STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The field has been set for Pennsylvania’s statewide student archery tournament to be held March 13 in State College.

More than 850 competitors have registered for the 2015 National Archery in the Schools Program State Tournament, hosted by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Game Commission Shooting Sports Outreach Coordinator Todd Holmes said there’s plenty of reason to get excited about this year’s tournament.

“The preparation for this event started almost a year ago at the conclusion of last year’s tournament,” said Holmes, who also serves as state-level administrator for NASP. “I’m excited to see everyone again and hope they all enjoy the new 3-D range and watching the best student archers in the state go head to head for the state title.”

The tournament, which will take place inside the Penn State Multi-Sport Facility, should be a sight to see.

Ninety-five lanes, each with two archers, will be operating at once. About 7,600 arrows will fly each hour. And somewhere near 38,000 arrows will be fired on the day.

NASP, which started in Kentucky in 2002 and has since gained participants around the globe, came to Pennsylvania in 2005. The Game Commission began coordinating the program in 2010 and, to present, the program has expanded to 185 schools.

NASP helps school districts in Pennsylvania meet physical-education curriculum standards set by the state Department of Education, and at the same time introduces students to the world of competitive archery.

Tournaments are held at the state, national and international levels. Those competing in the March 13 state tournament might qualify for the national tournament to be held May 7 through 9 in Louisville, Ky. Pennsylvania sent 17 schools to the 2014 national competition.

To get NASP started in a Pennsylvania school, contact Todd Holmes, at the Game Commission headquarters, at 717-787-4250 (ext. 3330). Also, “PA NASP” can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennNASP.

PARTICPATING SCHOOLS

The 878 students who have registered to compete in the 2014 National Archery in the Schools Program Tournament in State College represent 44 different schools. They are:

BEAVER HIGH SCHOOL – Beaver, Pa.

BEAVER MIDDLE SCHOOL – Beaver, Pa.

BLUE RIDGE HIGH – New Milford, Pa.

CAMERON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT – Emporium, Pa.

CENTRAL VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL – Monaca, Pa.

CENTRAL VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT – Monaca, Pa.

CHOCONUT VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – Choconut, Pa.

DONEGAL HIGH SCHOOL – Mount Joy, Pa.

FAIRFIELD AREA HIGH SCHOOL – Fairfield, Pa.

FOREST HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT – Sidman, Pa.

GARDEN SPOT HIGH SCHOOL – New Holland, Pa.

GILLINGHAM CHARTER SCHOOL – Pottsville, Pa.

GROVE CITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY – Grove City, Pa.

HALIFAX AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL – Halifax, Pa.

HALIFAX HIGH SCHOOL – Halifax, Pa.

HARRISBURG CHRISTIAN SCHOOL – Harrisburg, Pa.

LATHROP STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – Montrose, Pa.

LOWER DAUPHIN HIGH SCHOOL – Hummelstown, Pa.

MANHEIM CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL – Manheim, Pa.

MILLERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL – Millersburg, Pa.

MONTROSE AREA HIGH SCHOOL – Montrose, Pa.

MONTROSE HIGH SCHOOL – Montrose, Pa.

MONTROSE MIDDLE SCHOOL – Montrose, Pa.

NEW BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL – New Brighton, Pa.

NEW CASTLE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY – New Castle, Pa.

NORTHERN BEDFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT – Loysburg, Pa.

PCS ARCHERY – Portersville, Pa.

PENNCREST SCHOOL DISTRICT – Media, Pa.

PHOENIXVILLE AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL – Phoenixville, Pa.

PINE GROVE AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL – Pine Grove, Pa.

SHEFFIELD MIDDLE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – Sheffield, Pa.

ST. VITUS SCHOOL – New Castle, Pa.

SUMMIT CHRISTIAN ACADEMY – South Abington, Pa.

THE SWAIN SCHOOL – Allentown, Pa.

TIDIOUTE COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL – Tidioute, Pa.

TRINITAS – Grove City, Pa.

TUNKHANNOCK AREA HIGH SCHOOL – Tunkhannock, Pa.

TUNKHANNOCK AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL – Tunkhannock, Pa.

TUNKHANNOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – Tunkhannock, Pa.

UPPER DAUPHIN AREA HIGH SCHOOL – Lykens, Pa.

UPPER DAUPHIN AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL – Lykens, Pa.

UPPER ST. CLAIR HIGH SCHOOL – Upper St. Clair, Pa.

WILLIAMS VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL – Tower City, Pa.

WINDBER AREA HIGH SCHOOL – Windber, Pa.