First a bit of background: Since 1980, the number of archers in the United States has gone from 3 million to more than 23 million, and as many as 33 percent of American archers are women.

One reason the dramatic increased interest in archery is the National Archery in the Schools Program. Since being founded in 2002 in Kentucky, NASP has involved more than 18 million students in over 14,000 schools in 47 states, nearly all Canadian provinces, and in 10 different other countries including Africa and Australia. Currently, more than 2 million 4th-12th grade kids participate in NASP  every year. It’s the largest youth archery program in history, and it’s growing at 9.3 percent per year – about 1,000 new schools join every year. And there has never been a serious injury in a NASP event.

According to a 2017 poll of students participating in NASP: 58 percent of students feel more connected at their school; 40 percent of students work harder in school; 34 percent buy non-NASP bows; 17.5 percent bowhunt and another 34 percent want to but haven't yet; and  20-plus percent hunt with firearms or want to.

Influence of TV and Film

NASP is definitely one factor in the phenomenal growth of archery, but another is that we are living in the Information Age, and many heroic archers are appearing in TV and films. According to the Archery Trade Association, a big boost for women in archery came in 1999 when Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis became a semi-finalist for making the U.S. Olympic archery team. Davis says she was inspired to take up the sport by watching Olympic archers on TV.

A second major increase in women archers took place when the Hunger Games series starring Jennifer Lawrence, and Lord of the Rings and Brave were on the big screens. USA Archery membership increased by 48 percent after Hunger Games was released.

Hollywood’s influence on archery is real and strong, so it makes sense for the archery industry to work with Hollywood for the benefit of all. To get the ball rolling, the First Annual Hollywood Celebrity Archery Shoot will be held at Conejo Valley Archers in Simi Valley, California, on Nov. 16, 2019.

Teams and Fees

This event will involve teams of celebrities, NASP kid archers, and supporting archers competing for prizes donated by the archery industry. There is no fee for celebrity archers and NASP kids. There is a $250 fee for each supporting archer, which will go to help support NASP. Spectator cost is $50.

At the range on the morning of the Celebrity Archery Shoot, teams will be drawn. A team will include one celeb or pro archer, one NASP student and their parents. They will team with two supporting archers.

To reserve your place as a spectator or supporting archer in this inaugural event, send your check to: Snow Goose Productions, P.O. Box 44426, Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87174. For each check received, that archer will be e-mailed or mailed a confirmation that will be their ticket to participate.

Location of the Hollywood Celebrity Archery Shoot

Conejo Valley Archers is located in the southeast corner of Ventura County, California, 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles, in the city of Simi Valley. CVA is a 5-star field archery club under the guidance of the National Field Archery Association (NFAA) and US Archery (USAA). CVA is a private club registered with the IRS as a 501-(c)-3 non-profit organization with approximately 500 members. There are a number of nearby motels and hotels.

The 80-acre facility includes a 28-target NFAA Certified, 5-Star Roving Field Range. It also has one of the largest permanent NFAA certified 3-D Range facilities in California. The 3-D range covers 9 acres with 25 3-D targets. The newest feature includes "The Dock" where archers can bowfish in the newly created fishing pond. 

Logistics and Sponsors

Conejo Valley Archers is located in Tapo Canyon Regional Park with only one road leading through the park, making security very easy. A team of retired California game wardens, many of whom were featured in Wild Justice on Nat. Geo. TV, will provide security for this event.

The Weatherby Foundation has provided a grant to help cover the basic costs. Genesis Archery, Morrell Targets and Archery Focus magazine are among the sponsors.

Hollywood Celebrity Archery Shoot Awards

Genesis Archery has donated Genesis Original and Gen-X Kits for awards, and Mathews Archery has donated a “bow choice certificate” that has a value of $1,100.

Event Schedule

Morning, Saturday, November 16:

• Gates open at 8 a.m. Self-serve breakfast, welcoming all shooters, and time for archers to warm up. Each shooter will get a free NASP cap (Richardson 112 branded patch hats)
• Drawing to form teams (one celeb, one NASP archer, and two supporting archers). Teams will either take part in field archery or the 3-D range. Shooting begins at 10 a.m.
• Noon break for catered lunch (self-serve).

Afternoon:

• The afternoon shoot will be the opposite range of the morning.
• When all teams have finished, there will be a silent auction while scores are tallied.
• Finally, awards will be announced and celebs will autograph targets.
• During the day we will film some stills and a video of the event to go up on a website and be distributed nationwide to help support NASP and archery.

Celebrities

As of Sept. 20, 2019, celebrity archers who will be at the event include:

• Marshall Teague: actor in over 130 films and TV shows including Roadhouse, Armageddon and Criminal Minds.
• Lindy Teague: actor, TV personality  and fashion model                                          
• Diamond Farnsworth: actor, stuntman and stunt coordinator for NCIS, JAG, Quantum Leap, etc.                                      
• Tim Abell: actor who has appeared in over 100 TV shows and films including  Soldier of God, and Soldier of Fortune     
• Tom Greene: writer, actor and producer, Thunder In Paradise, Swamp Thing, Magnum PI, Knight Rider, Wildside, etc.   
• Dave Gore: pro archer; In 2015, Dave earned a team gold medal in Costa Rica shooting for USA in the Pan American games. He’s finished in the top ten in the men’s pro class at numerous events throughout the US.  In 2016 he was first in California.
• Jerry Karnow: lead game warden in Wild Justice TV show on Nat. Geo. Channel, and in the documentary Endangered Species: CA Fish and Game Wardens. Former Pres. of California Game Wardens Association and honoree California Outdoors Hall of Fame
• Johnny St. Ours: cinematographer and director; The American West,  Weediquette, The Collectors, Skin to the Max, Vice and many more.
• Reggie Theus: former NBA all-star basketball player and coach of the Sacramento Kings, who now works in media as an actor and host.
• Frank Stallone: Grammy and Golden Globe nominated artist Frank Stallone is an actor, singer and musician.
• Mike Rogers: producer of Spurwing Media, with over 30 years of experience in broadcast television production, customized content creation and producing large-scale shows and conventions, working with many A-list actors and musicians.
• Jason Svetich: successful entrepreneur owning several companies. He has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and has extensive training in various martial arts. Jason is the series creator, co-producer and one of the starring characters for THE AMERICAN VETERAN television series. He is also the Co-host and Gear Guru for the Gear Review episode on The Sporting Life podcast.
• Dr. Tony O’Donnell: Fox News, CNN, etc. health expert.
• Ron Ringo: PhD psychologist, a former police officer and chaplain from military, as well as being an actor with 20 credits for TV and films. He and his wife Shirley (also an actor) will be joining us for HCAS.
• James A. Swan, Ph.D: former college professor and writer for 11 books, over 800 articles and over 100 TV shows and films; producer of documentaries and co-executive producer of Wild Justice; musician and screen actor – for 21 feature films, three dramatic TV shows and over 30 commercials and industrials. 

For more information about the First Annual Hollywood Celebrity Archery Shoot, contact James A. Swan, Ph.D. via email: hwcelebarcheryshoot@gmail.com; or call (505) 428-9007.