Chicago’s skyline is unmistakable. Skyscraper after skyscraper standing firm against the wind and reflecting the blue hues of Lake Michigan. The steel behemoths tower over the busy streets below, which never seem to have a dull moment. The sound of the “L” going by is constant, as are the smells of hot dogs and pizza—and other things that aren’t as appetizing. The energy of the city is palpable.
When someone is in Chicago, they know they’re in Chicago.
From April 24 to 27, Hoop Shoot National Finalists, their families, and Elk fans traveled to the Windy City for the 2025 Elks Hoop Shoot National Finals. Though it marked the end of the Hoop Shoot season, for many of the 72 Finalists, this metropolis was a far cry from where their Hoop Shoot journeys began.
“We got to go to Chicago and see the beautiful city, we got to meet a bunch of people from all over the country,” says Ken Brogdon, father of 2024 and 2025 National Finalist Olivia Brogdon, sponsored by Sheridan, Wyo., Lodge No. 520, and 2023 National Finalist Maggie Brogdon, who placed second. “It’s been a great experience—just amazing.”
The 72 Finalists who advanced to Chicago didn’t get there by accident. Over the course of several months, they survived Lodge, District, State, and Regional competitions. For many, getting to Chicago was a distant dream or something they didn’t even know was possible when they competed in a gym class competition.
“When we started the Elks Hoop Shoot, Turner said, ‘Dad, I want to make it to the National Finals in Chicago,’” says Van Shea Iven, father of National Finalist Turner Iven, sponsored by Midwest City, Okla., Lodge No. 1890. Van Shea also competed in the Hoop Shoot as a kid, though he never made it to the National Finals. “I didn’t tell him, but I thought he had no chance. ‘The only way we’ll get to Chicago is if we go on a vacation.’”
The Finalists and their families deserved a hotel that was fit for the champions they are, and they got one: the Hilton Chicago on Michigan Avenue. Once the largest hotel in the world, the hotel has hosted nearly every sitting United States President since it opened in 1927. As they walked into the main entrance of the two-million-square-foot hotel, with the city’s skyline blanketing their peripheral vision, the Finalists knew they were where they were supposed to be by the towering red, white and blue Hoop Shoot balloons and the Regional Directors there to greet them.
“The Elks do a really good job of just bringing kids in and showing that they care about them at every level of the contest,” says Steve Gress, father of National Finalist Eila Gress, sponsored by Madison, Wis., Lodge No. 410. “As you [advance in the tournament], the Elks really show that it means a lot to them, too.”
Elks Hoop Shoot signs cover the walls. The sounds of conversations between competitors fill the air. The excitement of the impending contest is palpable.
When someone is at the Elks Hoop Shoot National Finals, they know they’re at the Elks Hoop Shoot National Finals.
Free throws may be the reason for the weekend, but the contest was far from the only special event for Finalists. When they arrived, each Finalist received a book of Best sWishes, well-wishes from family and friends; exclusive National Finals t-shirts; and, most special of all, their very own trading cards.
“When I saw my trading card, I was pretty jacked up,” says Eila Gress, a 9-year-old National Finalist.
Inspired by professional trading cards, these served as a great reminder of the incredible achievements of the National Finalists—and even made some of them feel like pro athletes.
“In the first two hours we were here, I told Turner, ‘If we go home right now, this trip has been awesome,’” says Iven. “I mean, he's getting swag like he's in the NBA. He thinks he’s someone really important, and for the next three days, he is someone really important.”
After the Finalists traded their cards with one another, Elks volunteers, and even the doorman of the hotel, they were given the chance to put their knowledge to the test by participating in family-friendly trivia. The excited screams of National Finalists who answered correctly spoke for themselves: Trivia was a hit.
The free throw line is a very familiar place for every Finalist, but in a new environment, even the most familiar place can feel foreign. Friday morning, competitors got the chance to shake off the rust and get re-acquainted with the free throw line at the practice gym. The competitors weren’t the only ones shaking off the rust, though—members of the Hoop Shoot Alumni Advisory Board, aka the BackBoard, prepared for their role in the contest by catching the shots that were made or rebounding the ones that were missed. In between free throws, they were able to make new friends and serve as mentors for the competitors.
“This whole weekend, the National Finalists have learned about character,” says Trish Espinosa, mother of 2025 National Finalist Bryce Espinosa, sponsored by Putnam, Conn., Lodge No. 574, and 2023 National Finalist T.J. Espinosa. “This isn't about just getting the ball in the hoop. They’re learning lifelong lessons about sportsmanship, friendship, and being part of a community.”
That afternoon, the Finalists and their families braved the cold and rain at Wrigley Field for a Chicago Cubs game. The second oldest stadium in Major League Baseball, Wrigley is a staple for tourists and baseball fans, and not even the rain could dampen the Finalists’ spirits.
"We had a blast at Wrigley Field,” says Youth Programs Associate Nathan Springberg. “Despite battling the rain, the Cubs game served as the perfect prelude to the intensity of Saturday morning.”
After some last-second encouragement from Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny in “Space Jam,” the winning movie night selection two years in a row, the Finalists went to bed. The night before the big day can be nerve-wracking for everyone involved, but when a competitor makes it this far, they can rest assured that it’s not by accident.
“Some people count sheep when they go to sleep—I count free throws,” says Iven. “I can hear the dribble, dribble, swish, catch, pass. Turner has done it between 30 and 40,000 times [in practice].”
Wintrust Arena can be an intimidating place, even for the most seasoned Hoop Shoot veterans. Home to the WNBA Chicago Sky, Division I DePaul Blue Demons, and NBA Draft Combine, this 10,000-seat arena has hosted many of basketball’s rising stars, including Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers.
The lights went down and the music turned up. The 8- to 9-year-old Finalists ran onto the court, canopied by a tunnel of volunteers who made the weekend possible. It was finally the time that everyone had been waiting for.
“I think the Elks Hoop Shoot is the most intense competition you’ll ever witness,” says Olivia Brogdon, a Finalist in the 12-13 girls division. “But it’s a great competition.”
The Finalists hailed from 40 miles north of Chicago to more than 3,500 miles away in Alaska. When they stepped up to the line, height, strength, speed, or distance traveled didn’t matter—all that mattered was the practice it took to get there and making free throws.
From the start, it was clear that these National Finals would be ones for the record books. On the girls’ side, both Eila Gress, sponsored by Madison, Wis., Lodge No. 410, and Carrigan Price, sponsored by Columbia/Middletown, Penn., Lodge No. 1074, started with a perfect 10/10. Because Eila shot immediately before Carrigan, Eila had the chance to put immense pressure on Carrigan—and she did exactly that. Eila made 14 out of 15, finishing with a total score of 24/25 and leaving Carrigan little room for error.
After watching Eila’s impressive performance, Carrigan stepped back up to the line and sank her first four shots before missing her fifth. In a tremendous display of grit, Carrigan shook off the miss, bore down, and drained her final 10 shots to force a shoot-off for the title.
In the first four rounds of an epic shoot-off, Eila left the door open three times, but Carrigan failed to capitalize. When Eila missed again in the fifth round, Carrigan finally converted and claimed her title as Frank Hise National Champion. The girls had tied at 24/25 and needed an additional 25 shots to settle the score.
The Boys 8-9 division also started with two 10/10s, but no shoot-offs were necessary: Paxton Plourd, sponsored by Cullman, Ala., Lodge No. 1609, finished with a perfect 25/25. Paxton’s perfect score not only earned him a Frank Hise National Championship, but also an Emile Brady Award, given to every competitor who achieves a rare 25/25.
Heading into the second round of the Boys 10-11 Division, four competitors were tied with perfect scores. Cole Cavanee, sponsored by Kearney, Neb., Lodge No. 984, rose above the rest, sinking 24/25 free throws to earn his Frank Hise National Championship.
Jacinta Patel, sponsored by Des Plaines, Ill., Lodge No. 1526, traveled the shortest distance to Wintrust Arena, and when she stepped up to the line, she looked right at home. Jacinta ran away with the Girls 10-11 division with a score of 23/25, winning by three shots.
In the Girls 12-13 Division, Grace Wilhelm, sponsored by Palmer, Alaska, Lodge No. 1842, showed that a lengthy journey is no deterrent, sinking 23/25 free throws to become Alaska’s first Frank Hise National Champion in Elks Hoop Shoot history.
As history was made on one side of the court, an intense battle unfolded on the other end. The first two competitors in the Boys 12-13 division, Brazen Smith, sponsored by Wheeling, W. Va., Lodge No. 28, and Cooper Thompson, sponsored by Claremore, Okla., Lodge No. 1230, couldn’t miss—literally. They both scored 25/25 in regulation, and required a shoot-off to determine who would take home the gold. In this showdown, there would be no second chances. After Brazen missed his final two shots of the shoot-off, Cooper stepped up and made drilled all five, clinching the victory. It was his first gold medal in four trips to the National Finals.
Though Cooper had just won the championship in a shoot-off, he wasn’t off the hook yet: Cooper’s and Paxton’s perfect scores necessitated another shoot-off, this time for the Getty Powell Award. Earned by the top scorers in the boys and girls divisions, the Getty Powell Award is the highest honor a competitor can receive at the contest, and it comes with a trip to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts to see the Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony.
After a break of several hours, Paxton stepped back up to the line and sank 4/5 shots. However, on a day when even perfection wasn’t good enough to beat Cooper, Paxton’s score fell short. Cooper made all five, clinching the Getty Powell Award and finishing the day with a combined score of 35/35.
Cooper’s new hardware is impressive, but it won’t look out of place on his family’s trophy shelf: His brother, Caden, won the Getty Powell Award in 2020. For the Thompsons, the Elks Hoop Shoot is a way to bring the family together.
“Everybody has helped me with the Elks Hoop Shoot,” says Cooper. “My parents bring me to the gym, my nana comes and rebounds for me, my brother practices with me—everybody helps.”
No shoot-offs were needed for the girls’ Getty Powell Award, as Carrigan Price took home the trophy with her score of 24/25.
“This was my first year here, and I didn’t think I was going to make it this far, but I did and scored first place,” says Carrigan. “I’m really excited.” All six Frank Hise National Champions—Carrigan, Paxton, Jacinta, Cole, Grace, and Cooper—earned more than just bragging rights. They will have their names displayed in the Elks Hoop Shoot digital exhibit at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, among the greatest basketball players of all time. The Elks National Foundation will send all six to Springfield, Massachusetts, to see their names among basketball’s greats.
After a long, stressful day of competition, the National Finalists were honored with an Awards Banquet fit for champions. While the winners were celebrating, those who didn’t walk away with hardware likely felt some sense of sadness—but they weren’t alone. Keynote speaker and retired NFL player, Robbie Gould, knows how it feels to come up short.
“I was cut from the NFL three times,” said Gould. “I had guys telling me that I wasn’t big enough, telling me that my leg was too small, but the biggest thing is to compete anyway. Every day is about being the best version of yourself.”
Though Gould’s path to his 18-year NFL career wasn’t easy, he picked himself up, went back to work, and achieved his dreams: He became the all-time leading scorer in Chicago Bears history, scored the 10th most points in NFL history, and earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2006.
“Be humble, work hard, and whatever you want to achieve in life—go grab it,” said Gould. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Your dreams are attainable.”
Whether the National Finalists achieved their dreams at Wintrust Arena, they can go on to make a difference in the lives of others.
“Everyone in this building—kids, parents, grandparents, volunteers—you have the ability to do something that nobody else does,” said Gould. “You can uniquely and significantly impact your community. Service is such a big part of what the Elks do. Get involved and do acts of kindness.”
The Elks Hoop Shoot surely left an impact on the 72 National Finalists, and now, those National Finalists will make their own impact on the world.
“I had no idea, to be honest, how much involvement the Elks have in the community and how much they provide,” says Nicole Dauphinee, mother of National Finalist Jerry Dauphinee, sponsored by Brunswick, Maine, Lodge No. 2043. “The Elks Hoop Shoot is a really cool opportunity to get involved and represent your community with pride.”
The Elks have been unleashing gritty kids through the Hoop Shoot program for more than 50 years. For 2025-26, the Elks National Foundation allocated $1.5 million to fund the program. For videos, news from the court, and more information about the Hoop Shoot, visit elks.org/hoopshoot.