The Nashua Lodge of Elks will be hosting its 38th Greater Nashua Elks Hoop Shoot Dec. 11, in the Elm Street Middle School Gymnasium on Chestnut Street, beginning promptly at 8 a.m. There is no charge or fees to participate in the Elks Hoop Shoot Free Throw Program.

The competition is open to all interested boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 13, from the Hudson, Litchfield, Nashua, Hollis, Brookline, Amherst, Milford, Wilton and Merrimack areas. A youngster’s age on April 1, 2011 determines his/her age division.

There will be six age divisions, three for boys and three for girls each – 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13. Trophies will be presented to the top three boys and girls in each division.

Contestants will shoot five warm-ups, before shooting 25 free throws for score. They must wear basketball or tennis shoes to compete. T-shirts, slacks or pants may be worn but basketball uniforms are preferred. As each age category is completed, contestants may leave. The entire contest usually lasts about two hours, enabling anyone to make any scheduled league games elsewhere.

Over three million youngsters competed last year in the Elks National Hoop Shoot. Winners will have their names inscribed in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. The Nashua Elks have sent 10 youngsters to the Elks National “Hoop Shoot” Finals – Steven Piwowoski, Melissa Ayotte, Debra Killmon, Ellen Tipping, Ryan Robinson, Ryan Sullivan, Michael Panagoulias, Caleb Donnelly of Hudson, Max Coleman of Londonderry and Tom O’Hearn of Hudson.

In 2006, Caleb Donnelly was the first Greater Nashua Area Champion to win the Elks National Hoop Shoot Free Throw Championship.

Contact Elks Youth Chairman Al Savage (888-0064) for more information regarding the local contest. Local winners will compete in the State Elks Southern New Hampshire District Free Throw contest in Nashua on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011.

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