SPORTS

Elks set for annual Hoop Shoot

By PETE FONTAINE
Posted 11/11/21

By PETE FONTAINE How'd you like to have your son and/or daughter's name and picture displayed in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Ma? If so, considering entering your son and your daughter into the oldest and most prestigious youth

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in
SPORTS

Elks set for annual Hoop Shoot

Posted

How’d you like to have your son and/or daughter’s name and picture displayed in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Ma?

If so, considering entering your son and your daughter into the oldest and most prestigious youth basketball competition that is celebrating its 50th anniversary season.

The official name is the Elks National Hoop Shoot, a foul-shooting contest that begins at the local level sponsored by lodges throughout a state and winds up with the national championship that this time around will be held April 29-May 1, 2022 inside the famed Wintrust Arena that’s home of the WNBA Champion Chicago Sky.

But before any contestant can think about a national title, boys and girls ages 8-13 begin competing at the local level, advancing to the district finals then onto a berth in the regional finals with those winners advancing to Chicago for the finals.

“Our hoop shoot has been developing gritty kids for nearly a half century,” offered Steve Lagesse, who is again chairing the Rhode Island Elks competition. “All our lodges are proud to sponsor this free throw shooting contest for boys and girls ages 8 to 13.”

Lagesse, who has served as the RISEA competition for a number of years and is a Past Exalted Ruler at the famed Tri-City Elks on West Shore Road in Warwick, announced that Lodge 14’s Hoop Hoot will be held this Sunday, Nov. 14, at the Cranston YMCA at 1225 Park Avenue in Cranston beginning with registration at one o’clock.

“There is absolutely no entry fee,” said Lagesse. “The contest is single elimination meaning that only the highest shooters move on to the next level. There will be three age groups for boys and girls and each contestant will take 25 shots to determine who moves on to the district finals. Those age brackets are 8 and 9, 10 and 11 and 12 and 13 that will wind up with six local champions who will move on the District Championship on Dec. 19 at Smithfield High School. Lagesse also announced that the 2021-22 state finals will be held on Jan. 15 at the Cranston YMCA.

The Regional Hoop Shoot will be held in South Portland Maine from March 10-13, 2022 with winners moving onto the National Hoop Shoot finals in Chicago.

If a boy or girl moves to the New England Finals in Maine and qualifies for the finals in Chicago, travel and lodging expenses are provided by the highly-acclaimed Elks National Foundation.

“We’re looking forward to this Sunday’s Hoop Shoot,” Lagesse said after the East Providence Elks Shoot last Saturday at the Pawtucket Boys and Girls Club. “Who knows, one of our boys and girls might wind shooting their way to the National Hoop Shoot in Chicago.”

Elks, basketball, sports

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here