5 Reasons Every School Needs and OAS Program

5 Reasons Every School Needs an OAS Program

Olympic Archery in Schools is a middle and high school athletic program that benefits the modern student physically, mentally, and socially. Archery is safe, promotes strong character development, and offers students from all walks of life the opportunity to compete on a team!

1. Easy to Teach, Easy to Learn!

Never taught archery before? No problem! The majority of OAS coaches are exposed to archery for the first time through training for the program. USA Archery Instructor Certifications can be used to teach archery anywhere in the U.S. and last for three years before renewal is required. Coaches are also encouraged to reach out to OAS or other instructors nearby with questions or for support. Above all else, OAS is a community; no one does it alone! Send any questions you have about coaching or getting started in the OAS program to OAS@esdf.org!

2. Physical and Mental Benefits

Spending time outdoors with fresh air and sunshine quiets the mind, reduces stress, and lowers blood pressure. Archery also provides a meditative space for students through repetitive use of fine motor skills. Athletes are challenged to focus on the process to create favorable outcomes on the target. Giving proper attention to form means remaining attentive to posture, breathing cycles, strength, and relaxation, and more. It is not so much about aiming as learning to be present in the moment!

3. Budget Friendly

Archery is a sport that fits every budget and the equipment holds its value for years to come! There is often a one-time purchase of archery equipment with minimal maintenance required to keep everything in working order. Curious about where to start with equipment? OAS makes it easy with Equipment Kits which can be purchased at a discount through Lancaster Archery Supply after signing on with the OAS program!

4. It’s Safe!

As a sport statistically as safe as badminton, archery is a welcomed activity in schools! Accidents and injuries on any archery range (not just schools) are rare and usually involve minor bruising of the inner arm due to string clearance (which is less painful than a bruised knee from a fall). For a detailed account of safety statistics, check out the Archery Trade Association’s Safety Brochure! Archery is also one of the easiest sports to run while under ever-changing COVID-19 restrictions: students can be distanced as needed to meet the requirements of local ordinances.

5. Curriculum Activity or Competitive Interscholastic Sport… Your choice!

The OAS Curriculum was designed to meet the requirements for NASPE (National Association for Sport and Physical Education) Standards and utilizes the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets to focus on Positive Youth Development. This ties in with the I AM an Archer Recognition Program which recognizes and rewards positive traits in youth such as Respect, Confidence, Honor, Competence, and Leadership (our values).

The OAS League is an ever-growing group of conferences competing for Regional, State, and National titles each season. It’s an exciting journey for teams of 10 archers to compete head-to-head in Ranking, Olympic, and Team Rounds like in the Olympic Games! Through this league, spectators see youth challenging themselves on an individual level and developing strong bonds with fellow archers in their community as a team.