FWC Congratulates 2025 NASP State Tournament Winners!

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) hosted the National Archery in the Schools Program State Tournament at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center in Gainesville on Saturday, April 12.

Choctawhatchee High School of Fort Walton Beach received the first-place trophy in the High School division with a team score of 3,301. Choctawhatchee High School's score was also the highest of all three divisions – Elementary, Middle and High School – making Choctawhatchee High School the overall champion.

Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. (a homeschool association from Brandon) ranked second in the High School division with an overall team score of 3,220 and Summerlin Academy from Bartow took home the third-place trophy with a team score of 3,211.

Middle Schools: The top middle school was Edward W. Bok Academy-South from Lake Wales with a team score of 3,212. Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. Middle School Division from Brandon placed second with a team score of 3,207 and Meigs Middle School Division from Shalimar took home a third-place finish with a team score of 3,188.

Elementary Schools: Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. Elementary School Division won first place with a team score of 3,057. Liza Jackson Preparatory School from Fort Walton Beach took second place with an overall team score of 3,004 and Saint Mary Catholic School from Fort Walton Beach took third place with a 2,872-team score. 

2025 State Archery Tournament Winners – Individual Scores

• The top-scoring male and female – receiving $5,000 scholarship checks from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida and NASP: Marek Tokash from Tampa Bay H.E.A.T. with a score of 291 and Abigail Cooper from Tampa Bay H.E.A.T with a score of 291.
• Second place overall male and female – receiving $3,000 scholarship: Jayce Nelson (290) from Meigs Middle School and Sophia Harper (285) from Choctawhatchee High School.
• Third place overall male and female – receiving $2,000 scholarship checks: Zavier Cruz (288) from Twisted Arrow Archery out of Lakeland and Kaylee Smith (284) from Tampa Bay H.E.A.T.

The individual top scores from each division were as follows:

Elementary School Top Individual Scores

• First Place Male: Zachariah Cruz (273), Twisted Arrow Archery, Lakeland
• First Place Female: Kiara Diaz (282), Baughman Homeschool, Okeechobee
• Second Place Male: Cade Last (267), Tampa Bay H.E.A.T., Brandon
• Second Place Female: Jenesis Quitugua (267), St. Mary Catholic School, Fort Walton Beach
• Third Place Male: Carver Bass (265), Liza Jackson Preparatory School, Ft Walton Beach
• Third Place Female: Madison Wasson (266), Liza Jackson Preparatory School, Ft Walton Beach

Middle School Top Individual Scores

• First Place Male: Jayce Nelson (290), Meigs Middle School, Shalimar
• First Place Female: Abigail Cooper (291), Tampa Bay H.E.A.T., Brandon
• Second Place Male: Zavier Cruz (288), Twisted Arrow Archery, Lakeland
• Second Place Female: Bristol Wooten (284), Tampa Bay H.E.A.T., Brandon
• Third Place Male: Chase Bryant (281), Lake City Middle School, Lake City
• Third Place Female: Jocelyn Hannah (278), Geneva Classical Academy, Lakeland

High School Top Individual Scores

• First Place Male: Marek Tokash (291), Tampa Bay H.E.A.T., Brandon
• First Place Female: Sophia Harper (285), Choctawhatchee High School, Fort Walton Beach
• Second Place Male: Daniel Thompson (284), Choctawhatchee High School, Ft. Walton Beach
• Second Place Female: Kaylee Smith (284), Tampa Bay H.E.A.T., Brandon
• Third Place Male: Eric Lee (283), Choctawhatchee High School, Fort Walton Beach
• Third Place Female: Evah Elliott (282), Choctawhatchee High School, Fort Walton Beach

IBO 3D Tournament Overall Individual Scores

• First place Male: Marek Tokash (285), Tampa Bay H.E.A.T., Brandon
• First place Female: Abigail Cooper (286), Tampa Bay H.E.A.T., Brandon

About NASP

The National Archery in the Schools Program is an in-school program aimed at improving educational performance among students in grades 4–12. NASP is one of the fastest growing in-school physical education programs in the country.

Through NASP students are learning focus, self-control, discipline, patience and the life lessons required to be successful in the classroom and in life. Students involved in NASP reported feeling 58% more connected in school and improved academically by 40%.

NASP, sponsored by FWC, is designed to teach international-style target archery in grades 4-12 physical education classes. Before presenting the archery course, teachers undergo an 8-hour NASP Basic Archery Instructor Training course.  476 Florida schools have already enrolled.

Core content covers archery, safety, technique, equipment, mental concentration and self-improvement. In addition, the curriculum provides interesting and creative possibilities for integration with core content in social studies, mathematics, visual arts, history and English/language arts.

Archery helps build muscle endurance and flexibility, develop hand-eye-coordination, and grip and body strength. You don't have to be 6-foot 2 and able to dunk a basketball to participate. Girls can compete with boys, and youngsters with physical disabilities can also participate.

Students who do not normally participate and enjoy sports-related or extra-curricular activities seem to excel in this program -- something that invariably carries over into their attitude, work habits and other school activities. NASP often inspires after-school activities shared by families and friends. The program teaches discipline, respect and self-control.

Contact Information

National Archery in the Schools Program, 620 S Meridian Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399, Grayson.Giles@MyFWC.com, 850-488-8984.