FOLEY — Head coach Alison Dunn started with the Snook Christian Academy archery program eight years ago with only five archers. This year, 24 archers used a third-place finish at the state tournament to qualify for a third consecutive national tournament.

“I'm proud of them, I started with five archers eight years ago, and we made probably three tournaments,” Dunn said after practice on April 30. “And eight years later, I have 24 archers and we make all the tournaments, I think in total we did 26 tournaments this year.”

This year, the National Archery in the Schools Program’s (NASP) Eastern National Tournament is set for May 9-11 in Louisville, Kentucky where the number of participants will grow once again. Had it not been for Snook’s graduation, scheduled for the same weekend, the full roster of 24 would have made the trip.

“This is the first time that we're taking as many, the first year we were only able to grab 10 spots and last year, I think we were only able to take around 15,” Dunn said. “This year we're taking more; it'll be 18 and it's closer to the full team.”

They’ll soon take in the awe-inspiring experience that Dunn related to a NASCAR race with a cacophony of noises from the bows striking their targets all over the Kentucky Exposition Center.

“It is very exciting. And it's something that I'm ready for them to experience because a lot of them have not experienced it,” the coach said. “The first time I went to nationals, it pretty much took my breath away because you're in this big-huge building and they've got 300 to 500 targets set up and when you hear the popping on the targets (500 times over), it's awesome.”

Although the Eagles compete in the Middle School division, this is the first year Dunn said the roster was more balanced between the elementary-aged student-athletes and their middle school counterparts.

“We're considered a small school so what they do is they take our elementary and our middle school teams and push them together to make one team for the Middle School group so we can make a full team. So, we have a lot of elementary students on our team that are shooting against middle schoolers,” Dunn said. “We still have more elementary students, but it's a little more even this year so we made it two years with mostly elementary.”

While the younger ones can lean on the older athletes who have been to nationals before, Dunn said her simple expectations are for them to give it their all.

“I just want them to do their best. That's all I ever ask them,” Dunn said. “Just do their best, and they surprise me every year.”

The team was surprised with a visit from District 5 Hunter Education Coordinator Sergeant Wesley Weaver with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Weaver presented the team with the third-place trophy from state and recognized the individual medalists, middle schooler Gracelyn Baggett (silver) and elementary schooler Preston Raley (bronze).

“That was awesome. That was the first time we've had (the conservation department) come and present the trophy to us,” Dunn said.

The Snook Christian team was set to travel to Kentucky next Thursday before participating in the 3D competition on Friday. After that, they’ll compete against top archers from the Western National Tournament at the NASP Open Championships set for June 6-8 in Daytona Beach, Florida.