The Laramie Elks Lodge No. 582 announces the Local competition for the Annual Elks Hoop Shoot, “the national free throw shooting contest” for youngsters age 8 through 13, will be held at the City of Laramie Recreation Center at 920 Boulder Drive on Saturday January 21, 2023. Registration will begin at 9:30 A.M. and the Competition will begin at 10:00 A.M. There is no cost to the participants to compete in the contest.

Over three million youngsters from throughout the country entered last year’s competition for boys and girls in the age categories 8-9; 10-11; and 12-13. Each contestant has 25 shots at the hoop. The boy and girl in each age group with the best scores advance through four tiers of competition to qualify for the national finals. Contestants’ age groups will be determined by their age as of April 1, 2023.

Local winners will compete against other contestants in the district competition to be held in Rawlins on January 28, 2023. District winners will compete in the State competition in Casper on February 4, 2023. The names of the national winners will be inscribed on the Elks National “Hoop Shoot” plaque, on permanent display in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.