Williamsburg, KY – Benjamin May has been named as an S3DA West Virginia Regional Coordinator. As a Regional Coordinator, Benjamin will oversee the development and operations of S3DA within a specifically assigned region, including educating and recruiting parties interested in forming new S3DA clubs and teams, coordinating with the State Coordinator, and when possible attending and assisting with National S3DA events. Benjamin learned about S3DA through Eric Shock, WV State Coordinator and he is very excited to take on the role of Regional Coordinator.

Benjamin was born in Morgantown, West Virginia and currently resides there. He started shooting a bow and arrow when he was 8 years old and he started bowhunting when he was 12. Benjamin’s father had a passion for bowhunting, and he feels that passion was passed on to him as he has since become a very accomplished bowhunter. He has been successful in taking a Pope & Young white-tailed buck on public land and even taken a very nice antelope in Wyoming. Benjamin has diligently made efforts to build a similar archery foundation for his two sons. Both of his sons are successful bowhunters (having taken deer with a bow and arrow) as well. Benjamin May states, “My dad was a very positive influence in my bowhunting interests as he would always make sure I had quality gear and he would take me out to hunt every chance he had.”

May has worked hard to learn the fundamental archery skills needed to be competitive at State and National Tournaments. He has won several State Championships and placed very high at some National Tournaments. Benjamin takes pride in being able to pass the skills that he has taught himself down to his two children and the S3DA team that he currently coaches.

Benjamin May said that he became interested in S3DA, because his children were curious about archery. They wanted to have the opportunity to be on an archery team, but there was not one available in the region where they live. Benjamin said that when Eric Shock presented the S3DA club opportunity to them, that his kids were very excited to have the opportunity to participate on an archery team and that he was excited as well.

Benjamin said that recently the West Virginia Secondary Schools Athletic Commission (WVSSAC) adopted archery as a sanctioned school sport in the state of West Virginia. Benjamin said this was great because any growth for the sport of archery provides kids more opportunities from your typical club/team sports where you must depend on others to win, whereas with archery the result generally depends on you as an individual. However, many youth archers in West Virginia have their own archery equipment and cannot participate in the school programs due to the equipment restrictions. May said this was the biggest thing that caught his eye with S3DA, because the S3DA model has standardized the tournament format instead of restricting equipment. This opens a much broader avenue for kids to participate in the sport.

Started in December 2012 by the Scholastic Archery Association, S3DA has grown exponentially as a next step program to follow introductory programs offered as part of 4-H or the National Archery in Schools Program. S3DA addresses the need for a program to bridge beginning target archery experience and more advanced activities such as 3-D shooting and bowhunting. The program currently operates across the United States with hundreds of certified coaches serving

thousands of young archers, grades 3–12. For more information on S3DA membership go to: WWW.S3DA.ORG or email: infos3darchery@gmail.com. Check out S3DA on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.