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National honors for local volunteer
NEW MADRID, Mo. — His work on behalf of New Madrid County R-1’s archery program already made Lucas Polk a superhero to the student archers. Now, he has a national award to prove it.
In May, the National Archery in Schools Program selected Polk as the recipient of its Superhero Award. The award recognizes a volunteer for making an outstanding positive impact on their NASP program or team.
Melanie Crow and Rebecca Treece, archery coaches for the Central Middle School and High School archery programs, nominated Polk for the award.
In her nomination, Crow noted Polk has volunteered for various aspects of the program for six of the past seven years. He has served as the head line judge at home tournaments ensuring they run according to NASP rules, advised archers at practice, constructed a podium where archers can stand to celebrate their honors and even provided hoodies for the team.
She pointed out Polk is often the first to arrive for a meet or practice and the last to leave.
“Lucas has donated many hours making sure our archers have the skills to succeed not only on the archery team but also in their lives,” Crow said. “He models integrity, ethics and sportsmanship. His generosity has had and will have a profound and lasting impact on these archers for years to come.”
Treece said although Polk had a son on the high school varsity archery team, he never played favorites.
“He genuinely supports and encourages every archer to be their best both on and off the range,” Treece said. “His quiet demeanor and soft spoken words have calmed frazzled nerves over one bad arrow for countless archers.”
According to Polk, he became interested in the school’s archery program when his son, Lucas, joined while in Middle School. It soon became apparent there was a need for volunteers.
“I was able to get involved that way then I just fell in love with seeing the students learn and achieve more than they did last time, watching them grow not only in archery but as a person,” Polk said.
Although he hunted during archery season, Polk dismisses his skills with a bow and arrow. However his dedication to the school’s archery program prompted him to get the training and certifications to assist with coaching and at tournaments.
He even coaches NMCC’s competitors. Polk said whenever he sees an archer struggling, he tries to help. He explained he wants every student to succeed.
His involvement with the students has not gone unnoticed.
Allison Wade, a parent of a Central archer, said Polk always offers positive reinforcement when helping the younger archers and builds their self-esteem.
“I believe archery is a gentleman’s sport and Lucas is the best gentleman anyone can find to help teach our kids integrity and honesty,” she said. “He teaches the kids core values to use in their daily lives.”
Ryder Sindle, who was a senior on the Central High School archery team, agreed Polk taught lessons students could use both on and off the range.
“Lucas has always been an inspiration to us because of his willingness to be there for us and his determination to make sure we are the best version of ourselves possible,” Sindle said. “We are extremely lucky to have someone like him.”
But Polk is just as quick to say he believes he and his family were lucky to have the archery program introduced to the R-1 School District.
“I can say 100 percent that if it hadn’t been for the archery program, I don’t think my son would have graduated this year. It kept him grounded, it kept him interested in school more than he would have been and if you are going to be on the archery team you have to have to keep your grades up so that was a driving point for him,” he said.
Receiving one of NASP’s On Target Awards was a surprise, Polk said.
“I didn’t expect it by any means,” Polk said. “I don’t do the work or get involved in things for the recognition. I would be happy to be in the background and for nobody to ever notice me. But the award was definitely an honor and I feel blessed to have received it.”
While his son has graduated, Polk said he plans to keep volunteering with the archery program. His daughter, a sixth grader, has expressed interest in the sport.
He said he would like the local program to continue to grow because it is a sport where any student can succeed.
“I think it trains students to become better citizens because how the program is set up and what it requires you to do. You have to have certain steps, repetition. If you don’t follow those things you are not going to succeed. The same thing is true in life. If don’t have routine and a plan then you won’t succeed there either,” Polk said.
Also he would like more parents to become involved.
“The advice I would give them is to get involved and help as well,” he said. “It takes an army to make the program succeed.”