One story that stuck out was that of the winner of the 10- to 11- year-old boys division, Carmelo Aliceo, age 10.
When asked what his secret to success was he simply answered, "Him," and pointed to his sister's 16-year-old boyfriend, Dequon Terry. The young boy holding his trophy in his hands went on to explain how he and Dequon met everyday after school to shoot free throws. Dequon’s face lit up with a huge smile as Carmelo talked about their practice sessions.
Hoop Shoot provided a unique opportunity for Dequon to mentor his young friend and see how a commitment to practice can really pay off.
The gym teacher at Goethe, Ms. Abreu, was also praised over and over again by contestants and parents alike. She is credited with preparing the contestants for the event, and for life. Ms. Abreu tells her students, “Aim high, and work hard to reach your lofty goals.”
Many staff members from the Elks Grand Lodge and the Elks National Foundation were on hand to help out. A true team effort was made, Joe Baker officiated the girls division, Terry Hennings and Avis Thomas checked contestants in, Sandy Supancic kept the snacks stocked, and Billy Donnelly rebounded ball after ball.
It was a fun day, but more important, some life lessons were learned.
Melody Payes, age 12, had this to say: “It takes a lot of practice and it gives you confidence in yourself.”
Her friend, Cecilia Rose, had this to add: ”It is really hard to have people watch you shoot. But, once you get the first one in, you feel really good about yourself.”
Jaedon Ball, age 10, won his division in the Soccer Shoot and came out to give basketball a try. His mother had high praise for both events, “It gives our kids the opportunity to challenge their skills and encourage one another. A competition like this gives them a little extra push to reach farther to meet their goals.”
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