Hoop Shoot

Hoop Shoot

Equipment, Rules and Instructions

Age Categories

The Elks National "Hoop Shoot" Free Throw Contest is open to boys and girls, ages 8 to 13. It is the responsibility of the Subordinate Lodge Director to verify, by birth certificate, baptismal certificate, passport, the age of all contestants so they may be assigned to the proper age category, thereby eliminating any disappointment that might arise on a technicality.

There shall be two divisions -- boys and girls -- and three categories in each division.

  1. Contestant's age groups will be determined by their age as of April 1. This will be the responsibility of the Local Director. There are six age groups in the competition: boys age 8-9, girls age 8-9, boys age 10-11, girls age 10-11, boys age 12-13 and girls age 12-13.
  2. Boys and Girls in the 8-9 age category may shoot four feet in front of the regulation foul line.
  3. Contestants must be 8 years old as of April 1. Contestants under the age limit will be ineligible to participate.

Equipment

Basketball or tennis shoes are necessary.

T-shirt, slacks or pants may be worn. Basketball uniforms would be preferred, but should not be required.

Boys Basketball

In the 8-9 boys age division, the 28.5 basketball will be used in all levels of competition.

In the 10-11 and 12-13 age divisions, a regulation-size official basketball with 7-9 lbs. of air and channels and/or seams not exceeding 1/4 inch in width. A leather ball will be used in all state, regional and national contests.

Girls Basketball

A regulation-size official basketball 28.5 in circumference with 7-9 Ibs. of air and channels and/or seams not exceeding 1/4 inch in width. A leather ball will be used in all state, regional and national contests.

School Contest

In the jurisdiction of your Lodge are many elementary and junior high schools, public and private, which should be contacted by a member of your Lodge Committee. In almost all cases, each school will conduct its own contest by the Physical Education Department of that particular school in any manner they desire, using our rules but their own helpers in conducting the contest. Each school will declare its three winners in both boys and girls categories. In most cases, the instructor will conduct the school contest during regular physical education classes, noontime or after school. These winners from the various schools in your area will then enter the Subordinate Lodge Contest and compete for the Local Championship. A runner-up in each category should be determined at the school contest in case a substitute for the Subordinate Lodge Contest is needed.

The school officials should be contacted before the opening of the fall session so they may plan for the Free Throw Contest in their program.

Rules

Subordinate Lodge, District, State, Regional Semi-Finals, and National Finals

  1. Director must set the time, date and place for the contest. All participants should be notified accordingly so there will be no misunderstanding as to any of the above.

    The contestants must be present and ready to participate at the time their age category contest is started.
    In no case may a contestant shoot before or after the designated time as set by the director. The penalty will be disqualification.
    A participant can enter only one subordinate lodge contest.
  2. Each age category should draw for their shooting position. The method is left to the discretion of the Director.
  3. All contestants should be allowed 10 minutes to warm up and get acquainted with the floor and basket under the supervision of the contest officials.
  4. Each contestant in order of their draw will get five warm up shots, if desired, and then will shoot 10 for score. It shall be the duty of the line judge to inform the contestant and the scorers that the contestant is shooting for score. This will be the last audio contact the line judge will have with the contestant. In the event a foul is committed, the line judge will indicate it by signaling a "T" with his or her hands, signifying a technical foul has been committed. This should be in clear view of the contestant and the three judges. Scorers should make the notation on their score sheet as a missed shot with a circled "T." Upon completing their warm up shots and 10 shots for score, the contestant will then go to the end of the line or sit on a chair until the remaining contestants have completed their warm ups and 10 shots, at which time each will shoot 15 shots to complete their 25 for score.
  5. Contestants cannot bounce the ball more than four times between shots. Penalty, the shot is void. A free throw is the opportunity given a contestant to score a point for score from within the free throw circle and behind the free throw line. A free throw begins when the ball is given to the free thrower at the free throw line. It ends when the try is successful; or it is certain the try will not be successful; or when the ball becomes dead.
  6. Contestant must stay behind the foul line until the ball has touched the hoop, backboard or net. Line violations will be the same as indicated in rule 4. The penalty for this mistake is the loss of basket if made.
  7. Ties will be broken by taking five additional shots in the same shooting order as the regular contest, and if still tied, a series of five more shots until the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place is determined in each of the three age-groups. All tied shots will be made at the same basket as the previous twenty five.
  8. In no way can a tie be broken by a flip of a coin or by drawing straws or in any other manner except by those prescribed in rule 7.
  9. Only contestants, officials and scorers will be allowed on the floor during the contest.
  10. There should be three scorers at each basket to record the results on score sheets, and they should sit behind the contestants while they are shooting. There should be three officials with striped shirts, and they should wear gym shoes. At each basket, there should be one official on each side of the foul line to retrieve the ball, which they should throw back to the line official standing by the contestant. The line official should then hand the ball to the shooter. This line official will signal to the scorers made or missed shots. The decision of the scorers is final, and no spectator, because of their count, can change the scorers' decision.
  11. No flash pictures should be taken of a contestant while shooting for score except by official photographer designated by the Director.
  12. No one should be allowed to sit close to the basket or cause any disturbance while the contestant is shooting. If so, the official must stop the contest and clear the area.
  13. All people attending the contest should sit on the side of the gym and maintain complete silence and in no way cause any commotion that will distract the shooter.
  14. The basketballs used in the contest should be furnished by the Director of the contest, and it is his or her duty to make sure that regulation-size basketballs, as described in rule 2 under equipment, are used and the required amount of air pressure (7-9 Ibs.) has been checked before the contest.
  15. To start the contest, Boys 8-9 should shoot at one end of the gym, and Girls 8-9 should shoot at the other end at the same time. In school contests, this is left up to the school officials.

Instructions for Judges, Scorers and Ball Retrievers

Line Judges

Ball Retrievers

Scorers