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2010 State
Convention - Hoop Shoot Report President Slesinski, I would like to report on a successful year.
The 2009-10 Hoop Shoot program came to an official end just three weeks ago
at the National finals in Springfield, Mass. It concluded another year of
local, District, State and Regional contests around our State. The success of the Hoop Shoot program
wouldn’t be possible without all of our dedicated Directors and members
from around the state, who helped at each level of competition. Thank you
very much for all your efforts! At this
time I would like to recognize our District Directors and thank them all
their hard work, please stand as I call your name. They are: Tim McCandless (NW), Steve Lucas (NC), Kevin Brouse (NEC), Christina Sonn
(NE), Ken Miller (W), Donna Swigart & William Smoulder (M), Gary Shepherd (WC), Dave Pular (SW), Kathy
Kendall (SC) and Barry Shultz (SE). The 38th
annual State Contest was held Saturday, March 6 at the State College High
School. It was another exciting contest with 60 boys and girls from across
the state, competing for the title of State Champion and trip to the Regional
contest. At this
time we would like to recognize our six champions. Would a Lodge
representative please come forward to receive their plaque? They are: 8-9 Girl Alexis Williams
representing Tyrone Lodge #212 (NC), 8-9 Boy representing Erie Lodge #67
(NW), 10-11 Girl Hannah Laidig representing Bedford
Lodge #1707 (NC), 10-11 Boy Drew Magestro
representing Lodge Sharon Lodge #103 (W), Sarrah
Pollock representing Chambersburg Lodge #600 (SC) and Kody
Trude representing Philipsburg Lodge #1173. The
Emile Brady team award, for the District with the highest score by all its
shooters, goes to the North Central District. Our Homer Huhn
award winners, our girl and boy MVP, are awarded to 12-13
Girl Sarrah Pollock and 10-11 Boy Drew Magestro. The State Hoop Shoot weekend
wouldn’t be the success it is without the help of so many Elk members.
Thank you to all the local lodges and Districts, for taking care of the cost
of the families rooms. Thanks to all those that helped in any way during the
weekend. Whether it was with
Friday evening’s registration and reception, Saturday’s breakfast
or awards banquets and at the contest. It was really a team effort!
We’re very fortunate to have so many members interested in helping. A
special thanks to Exalted Ruler Jeff Weyman and all
the helpers from State College Lodge #1600, especially W.F. Reiber and Robert Kidder, to Glenn Foster for setting up
the Drug Awareness booth Friday evening and donating the basketballs for each
contestant, Suellen Shick
for all the photos she takes and photo kits she gives the State Champions,
Dave Pular for all his photos and getting them on the web page and George
Carlin for his years of video taping the contest
and banquet. A special thanks to Kevin Brouse and Dennie Kanouff for handling the
contest announcing and MC at the Banquets and finally to Glenn Klein of Klein
Artworks for the great job his does with printing our programs. During the past six years
we’ve had a very enjoyable hospitality room, which is under the
direction of Dennie and Jean Kanouff,
a big thank you to them. Money continues to be raised for the National
Foundation and Legacy Trust Fund. We’re currently working on our second
$1000 pledges for both of them. Also a special thanks to our energetic games
of chance sellers, they do a wonderful job! At this time, we would like to
recognize Dennie and Jean for their contributions
to the Hoop Shoot program and the hospitality room. A $100 donation was made
to the Legacy Trust Fund in their name, and a Certificate was presented to Dennie. The weekend isn’t just
about crowning our six State Champions. It is also about promoting good
sportsmanship and providing a quality Youth Activities event. Hopefully, one
that all the families will remember for a long time. If you’ve never
attended the State Hoop Shoot weekend, I would encourage you to consider it.
Just ask those that have! Following the state contest our
six champions moved on to the Regional contest and competed against New
Jersey and New York. At the Regional contest our kids did very well, with
three first place and three seconds. Earning a trip to the National finals
were 10-11 Boy Drew Magestro (Sharon Lodge), 10-11
Girl Hannah Laidig (Bedord)
and 12-13 Girl Sarrah Pollock (Chambersburg). I was
very proud of all them for their efforts and sportsmanship. Also would like
to thank all the Elks that attended the contest and banquet, we had a good
showing. All our families enjoyed their trip to Springfield for the National
finals. Although he didn’t bring a trophy home, they had a good time. Although
we only had 84% of our States Lodge’s hold a contest, we had 10 well
run District contests and another outstanding State Contest. It’s was
very disappointing that 16 Lodges chose not to participate this year. I just
don’t understand this and would urge them to consider holding a contest
this coming year. There were no Districts this year with 100% Lodge
participation. Eight of our ten Districts had only one Lodge not
participates, and the rest were the other two Districts. Those Lodges not
holding a contest were: Aliquippa(W), Charleroi(SW), Clarion(NW),
Columbia-Middletown(SC), Fairless Hills(SE), Harrisburg(SC), McKees Rocks(M), Renovo(NC), Reynoldsville(WC),
Sunbury(NEC), Towanda(NE), Uniontown(SW), Washington(SW), Waynesboro(SC),
Waynesburg(SW) and York(SC). It’s now time to start
making plans for the 2010-11 contests. We had our committee meeting
yesterday, so we’re off and running. The 2011 State Contest will be
held on Sat. March 5 and the Regional contest on March 26. The District
Directors will be working on scheduling their dates and will announce them
once they’re set. I’ve asked all of them to contact their
District Lodges and confirm their Local Director contact information. Our goal for 2010-11 is simple,
have every Lodge hold a contest and increase our overall participation. If
any Lodges have any questions or need help planning their contest,
don’t hesitate to contact your District Chairman or myself. We would like to thank everyone who
placed a Booster or Good Luck ad in this year’s State Contest program.
The ads covered the cost of printing the programs. We plan on doing this
again next year. If you or your Lodge would like to place an ad, let me know.
If you get a chance today, stop by the Youth Activities table out in the hall
and pickup a copy and a results sheet. We have a lot of programs left, so
take a couple. In closing I would like to
thank our Committee Advisor PSP Denny Kanouff and
Regional Director Frank Bonner for their oversight, the State Trustee’s
for their funding and the Advisory Board for their continued confidence.
Please reminder to support the National Foundation, without the generous
funding, we would not have the program here in Pennsylvania that we
enjoy. Steven Lucas State Chairman May 15, 2010 HISTORY First, we ask that you permit us to give you a brief history of basketball, then we'll tell you all about the Elks Hoop Shoot Program. The game of basketball began in the winter of 1891, at the Young Men's ChristianTraining School in Springfield, Massachusetts. The game's inventor was a faculty member, Dr. James Naismith, who was simply looking for a new sporting activity to give students something worthwhile to fill the void between the Football and Baseball seasons. Thus it was in December of 1891 that Dr. Naismith put his new idea into actual practice: with not even an inkling of just how big the new physical activity would become. Naismith began his initial "Basketball" game by splitting his class members into two separate teams, while the school janitor brought in a pair of peach baskets that Dr. Naismith designated as "goals." These "goals" would facilitate the scoring for the new sport, while two students, Frank Mahan and Duncan Patton, were then given the task of choosing up sides. Thus, the first Basketball game in history began, and it fell to William R. Chase, a youngster from New Bedford, Massachusetts, to be the person who scored the initial and only goal of the contest. Dr. Naismith had also devised thirteen rules for his new sport, and although many changes have taken place since 1891, five of his rules remain in operation. But the first game in Basketball's history was a truly defensive one, and the final score was 1-0. Actually, the first "official" basketball game took place on January 12, 1892, and Dr. James Naismith's new game would become famous the world over. It has also given the B.P.O.E. it's most popular youth activity, so please allow us a few minutes to tell you more about our "Hoop Shoot" and how it began. The Elks Hoop Shoot Competition was begun as a local Elks Lodge event in Corvallis, Oregon, No. 1413 in the late 1960's, and in 1970 was instituted by the Oregon Elks as a statewide Youth Activity while native son Frank Hise was serving as Grand Exalted Ruler. The Oregon Elks State Association saw nearly 100,000 kids participate in a "boys-only" format in age brackets 8 to 9 years, 10 to 11 years and 12 to 13 years ---- and while this is how it is still done to this day as far as the age groups are concerned, girls have been included since 1974 and shoot in their own gender categories according to the aforementioned age brackets. All Pennsylvania Elks Hoop Shoot contestants are given a brief warm-up period before they begin their quest to sink as many as possible of 25 shots from the foul line. Ties are frequent and all are broken by giving each of the participants an equal number of extra shots until one wins. Since we have three distinct age categories, a child's birthday is very critical in determining what age bracket an entrant will compete in. All these rules will be made quite clear prior to sign-up at the local level. It was during Grand Exalted Ruler Francis M. Smith's administration in 1972 that the committee was asked to attempt Oregon's Hoop Shoot on a national basis; the result being 24 happy young men shooting from eight Elks regions at Kansas City, MO. The next year saw the addition of another region and this time 27 sharp shooting boys were competing in the National Hoop Shoot Finals. Gerald L. "Getty" Powell was appointed as the first National Hoop Shoot Director in 1972, and his guidance and devotion to young people was a driving force in the rapid expansion of the Elks Hoop Shoot. "Getty" Powell was a proud, dedicated and active member at the Peru, Indiana, Elks Lodge No. 365, and his accomplishments are too numerous to list here. Powell was replaced in 1979 by another equally talented and devoted Elk, Emile J. Brady of the Danville, Pennsylvania, Elks Lodge No. 754. A Past State President of our Association, Emile began what proved to be a quarter of a century of service to the Hoop Shoot --- and the Elks program saw its biggest growth in that same time frame. Under Emile's guidance, always with his gracious wife, Joy, at his side, this program became the premier youth athletic event of its kind in these United States of America. By 1975 the Elks had also included the National Winners names on a beautiful plaque that hangs permanently in the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. This is where all National Winner have their names engraved, and this section of the Hall of Fame was dedicated for the Elks in 1976 by Grand Exalted Ruler George E. Klein. Today, the Elks Hoop Shoot Program is the largest such event in America and we see well over a million kids, male and female; participate across the country each year. The national shoot-off is now held every April in the most appropriate spot, the Hall of Fame, and brings kids, Elks and families together for two days to show how friendly competition can build character and confidence. Emile J. Brady retired from his National Hoop Shoot responsibilities in 1997, and not only has he left us with the most successful Elk program in history, but the lives he touched with his visionary ability and managerial skills will live on for future generations who like the thrill of competing one-on-one. The Hoop Shoot competition here in Pennsylvania's ten districts and 105 Elks Lodges begins in the late fall and early winter and consists of local contests, with the winners of these events representing those Lodges at their district Hoop Shoot. These district winners then advance to the State Finals, presently held at State College High School in State College, Pennsylvania, each March; the winners here have their names engraved on the Pennsylvania Elks Hoop Shoot plaque in State College. Expenses are paid for the winning players and those who score highest in one of the six bracket titles then advance to the Regional Hoop Shoot in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Here they compete against the best free throw shooters from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. Should you claim a victory in Wilkes-Barre, then you and your family will be headed to Springfield, MA, in April for the National Hoop Shoot finals at the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame PLUS a chance to see your name engraved for all time on the Elks Hoop Shoot plaque that hangs there permanently. The 2009-2010 Pennsylvania Elks Hoop Shoot finals took place at State College, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, March 6, 2010, and the Regional contest at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was held on Saturday, March 20, 2010. The Elks National Hoop Shoot Finals took place at the National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Saturday, April 20, 2010. The 2010-2011 Pennsylvania Elks Hoop Shoot finals will be held at State College, Pennsylvania on Saturday, March 5, 2011, and the Regional contest at Wilkes-Barre, on Saturday, March , 2011. The Elks National Hoop Shoot Finals will take place at the National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Saturday, April , 2011. That's our Pennsylvania Elks State Association Hoop Shoot Program in a nutshell, an event that is currently under the capable leadership of Steve Lucas of Tyrone Lodge No. 212 of the North Central District. If you have any questions as to how and when you can find an Elks Hoop Shoot in your Pennsylvania community, please E-Mail Director Steve Lucas at hoopshoots@aol.com. You can also locate the nearest Elks Lodge quickly by using the link to our Pennsylvania Elks Homepage shown at the bottom of this page. Hey, thanks a million for visiting us --- and may we be the first to wish you good luck in the Pennsylvania Elks Hoop Shoot for 2010-2011. |
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