Nashua's Jack Young is competing this weekend in the Elks Hoop Shoot Nationals in Chicago, the second Nashuan in the last four years to reach the finals. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Like father, like son?

Well, not quite.

You see, Nashua’s Adam Young, when as a youth competing in the renown Elks Hoop Shoot free throw competition, never really got out of the local rounds.

But that’s different for his 11-year-old son, Jack, who became the second Nashua competitor in four years to reach the final round: the Nationals in Chicago this current weekend.

“I was nowhere near as good as Jack,” Adam Young said with a chuckle. “He is like something else.”

“I’m really excited for Nationals,” Jack said.

The third time was the charm for Jack Young. He began competing in the Elks competition a couple years ago “just for fun” he said. This year the difference was he got out of the first round of the 10-11-year-old division competition after in practice he was hitting 24 out of 25 free throws. Then he hit 18 out of 25 in the local round, improved to 21 out of 25 in the district round, then the state competition his 19 out of 25 won it in Franklin. And he saved his best for pre-Nationals last in the regionals last month in Portland, Me., hitting 22 out of 25 to win.

Was he nervous?

“In the districts I was, because I didn’t know what to expect, it was my first time going into the second round,” he said of the competition in Portsmouth.

There’s a rich history locally with this event. Young, who attends school at Saint Christopher’s, now becomes the 13th competitor from the Lodge of Elks #720 to reach the nationals. Current Nashua South girls varsity player Lexi McGuire did it in the girls 12-13-year-old division three years ago.

The others the Nashua Elks have sent to the Hoop Shoot Nationals include recognizable athletes from the last few decades: Steve Piwowarski, Missy Ayotte, Debra Killmon, Ellen Tipping, Ryan Robinson, Ryan Sullivan , Michael Panagoulias, Caleb Donnelly, Max Coleman, Tom O’Hearn of Hudson and Tilak Patel of Nashua. Only Hudson’s Donnelly, who played Division I college basketball at UMass Lowell, won the national championship, that occurring in 2006. National champions in each boys and girls age group get their names inscribed at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

Young enjoyed the Regionals the most. The Elks treat the competitors like VIPs.

“The experience was the best,” he said. “All the kids were nice. It was great.”

He cleaned up in the districts, winning by eight shots, and then it was just the opposite with a one-shot win in the state competition. He went first in the states, and then had to wait and watch everyone else try to better his mark.

“I’d rather go first, and set the bar,” he said. “It gives me more confidence. I don’t need to know (what score to beat).”

Young has played basketball since he was five, and has played in the Park-Rec Junior Biddy program and realied he wasn’t bad at this free throw thing.

In the Regionals, Young also won by just one, and felt that early slot helped him win. He went third, and had to watch. One competitor from Newport, Vt., he felt had a chance to beat him. “I was only nervous about one kid, he had been to Nationals before,” he said.

“It’s crazy how he can keep his composure at the line,” Adam said. “I’d be so nervous. He doesn’t seem nervous at all when he’ shooting. He looks like he’s having a fun time.”

The same coolness can’t be said for his parents, including his Mom Jenn. “My heart was definitely beating pretty fast,” she said. “But just seeing him out there makes us obviously so proud. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime and he’s earned it. He deserves to be there, all the hours and the time he’s put into this, the dedication, the family, the community and the school, all the support he’s gotten.”

That’s why there’s a huge family contingent in Chicago this weekend – grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.

“Tons of support for him,” Adam said. “We’re so excited.

“It’s fun to see (at the Regionals), they get their track suits and all that, and they parade around the gym and announce the states, and everyone’s names. It was great to see him interact with (kids) from all the other states, and all the people he knew from New Hampshire. Players also traded pins from their respective states.

Players at the regional competition were shuttled back and forth, there was a banquet after, and that VIP treatment was just the beginning of what they’ve seen in Chicago this weekend. Arrival day was slated for Thursday, and the players were to have practice sessions on Friday, and the competition is scheduled for Saturday.

New England Elks Hoop Shoot champion Jack Young is with his parents Jenn and Adam in Chicago this weekend at the Elks Hoop Shoot Nationals. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Jack is looking forward to interacting with fellow competitors from around the country.

“It’s going to be a lot of kids to see, but I think they’re all going to be nice,” he said.

Practices throughout the winter of competition was every other day, usually at a gym at Parish of the Resurrection, but now it’s increased to every day when possible. Adam Young kept the process simple for his son.

“When we practice, we’re usually practicing for consistency,” Adam said. “We’d go 5 for 5, then try to go 10 for 10, and we’d try to do mock competitions. Hit 10 shots, then walk around the gym and take a break, and come back to the line, and I’ll try to get him to go 15 for 15. As close as he can get to 25, if at all possible.”

“He’s always been competitive, had the drive,” Jenn Young said.

The crowd and amount of people at the regional event was more than Jack Young had ever played or competed in front of.

He didn’t flinch.

“That’s what blew me away,” Adam said. “I’m videotaping the whole thing, and my hand is shaking just sitting in the stands. Him being able to go up there and make 22 free throws like it’s no big deal is what was amazing for me.”

What’s also been amazing for the Youngs is the way everyone has been treated by the Elks.

“They always say ‘It’s about the kids, it’s all about the kids,'” Jenn said. “Every single Elk. And they take good care of them. It’s just amazing.”

“It’s been great,” Adam Young said. “Lot of support from the Elks.”

Hoop Shoot fans can follow the event as there is a shot tracker at elks.org/HoopShoot and a livestream is also available at enf.elks.org/HSLivestreams.