Five is Kendal Cloninger’s lucky number. This 13-year-old, sponsored by Gastonia, N.C., Lodge No. 1644, competed in the Elks National Hoop Shoot contest five times. Last April, when Kendal made her third trip to Springfield, Mass., for the Hoop Shoot National Finals, her desire to win was greater than ever.
“Being in the Hoop Shoot five times, I’ve had the best of both worlds,” says Kendal. “I know how it feels to win and lose, but I just kept trying to do better.”
When Kendal stepped up to the line to start shooting, she felt confident. For months, Kendal practiced for this very moment. Each day, she headed to the gym where she shot more than 600 free throws, while her family helped by counting shots and rebounding. The night before the contest, when visiting the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with her fellow Hoop Shoot finalists, Kendal took 100 shots, sinking 99 of them. At each practice, Kendal used her time wisely.
“Since I started competing in the Hoop Shoot when I was in third grade, I never dribbled before shooting,” says Kendal. “Dribbling takes up too much time.”
As the ninth contestant to shoot in the 12- to 13-year old girls’ division, Kendal knew that she needed a perfect score to win. Mikayla Pivec from Lake City (Seattle), Wash., Lodge No. 1800, who shot first, scored 24 out of 25. The pressure didn’t faze Kendal. She stayed calm, and sunk basket after basket, never letting the ball hit the floor.
After scoring a perfect 25 out of 25, Kendal was thrilled. She not only placed first in her division, but won the Getty Powell Award for best overall female shooter. In July, Kendal will take her first trip to Arizona to accept her award at the Elks Grand Lodge Convention in Phoenix.
“It’s really generous of the Elks to bring together families from across the nation for the Hoop Shoot,” says Kendal. “I have seen many friends come back year after year.”
After her tour of the Grand Canyon, Kendal will start practicing for next year’s Hoop Shoot.
We hope to see her back at the finals in 2012 for her sixth and final Hoop Shoot contest!
In 2011-12, the Elks National Foundation allocated $809,275 to fund the Elks National Hoop Shoot Free Throw Program. For more information on the Hoop Shoot, visit www.elks.org/hoopshoot.