The Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA) program recently hosted its 9th annual Eastern Outdoor Target National Championship at the beautiful University of the Cumberlands campus in Williamsburg, Kentucky. This prestigious event brought together nearly 300 youth archers representing 92 teams from 15 different states.

The event kicked off early Friday morning as Jr. Eagle and Eagle archers arrived to complete their qualification rounds under the already warming Kentucky sun. Later that afternoon, Youth archers stepped onto the field to shoot their 72-arrow qualification round in intense heat. Despite the temperatures, the archers remained focused and determined, giving it their all.

Saturday’s competition was action-packed from start to finish as all age divisions had the opportunity to compete. As Youth archers neared the end of their semifinals, a brief thunderstorm rolled through the area, forcing a temporary suspension of competition. Archers and spectators quickly cleared the field for safety, but once the storm passed, competition resumed.

Young Adult and Elite archers, originally slated to shoot earlier in the afternoon, patiently waited for their turn to take the field. As daylight faded, the field lights were switched on, allowing the event to continue well into the evening. For many, this was their first experience shooting “under the lights,” creating a memorable moment shared by archers and spectators alike. One archer, Chase Crotty, described the experience, saying: “This tournament was my first time shooting under the lights at the University of the Cumberlands. It was a battle through the heat and lighting conditions, but I had such a blast shooting there. I built my Altra arrows the day before we left and I was hoping they would group well. I was overjoyed when I shot and saw how well they shoot.”

Sunday concluded the championship with the Young Adult and Elite divisions wrapping up elimination rounds, rounding out a weekend full of intense competition and incredible sportsmanship.

This event was made possible through a collaboration with University of the Cumberlands. Special thanks to University of the Cumberlands Archery Head Coach Kris Strebeck, Assistant Coach Caleb Kirby, Director of Shooting Cody Kirby, as well as a dedicated team of judges, state and regional coordinators, coaches, parents, and volunteers. S3DA is especially grateful to Between Ends, a valued National Sponsor and provider of electronic scoring technology for competitive archery events.

Looking ahead, the S3DA National staff now turns its attention westward to the upcoming Western 3D & Outdoor Target National Championships, which will take place July 24-27, 2025. The Outdoor Target competition will be held at Siebel Soccer Complex in Helena, Montana, followed by the 3D event at Great Divide Ski Area in Marysville, Montana.

To learn more about Scholastic 3-D Archery and how to get involved, visit www.s3da.net or follow @s3darchery on social media.

About Scholastic 3-D Archery

Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA) is a unique, family-oriented youth archery program which has grown exponentially across the United States as a next-step initiative to follow introductory archery programs. The mission of the Scholastic 3-D Archery program is to foster, educate and guide youth in the areas of 3D, indoor target, and outdoor target archery as well as safe, ethical bowhunting practices. The goal of the S3DA program is to provide archery and bowhunting opportunities to youth in after-school settings, as well as with archery-affiliated clubs and businesses in the community. S3DA youth participate in 3D and target archery using compound and traditional archery equipment. Youth members can participate at regional, state and national archery events and earn college scholarships from colleges and universities across the United States. S3DA addresses the need for a program to bridge beginning target archery experience and more advanced activities such as 3D shooting and bowhunting. The program currently operates across the United States with hundreds of certified coaches serving thousands of youth archers.

Contact the Scholastic 3-D Archery National Office at:

www.s3da.net or 410 Sycamore Street, Williamsburg, KY 40769, Ph: 606.524.3685

Media contact Kayla Bolton at kaylas3da@gmail.com, Ph: 423.494.2204