Florida students excel at 2026 State Archery Tournament in Gainesville
On March 14, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) hosted the National Archery in the Schools Program State Archery Tournament at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center in Gainesville. NASP is an in-school program designed to teach international-style target archery to students in grades 4-12 as part of their physical education curriculum, and it is sponsored in Florida by the FWC. With 522 schools across the state currently enrolled, NASP has become one of the fastest-growing in-school physical education programs in the nation.
During the tournament, the top male and female archers in the 3D competition each earned a Bear Cruzer Ready to Hunt Bow in recognition of their outstanding performance. Eli Damron of Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. claimed the top male title with a score of 287, while Abigail Cooper of Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. led the female division with a score of 289.
Team competition was strong across all divisions. In the Elementary Division, the Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. Elementary School Division, a homeschool association based in Brandon, secured first place with a score of 2,534. Liza Jackson Preparatory School of Fort Walton Beach followed closely in second place with 2,531 points, and Saint Mary Catholic School, also of Fort Walton Beach, finished third with 2,516 points.
In the Middle School Division, Meigs Middle School of Shalimar earned the championship title with a team score of 3,192. Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. Middle School Division of Brandon placed second with 3,177 points, while Edward W. Bok Academy of Lake Wales took third place with 3,168 points.
Competition remained intense in the High School Division, where Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. High School Division of Brandon captured first place with a score of 3,282. Choctawhatchee High School of Fort Walton Beach earned second place with 3,244 points, and Lake Wales High School rounded out the top three with 3,232 points.
Individual overall high scorers were also recognized, with each student receiving a monetary award based on placement. Joran Tokash of Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. earned first place among male archers and received a $7,000 award after scoring 286 with 20 perfect 10s. Kiara Diaz of Baughman Homeschool matched that achievement in the female division, also earning $7,000 with a score of 285 and 20 perfect 10s. Andy Cardona Cruz of Summerlin Academy placed second among male archers with a score of 286 and 16 perfect 10s, earning $5,000, while Abigail Cooper of Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. placed second among female archers with a score of 285 and 19 perfect 10s, and also received $5,000. Third-place honors went to Eric Lee of Choctawhatchee High School, who scored 285 to earn $3,000, and Jocelyn Hannah of Geneva Classical Academy, who scored 284 to receive the same amount.
In the Elementary Division individual competition, Austin Reiss of SnowShine Homeschool earned the top male score with 268 points, while Grace Lambeth of Precision Prep led the female division with 273 points. Charlie Proctor of Saint Mary Catholic School placed second among male archers with 259 points, and Eva Linsmier of Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. placed second among female archers with 266 points. Third-place finishes went to Jayden Parson of Divine Savior Academy with a score of 250 and SofiaSky Gonzalez of Divine Savior Academy with 264 points.
In the Middle School Division individual competition, Joran Tokash of Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. again led the field with a score of 286, while Kiara Diaz of Baughman Homeschool topped the female division with 285 points. Linkoln Updike of Meigs Middle School placed second among male archers with 285 points, and Mattilyn Haigler of Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. placed second among female archers with 282 points. Third-place honors went to Vinny Trank of Edward W. Bok Academy with a score of 284 and Holly Lambeth of Precision Prep with 280 points.
In the High School Division individual competition, Andy Cardona Cruz of Summerlin Academy earned first place among male archers with a score of 286, while Abigail Cooper of Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. led the female division with 285 points. Eric Lee of Choctawhatchee High School placed second among male archers with a score of 258, and Jocelyn Hannah of Geneva Classical Academy placed second among female archers with 284 points. Marek Tokash of Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. finished third among male archers with a score of 284, while Breeann Bilbrey of Summerlin Academy placed third among female archers with 283 points.
“Programs such as NASP bring together schools, families and communities in a meaningful way,” said Bill Cline, FWC’s Hunter Safety and Public Shooting Ranges Section Leader. “It’s about more than scores - it’s about teamwork, personal growth and creating opportunities for students statewide, both on and off the range. I am proud to offer these opportunities to students in Florida.”
To learn more about how your school can get involved with NASP, contact Florida NASP Coordinator Grayson Giles at Grayson.Giles@MyFWC.com or by calling 850-488-8984, to reach a regional coordinator in your area.