By Brandie Majeau
H.A. Kostash School welcomed student archers from across Alberta and
Saskatchewan for its Annual Archery Tournament, held April 10 and 11 in Smoky Lake,
Alberta.
The tournament has become a beloved fixture on the regional archery calendar,
drawing competitors who travel significant distances to take part in one of the area’s
most anticipated school-based sporting events. This year’s two-day event was no
exception, welcoming teams eager to test their skills before the season’s larger
provincial and national competitions. Competitors gathered in the school’s gymnasium,
bows drawn and focused, as the atmosphere buzzed with the quiet intensity that defines
competitive archery.
H.A. Kostash School, known locally as HAK, has a long-standing commitment to
archery. Serving over 300 students from the communities of Smoky Lake, Waskatenau,
and Bellis, the school has embedded the sport deeply into its programming. The
tournament traces its roots back fifteen years, when Mr. Ziprick launched the initiative
as part of a pilot program modeled after the National Archery in the Schools Program
(NASP) in the United States, beginning with just 78 archers in their first tournament.
Since then, H.A. Kostash has cultivated a dedicated coaching staff united by a shared
passion for a program that remains accessible and inclusive to all students. The growth
of the tournament over the years reflects that inclusive philosophy, from a modest pilot
to an event that gives students of all skill levels a stage to compete. This year’s
tournament welcomed 700 archers, nearly nine times the number that participated in
that very first event.
Among the visiting teams at this year’s tournament were archers representing
the Unity Composite High School from Unity, Saskatchewan. Their performance was
notably strong, with one competitor earning the top ranking in the Grade 12 Boys
category after recording a score of 294 in the bullseye round. Competition was fierce
across all age and grade categories, with archers pushing personal bests and
demonstrating the hours of practice put in throughout the school year. For the students
and staff of H.A. Kostash, hosting the event remains a source of school pride, a
celebration of focus, discipline, sportsmanship, and the enduring appeal of the bow and
arrow. As another successful tournament wraps up, the program’s legacy in Smoky
Lake only continues to grow.