The Nashua Lodge of Elks will be hosting the 44th Greater Nashua Elks’ Hoop Shoot Free Throw contest on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Elm Street Middle School gymnasium on Chestnut Street, beginning promptly at 8 a.m. There is no charge or fees to participate.

The competition is open to all interested boys and girls between the ages of 8 and l3 from the Hudson, Litchfield, Nashua, Hollis, Brookline, Amherst, Milford, Wilton and Merrimack areas.

A participant’s age on April 1, 2016, determines their age division. There will be six age divisions – three for boys and three for girls – 8-9, l0-11 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 two million competed nationally last year in the Elks Hoop Shoot contest at the local, state, regional and national levels.

National winners will have their names inscribed in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. The Nashua Elks have sent 11 to the national finals – Nashua natives Steven Piwowoski, Melissa Ayotte, Debra Killmon, Ellen Tipping, Ryan Robinson, Ryan Sullivan and Michael Panagoulias; Caleb Donnelly and Tom O’Hearn of Hudson and Max Coleman of Londonderry.

In 2006, Caleb Donnelly was the first Greater Nashua Area champion to win the national title.

Area winners will compete in the State Elks Southern New Hampshire District Free Throw contest in Derry on Saturday, Jan. 9.

For more information, contact Elks Youth Chairman Al Savage at 888-0064.

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