wider group spanning many states, and the Missouri state tournament is the second largest in the nation. 

Taney and Stone County schools were well-represented at the championship, with students from Blue Eye, Branson, Crane, Forsyth, Hollister, Hurley and Taneyville, as well as some homeschool and private school students. The young archers compete at the state championship after shooting qualifying scores throughout various local affiliate tournaments over the past year. Trophies, medals and scholarships, sponsored by MCHF, were presented to the top teams and individuals at the state championship, including $30,000 in scholarships to the top five male and female archers in both the Bullseye and 3D Tournaments. 

In addition to their sponsorship, Bass Pro Shops set up an archery shooting lane for attendees to test the 2025 Bow of the Year, the Intrigue XST Compound Bow Package, and talk to the experts. Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium offered live animal encounters, and the event included many other family-friendly activities and a variety of vendors ranging from fun T-shirts to specialty equipment, fundraising options and more.  

MoNASP continues to be a national leader academically and competitively. Last year, schools across the state reported 84,772 students participating in the program, representing private and parochial schools and homeschool cooperative groups as well as many public schools statewide. Numerous Missouri schools placed in the top ten in each division at NASP Eastern and Western National Tournaments in 2024. Currently, eight Missouri teams are ranked in the top ten in the nation in their respective divisions for the 2024-2025 season. Twenty-four Missouri archers are in the top ten rankings for individual high scores in their respective divisions.

However, a visit to the tournament as a spectator quickly shows that MoNASP is about much more than just shooting. Along with the basics of archery, the program teaches the confidence, self-control, patience and discipline necessary to succeed not just behind the bow but in school and life. It’s an engaging activity, inclusive of nearly all children regardless of age or physical ability; students could be observed shooting successfully from a wheelchair, and at least one Missouri student with limited use of his arms has used a specially-adapted bow for mouth control. Statistics show school archery programs improve students’ school attendance and increase their self-esteem, as well as helping them get outside and physically active. It’s also practical, as bow-hunting seasons in Missouri for deer, turkey and fishing can put food on the table! 

Tournament results may be viewed by school and division or searched by student name at https://nasptournaments.org/TournamentDetail.aspx?tid=14616 for 3D target results and https://nasptournaments.org/TournamentDetail.aspx?tid=14601 for bullseye target results. The results page also indicates Academic Archer status for the large percentage of students who achieve academic honors at their school along with their involvement in archery. 

Learn more about MoNASP at education.mdc.mo.gov/monasp.