Jun 21, 2025
photo by: Nick Henthorn
Kimber Koehler, pictured with her NASP trophy, plaque and championship-winning bows, after being named overall female champion at the NASP Championships, held June 5-7 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
WHEELING – For most, a trip to Myrtle Beach would be a prime time to relax. For Kimber Koehler, it was all business.
The Wheeling native won the Overall Female Championship at the recent NASP Championships, held June 5-7 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, in what was the final competition of Koehler’s high school career.
It took a long journey through the W.Va. state competition and East Region Nationals before Koehler would reach Myrtle Beach, and she made the trip count.
“It was surreal. It felt like a fever dream,” Koehler said “I mean, I still can’t believe that I was able to do that, and how long it took to do it.”
Koehler shot her best at the final stop of her season, with a 299 out of a possible 300 points.
photo by: Nick Henthorn
From left, father Chris, mother Julie, Kimber Koehler and Rick Thomas, pictured Saturday after Koehler was named overall female champion at the NASP Championships, held June 5-7 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
“It’s a lifetime achievement,” Rick Thomas, the man behind Ohio County Archery, said. “This young lady started shooting in fourth grade, and shot every year up until this. She just graduated. This was her senior year. She ended her career where everybody wants to end their career- winning the world championship at the tournament and shooting a career high 299. She did very well.”
Koehler had won the W.Va. state competition in Charleston the year before, but heading into the same tournament this year, she was hardly expecting what would unfold over the next few months.
“[Last year’s state championship] was out of the blue,” Koehler said. “Didn’t think it was going to happen. I went in calm and steady and confident, and I came out with that. And I thought that was my last one. I thought that was going to be the championship of my career.
“Well, this year it was like, states, okay, I qualified. I placed sixth. Nationals, I went, I didn’t place, but I still qualified for Worlds. But Worlds, I thought, alright, it’s my last tournament. I want to go out with a bang. It’s an accomplishment in itself to say that you were even able to go to states, nationals or worlds, let alone being able to say that you won the title.”
Between state, national and worlds competition, Koehler pitted her own skills against thousands of other archers. Koehler has gone to around 20 competitions each year since the archery scene returned to normal following the COVID-era, and the recent graduate knew from experience how to prepare for the big stage.
“I knew it was my last tournament. It was gonna be what it was gonna be,” Koehler said. “So I practiced for about four days before, and went in calm, steady, deep breaths. It’s all about your mentals when you’re shooting. It’s all mental stuff.”
Koehler has been working with Rick Thomas for nine years, but her passion for archery goes farther back still.
Koehler’s parents, Chris and Julie, are both archers themselves.
“Well, I’ve had a bow in my hand since I was five,” Koehler said. “So for about 13 years now, I’ve had a bow in my hand. [Father Chris is] a big hunter. Me and him have been shooting bows since I was a kid. So it was growing up in the country, growing up with a dad who hunts, growing up all around people who hunt and shoot bows. It was sort of like, hey, I want to try that. So I came home one day after West Liberty elementary let out, and I asked, ‘Hey, can I do this?’ We went, we tried. I loved it. And I continued with it.”
Thomas likewise gives credit to Kimber’s parents, and indeed all the parents involved with Ohio County Archery.
“Our parents have been our coaches since we started.” he said. “They’re a tremendous help, and they’ve been able to practice and get her up to speed. I’m going to be honest. I’m a city slicker. I never did any of this stuff, so I rely on my experts. [Julie] right here is an awesome Archer herself. [Chris] is an archer. So together, I see it’s only natural that Kimber was going to be a champion.”
If last week was indeed the grand finale for Koehler, it was one that took place on the biggest stage.
“I know she is a very good Archer,” Thomas said. “She won the state tournament last year with a 293, I think. And she shot really well this year. She’s a hard worker, so she can do anything she wants going forward.”
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