Hardin High School
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721 N Miles Avenue
Hardin, MT 59034
406-665-6301
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Hardin Archers Excel at State Tournament
High school freshman state champ in 3D competition
BILLINGS – “Archery is a lifetime sport,” said Hardin archery club instructor Tim Kaldahl to a diverse group of public high school and homeschool students ranging in age from 11 to 18. The group was gathered to celebrate their successes at the Montana state National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) tournament in Helena earlier this spring.
NASP offers safe, in-school archery curriculum and provides benefits such as improving student focus and academic discipline, building self-confidence and increasing the likelihood that students pursue archery and other similar sports as adults. Nearly 500 elementary, middle and high school students competed in the statewide archery tournament. The tournament included both bullseye and 3D competitions for male and female archers of various age groups. Archers shoot at standard bullseye targets in the bullseye competition and shoot at foam animals in the 3D competition.
Asher Renshaw had only been shooting a bow for two years before he placed first in the 3D archery competition at the state tournament. Renshaw is a homeschool high school freshman student in Hardin and became involved with NASP as part of his physical education studies. He also placed third overall in the bullseye competition. Renshaw was awarded a Genesis bow for his 3D state championship title.
Jackson Pitch, Alexis Uffleman and Olivia Renshaw, all homeschool middle school students, also competed in the statewide tournament. Pitch placed in the top ten in his category for the 3D competition and Uffleman placed in the top ten for both the 3D and bullseye competitions. Xander Uffleman was the only elementary school competitor from Hardin and placed within the top ten for the 3D competition. Two students from Hardin High School also competed, senior Jenaya Keo and junior Juliana Hampton. Archers who place in the top ten for their tournament category qualify to compete at the Western National NASP Tournament. None of the qualifying archers from the Hardin NASP club were able to attend the Western National Tournament.
Kaldahl is a Hardin High School teacher and local Hunter and Bowhunter Education volunteer instructor. He started the Hardin NASP club in 2017. This year, 20 Hardin High School and 5 area homeschool students of various ages participated in the club. Jana Pitch and Erika Siegland, both Hardin High School teachers, assisted in leading the club this year. “Each year, the Hardin NASP club grows a little and the archers’ skills improve,” Kaldahl said.
In 2023, 10,000 students across Montana in grades 4 through 12 participated in NASP through a school or club program. FWP provides basic archery instructor trainings and cost-shares for equipment for teachers interested in starting NASP at their schools.
To learn more about starting or joining NASP at your school, contact Ryan Schmaltz at 406-444-9946 or RSchmaltz@mt.gov.
For more information on NASP, visit: naspschools.org/.
