The Westwood Elks Lodge No. 1562 will hold their Annual Basketball Hoop Shot Contest on Saturday, Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. until noon at the Westwood Community Center.
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The contest is open to boys and girls ages 8-13. There are six categories: girls 8-9 years, boys 8-9 years, girls 10-11 years, boys 10-11 years, girls 12-13 years and boys 12-13 years.
The winners of the competition will be given trophies. They will then go on to the North District Competition in January at Park Ridge High School. Those winners will be given plaques or trophies, and they will then advance to the State Competition, where they will compete with the winners of 11 other Elks districts in the state. Those winners will advance to a Regional Competition, and then if successful will go to the National Hoop Shot Competition. All costs are absorbed by the Elks Lodges in the district and the state.
Westwood Lodge has had District champions, and at one time had one young man advance to the national contest. Nine year ago they had Vivian Yan of Hillsdale as a state champion, and five years ago Willie Higgins, of the boys 8-9 year old division, was also a state champion and went to the regional finals.
The Hoop Shot Contest has been sponsored by the Elks for many years, and is the largest youth participation contest, second only to the Pass, Kick and Punt Contest.
The national winners get their names inscribed in the National Basketball Hall of Fame.
For further information, contact the Westwood Elks youth activities chairman, Neil Stewart, at (704) 906-1874, or North District chairman, Jan Royland, past exalted ruler, at (201) 406-7061.