The Nashua Lodge of Elks will be hosting the 41st Greater Nashua Elks Hoop Shoot free throw contest on Saturday, Dec. 8 at Elm Street Middle School on Chestnut Street.

There is no charge for the competition that begins promptly at 8 a.m. and 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, 2013 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, and 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 contest, going from Local to District, State, Regional and National levels. Winners will have their names inscribed in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

The Nashua Elks have sent 11 youngsters to the Elks National Hoop Shoot finals – Steven Piwowoski, Melissa Ayotte, Debra Killmon, Ellen Tipping, Ryan Robinson, Ryan Sullivan, Michael Panagoulias, Caleb Donnelly, Max Coleman, Tom O’Hearn, and Tilak Patel.

In 2006, Donnelly was the first Greater Nashua champion to win the Elks National Hoop Shoot free throw championship.

Elks Youth Chairman Al Savage (888-0064) is in charge of the local contest. Local winners will compete in the State Elks Southern New Hampshire District contest in Nashua on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013.