Local kids compete in annual Elks Hoop Shoot

The hours of practice shooting free throws paid off for the boys and girls who won their age group in Saturday’s Elks Hoop Shoot in Weiser.
 The local competition was sponsored by Weiser’s Elks Lodge No. 1683 and held in the gym at Weiser Middle School. The local winners will go to district competition at Capital High School in Boise on Jan. 19. The winners at the district level qualify to go to the state competition.
 The number of competitors was down this year compared to previous hoop shoots with 24 youngsters. There were four girls and 20 boys signed up to compete in the various age groups. The ages of the participants ranged from eight to 13. 
 The young hoops players were able to take some warm-up shots before the contest started at 1 p.m. Then the rules were explained, and then it was time to get serious. Each contestant attempted to sink as many free throws as he or she could in 25 attempts with the highest score winning. 
 The winner in the 8-9-year-old boys division was Jantsen Walker. Sophia Shirts won the girls division in the same age group.
 Klete Cook won the 10-11 boys division. He hit 16 out of 25 free throws. Ellie Shirts won the girls division.
 Cook was the local, district and state champion last year when he competed in the 8-9-year old division. He made it to regionals in March of 2018, competing against kids his age from Oregon, Washington and Alaska. 
 At regionals, he made 22 of 25 free throws, which tied him for second place. The winner from Washington state hit 23 out of 25 free throws.
 His brother, Kolin, won the 12-13 age group on Saturday by hitting 20 of 25 free throws. Jack Shirts was runner-up with 19 free throws out of 25 attempts. There was no girl entries in the 12-13 age division.
 The Cook brothers can look to their mom for coaching and inspiration as they move on in the competition to the Elks district tourney.
 Growing up in Weiser, Laraine Harrison also participated in the Weiser Elks Hoop Shoot every year from age eight to 13. 
 Darrel Krause, a member of the Weiser Elks Lodge and organizer of the event, said the Elks Hoop Shoot is one of the largest youth participation events in the nation. It has been held across the country every January since 1972.
 Jerry Barnard, another local Elks member, said he has been helping out at the local Hoop Shoot for 10-12 years and never misses it.
 “I enjoy it. It’s fun to watch the kids,” he said.
 Dorothy and John Evans volunteered to be official scorekeepers and help with registration. They have participated in the Elks Hoop Shoot for the past three years. 
 “It is so much fun seeing these kids trying so hard and doing so well,” Dorothy said.
 The number of girls participating in the Elks Hoop Shoot competition has waned over the years. Yet, one of the best free-throw shooters in recent years in Weiser was a girl, who went to the Elks Hoop Shoot nationals not once but twice.
 Lilly Richins qualified for the national finals twice. In 2014, Richins won the Northwest regional competition in Portland by making an incredible 22 baskets out of 25 free throw attempts. She won a trip to Massachusetts to compete in the national finals.
 

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Weiser, ID 83672
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