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September 29, 2009
Woodlawn student to appear on Disney Channel Direct link to original published article CLICK HERE Mark Millican CHATSWORTH - The steady 'Thwop, thwop, thwop' of arrows flying into targets filled a gym at Veterans Memorial Park late Monday afternoon. Among the Woodlawn Elementary archers was Hayley Bagley, a fourth-grader who - like her schoolmates - only picked up a real bow and arrow last October when an archery program was started at the school.
But Hayley, 11, shot her way to the elementary-level individual state championship in February, and came within a point of winning a scholarship meant for high schoolers. On Monday, her achievement gained even more recognition - a film crew hired by the Disney Channel was on hand to spotlight Hayley for one of its 'Get'cha Head in the Game' features, which is actually a two-minute vignette designed to inspire youthful watchers to get off the couch and do something.
'Every kid can shoot a bow and arrow and have success,' said Brad Bates, a phys ed instructor who doubles as archery coach at Woodlawn. He and assistant Kellye Flood took their fledgling archers to a third-place team finish at the state championships in Perry, outshooting other fifth- and sixth-graders and even seventh- and eighth-graders in the junior division. 
'Hayley shot a 269, which was only a shot behind a high school girl's 270,' Bates said. 'The boys high school winner shot a 272, so both of them won the $1,000 scholarships. Hayley almost won a scholarship as a fourth-grader.'
Another Woodlawn student, Bailey Coker, 11, took home runner-up honors in the elementary division.
Hayley also went to the national championships in the National Archery in the Schools Program, or NASP, in Louisville, Ky., but didn't place. In Georgia, the program is sponsored by the Wildlife Resources Division of the Department of National Resources (DNR).
Glen Owen, director and executive producer of State Line Films, which contracted with Disney to do the shoot, said his production manager 'called across the country looking for young archers.'
'Coach Bates contacted me and told me about Hayley and Bailey,' he said. 'We had them shoot a video and do interviews and a brief bio of the girls, and Disney really liked it.'
Owen said the 12-hour day in Murray County on Monday included shots of the mountains and other background material, and that two-and-a-half hours of film would be distilled into two minutes.
'It will be shown during promotional breaks - the Disney Channel doesn't do commercials - starting late next month and will run for four or five years,' said Owen, four or five times a month.
'Hayley competed against 4,500-plus students at nationals,' said Bates. 'It was the largest archery contest in the world, and I think she was ‘wowed' by that. It was her first rodeo, so to speak.'
John Mitchell is a shooting sports coordinator for the northern region of DNR.
'This is an amazing program,' he said. 'Kids can have no interest in school, and this changes them.'
Mitchell said the NASP (www.nasparchery.com) has 4.6 million children involved that includes fourth through twelfth grades.
Hayley's mother, Tammy, said the program has changed her daughter.
'It's been a great confidence-builder for her and has helped her self-esteem,' she said. 'It's a great way for all the kids to focus, and it has helped their grades. It's helped them understand that they can practice and practice and get better, and that goes over to grades so that they won't be saying, ‘I can't do it.'
'They can also win scholarship money, and that can really help kids who are from disadvantaged situations - it has a lot of potential to affect their lives.'
Hayley's dad, John, concurs.
'The neat thing about it is it's not for the elite kids,' he said. 'Coach Bates has kids from foster homes on the team. It's a neat, neat sport - it takes discipline, a commitment of time and it develops focus. They're looking for consistency.'
Woodlawn principal Jackie Townsend said the sport has built up an 'enormous camaraderie' at the school.
'It didn't matter who made the team,' she said. 'Everybody was pulling for everybody. If they can't play football or basketball, they can do this. It's been good for the kids.'
The Bagleys now have an archery area set up at their home, where Hayley practices up to two hours a day sometimes and seeks competition from her dad and brother. She and Bailey seem unfazed by the acclaim.
'I just like being with my friends,' said Hayley. 'I was nervous about (the filming) at first, but once I met them it was OK.'
Bailey confessed to being 'nervous, and a little excited.'
'I can just like, be myself, when I'm around it,' she said. 'It's something no one can take away from me.'
Mitchell said any school can start a program, and there are grants from DNR and a sportsmens' group in the state to help them get started. More information can be found at www.georgiawildlife.com under the 'Education' link.
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