Being part of a group program is such an important part of a child’s development, whether it’s an intramural league, a high school sport or local hobby club. JROTC Archery is the best of all three. The sport is an activity that doesn’t discriminate based on athletic skill, gender or size, so everyone is on the same playing field. Combine that with the values of the U.S. military and the participants are nearly unstoppable. For the past four years, JROTC has incorporated archery into their organization to teach cadets discipline, patience, responsibility and determination through the great sport of archery.
JROTC Archery was developed by Centershot BLUE in 2022 and has since received resounding support from NASP®. Schools that offer this program will follow NASP® tournament guidelines and curriculums, use approved NASP®equipment and be taught by instructors with NASP®’s Basic Archery Instructor certification, with Centershot BLUE’s personal spin on it. Centershot BLUE coordinates purchasing gear for the teams and the program is led by Kasey Bruce, an archer with 30 years of service in the U.S. Navy and numerous archery accreditations.
“JROTC Archery is the fastest growing co-curricular right now,” Bruce said. “Growth is unparalleled to anything else currently. It’s an exciting time to be a part of archery. In both youth and adult programs.”
The program is designed to help archery reach new audiences and bring awareness of the sport to youth archers all over the country. It’s backed by passionate people who can help connect students to a brand-new hobby where they’ll gain new friends, athletic and cognitive abilities and meaningful life skills to navigate the road ahead of them.
Each team consists of six-eight students with no gender requirements and schools may enter multiple teams. The cadets/students will train year-round and compete in national tournaments, fostering teamwork, a sense of self and mental focus. Since the program isn’t seasonal, they’ll get to enjoy their fellow cadets and have fun while learning valuable life skills all year long.
Sound like a program for you or your child? Check and see if this program is available at your school! If it’s not, talk to the principal and see if you can get leadership support and approval to start one this year. Archery is a sport that’s equal parts group camaraderie and personal reflection, much like the JROTC program itself. So, it’s no wonder these two programs have been such a natural fit.
Five of the outdoor industry’s biggest names offer grants if your school needs financial assistance to start the program. While not exclusively for the JROTC Archery program, you can apply for grants from Bass Pro Shops, NRA, RMEF, Lancaster Archery Foundation or Whitetails Unlimited. The archery community is a passionate and welcoming one; these brands are here to help spread the joy of archery in any way they can, and supporting our military along the way is icing on the cake.
Visit our store locator to find shops near you that have gone through our Friends of NASP® certification to learn more about the NASP® curriculum and equipment. Reach out to Centershot BLUE to get the ball rolling or in this case, get the arrows flying, on your local JROTC Archery program.
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