CHICAGO, April 29,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On April
20, 2024, the 72 best youth free-throw makers in the nation
stepped up to the line at Wintrust Arena in Chicago to take their shot at national titles
in six divisions—boys and girls in each of three age-groups. While
only six walked away with the first-place trophies, every
participant unleashed grit along the way and left knowing the value
of the practice and perseverance it took to reach the national
stage.
On April 20,
2024, the 72 best youth free-throw makers in the nation shot
for an Elks Hoop Shoot national title.
After a total of 1,516 made free throws, six champions
were crowned:
8- to 9-year-olds
Ainsley Weaver of Ohio (24/25 and 5/5 in a shoot-off) and
Parker Moeller of
Ohio (24/25 and 5/5 in a
shoot-off)
10- to 11-year-olds
Blake Ensfield of Michigan (24/25) and Beckett Jilka
of Kansas (25/25)
12- to 13-year-olds
Ava Cumicek of Wisconsin (23/25 and 14/15 in a shoot-off)
and Ayden Birch of
Oklahoma (24/25 and 5/5
in a shoot-off)
All six champions will have their names displayed in the Elks
Hoop Shoot exhibit at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
in Springfield, Mass., and will
visit the Hall as guests of the Elks.
During the Hoop Shoot weekend, the Finalists and their families
swapped trading cards, competed at a trivia night, attended a
Chicago Cubs game, and befriended other Finalists from across the
country.
Funded by the Elks National Foundation, the Hoop Shoot has been
unleashing gritty kids for more than 50 years.
"I'm 50 years old now, and I competed in this when I was a
9-year-old kid," said Keynote Speaker and Head Coach of the
Northwestern Men's Basketball Team Chris Collins at the Awards
Banquet. "Coming in here brought back memories of all the times I
practiced, all the competitions I went through, and coming up short
in the National Finals."
In 1984, Collins was a Hoop
Shoot National Finalist who competed in Indianapolis and came in fourth place.
"For all of you going forward," Collins said," I hope this has shown you that
when you put your mind to something, you can be great in whatever
it is. I was a kid who wanted to be great—and now here I am."
The Elks organization, which will host the Hoop Shoot National
Finals at Wintrust Arena again next year, is headquartered in
Chicago.
The complete results from this year's Hoop Shoot are available
at elks.org/hoopshoot. Next year's tournament tips off in
the fall in local communities everywhere.
Contact: Abbey Knupp |
Communications, Elks National Foundation
2750 N. Lakeview Avenue, Chicago,
IL 60614-2256
773/755-4864 | enf@elks.org
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SOURCE ELKS NATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.