Emerald High School in Dublin qualified to compete in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Championship in June, becoming the first California school to reach nationals in scholastic archery, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The school advanced to the national competition after performing well at the Western National Tournament in Sandy, Utah. The NASP Championship was held June 18-20 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida, and brought together top student archers from across the United States and Canada. Emerald High competed exclusively in the bullseye division.
Coach Chris Branson has led the school's program to national recognition. "This year all their hard work paid off as we reached regionals in Utah and qualified for Nationals in Florida for the first time," Branson said. "All students who went and competed did an outstanding job and can't wait to go back next year."
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Scholastic Archery Program serves students throughout the state. During the 2025-26 school year, the program reached more than 15,000 students at 127 schools and trained nearly 100 new instructors, expanding access to archery in communities across California.