Pictured: Zaydi Lazaro, 2nd place (8 & 9 girls); Julianna Zweig, 1st place (8 & 9 girls); Journey Mincey, 1st place (10 & 11 girls); Jermane Mincey, 1st place (12 & 13 girls); Vail McMillan, 2nd place (12 & 13 girls); Harrison Scouten, 2nd place (12 & 13 boys); Carson Williams, 1st place (12 & 13 boys). Lake Oconee Lodge Hoop Shoot Chairman Jamie Grill is in the back.

On Jan. 14, the Lake Oconee Elks Lodge hosted its annual Hoop Shoot for kids between the ages of 8-13 at Lake Oconee Academy.

The Hoop Shoot was open to kids in Greene, Putnam, Morgan and Hancock counties.

The 1st place winners will travel to Covington on Feb. 10 for the District Hoop Shoot. In the 8 & 9 year old girls category, 1st place went to Julianna Zweig; girls 10 & 11 category 1st place went to Journey Mincey; and girls 12 & 13 category 1st place went to Jermane Mincey.  The boys didn’t have contestants for the 8 & 9 year olds. In the boys 10 & 11 year old category, 1st place went to Hudson Scouten and in the 12 & 13 year old category, 1st place went to Carson Williams.  Congratulations and Good Luck to all the kids heading to the District Hoop Shoot in February.  

The Elks Free Throw Hoop Shoot Contest has been held throughout the United States for the past 50 years. It allows every boy and girl between the ages of 8 to 13 in an Elks Lodge community the opportunity to participate in a fun, age appropriate program that sets them up for future success. Kids work hard to go to the next levels of District, State and finally National Shoot that takes place in Chicago at the Wintrust Arena.  The six winners of the National contest have their names permanently inscribed in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.