FRANKFORT, Ky. — For those still reeling from March Madness, the month of May has its own bit of madness for archery – and Kentucky is home to some of the best student archers in the world.

National Archery in Schools Program (NASP) teams from around the Commonwealth recently competed in state championship tournaments with one hope (besides winning, of course): To qualify for national and world tournaments to be held in May and October.

Thirty-four states now hold state tournaments in an effort to reach the nationals in Louisville, this year on May 11-12. With its origins in Kentucky, the program combines archery talents with an educational curriculum that sets it apart from any other sport, according to Kelly Carr, head coach of the Bondurant Middle School team and assistant for Western Hills High School (WHHS), both in Franklin County.

“We began this as a partnership between the Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife to help students on the archery range and the classroom, as well,” he said. “This year we had more archers qualify for the state tournament than ever before.”

Both schools reside in the 7th region, and it has become one of the toughest regions in the country. This year, BMS qualified two teams for the tournament, a first for that school. Carr attributes that to hard work by the students and their parents.

“These students have been at it since tryouts last October, with twice-a-week practices and area tournaments most weekends, not counting the hours they put in at home,” he said. “To achieve what they have takes so much commitment on their part as well as their families’. This is a long, tough season and everyone has played a part in getting us to this point.”

BMS eighth-grade student Mary Aldridge has been involved in the sport for about four years and has led the team in scoring for the last two years. Her scores are so good, she is considered one of the best student archers in the country, getting marks consistently in the high 290s; 300 is a perfect match.

Aldridge also holds two NASP scoring records of 298, just two points shy of perfect. One of those came at the recent regional tournament held in Nicholasville.

“I stay mentally focused. I’ve always tried to stay focused and get better,” she said.

But Aldridge didn’t begin with those kinds of numbers. “I didn’t start out very good. I got a 144 in one of my first tournaments and I just climbed up from there,” she said.

Being a top archer is something Aldridge said she tries not to think about. She just wants to continue to improve, and practice has been the key to that, shooting every other day now, but practicing much more when she first started.

Archery is something Aldridge said she would like to continue, and that to one day be on the U.S. Olympic team sounds really nice.

Madee Rogers is another BMS eighth-grade archer, participating for the first time on the team. She said her love of the sport began in the fifth grade at Conservation Camp and she is looking forward to the upcoming tournaments.

“I’m excited and nervous all at the same time. I know there will be a lot of people there, but I think it will be fun,” Rogers said.

She also said participating in the sport has left her with a new perspective on other things, such as school. “This is all about mental structure. Since I started archery, I can concentrate a lot more in school,” Rogers said.

That concentration has paid off on the range as her average – impressive for a first-year archer – has been in the high 250s to 260s on a consistent basis. Scores like that will be what’s needed as middle school archers move on to the high school level.

WHHS team members have been near the top of regional competition all year and are looking to be competitive on the national level. Coach Susan Hedden has attended these tournaments in the past as a parent, then as an assistant coach at WHHS, but this is her first year going as head coach.

“I have to admit, it feels pretty amazing,” she said. “If it were not for the talent on this team, I would not be going to the tournament, so I am fortunate that I get to ride the coattails of the team because the students are the ones that are taking me there.”

Hedden added besides her faith and family, archery is one of the most rewarding things she gets to do.

“The WHHS team has an amazing group of students that I am fortunate to be able to work with and the coaching staff that supports me is pretty awesome, too,” she said. “I am constantly learning from them and the students every time we are together. The relationships that are formed within the archery field are lifetime relationships.”

Brooke Pulliam is a freshman archer at WHHS, beginning her career in the sport like most of her teammates in the BMS program. She said after participating in many other sports, archery tops her list.

“I have played many sports in my life, but the only one I have ever loved is archery,” she said. “It makes me feel amazing to be on a team that has done so well and gone so far.”

Thomas Younger, a junior on the WHHS team, began participating in the sport at 4-H camp and now sees it as an opportunity to not only learn more but to help others learn the sport. “It’s a place for me to learn and teach my fellow archers. We help each other and are as close as in any other sport,” he said. “It’s a true learning environment and an all-around positive influence on my life.”

Younger also said he is grateful to have the chance to move on to Nationals as well as the World Tournament in Orlando, Fla.

Carr said he feels good about the teams from Franklin County and their chances to bring home awards, despite having many newcomers. “We still have many young archers who will be participating at the nationals for the first time, but we have been consistent in our scoring and steadily improving throughout the season,” he said.