Annual Elks Hoop Shoot coming soon

Local competition for the 41st Annual Elks “Hoop Shoot”, the national free throw shooting contest for children ages 8 through 13, will be held at North County Middle School, 406 E. Chestnut Street, Desloge, Missouri on Sunday, November 25, at 2 p.m. registration, with shoot beginning thereafter. Students from within the local lodge area may participate. Shooters may only participate in one local lodge contest.

Nearly 3 million students from across the country entered last year’s competition for boys and girls in age categories 8 and 9, 10 and 11, and 12 to 13. Each contestant has 25 shots at the hoop. The boy and girl in each age group with the best scores advance through four tiers of competition to qualify for the national finals in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Local lodge winners will compete against other contestants in the District event at Dexter lodge, January 6, 2013. Names of the national winners will be inscribed on the Elks National “Hoop Shoot” plaque, on permanent display in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Many local educators and business leaders have participated in the “Hoop Shoot” in years past, some winning State Championships and National recognition. Deanna Ellis was the lodge’s first State Champion while local businessman, Lance Sechrest is the only four time State Champion in Missouri and was National runner-up.

For more details call local Director, Jim Hahn 573-431-5161.