Scholastic 3-D Archery is pleased to announce Gary Parks as the Oklahoma S3DA State Conservation Coordinator. Gary will work alongside Oklahoma S3DA State Coordinator, Andrea Waldridge, to develop and implement conservation initiatives for the Oklahoma S3DA program. Gary will engage with local communities, educating them on how the S3DA program bridges the gap between competition and conservation.

Gary said, “I never did much archery until my granddaughter came to me and asked if she could try archery with our local 4H shooting sports club. Then, the race was on! Due to them not having a 4H coach, I took a class. I originally received my instructor certification in archery, rifle (air and smallbore), and pistol (air and smallbore) through 4H. This has since grown to coaching and teaching many different youths in all kinds of shooting sports and trapping. I myself didn’t come from a trapping or hunting family, but one person while in the military took me on a hunt, and my love for the outdoors began. I have been an avid trapper and hunter ever since.”

Gary is a true believer in “If you don’t see it, you might not know it exists”. Gary plans to be in attendance at as many youth events as possible over the course of this competition season to make people aware of Oklahoma S3DA. Gary’s short-term goals include building relationships with the local 4H, NASP, and ASA representatives as well as reaching out to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife. He said that he learned most of his skills from attending workshops or working hands-on, so he aims to put together some hunting and trapping classes. Gary’s long-term goal is to create workshops for youth and their families along with providing conservation-related activities at all Oklahoma S3DA competitions.

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