Elks Lodge hosting Hoop Shoot event for kids next month

IDAHO FALLS — Local kids will have a chance to test their free-throw skills next month as Elks Lodge #1087 hosts its annual Elks Hoop Shoot competition.

The event will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, with registration beginning at 8:45 a.m. The free competition is open to children ages 8 to 13 and features six divisions based on age as of April 1, 2026: 8–9, 10–11 and 12–13, with separate brackets for boys and girls.

Winners from the Idaho Falls competition will advance to the statewide Hoop Shoot, where they’ll compete for the opportunity to take part in the Elks Hoop Shoot National Championship. Two Idaho Falls girls reached the state level last year.

The six national champions will have their names and photos displayed in a digital exhibit at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Organizers say the Hoop Shoot program, supported by the Elks National Foundation, is designed to be inclusive, fair and safe for all participants, and they encourage all eligible children to take part.

There is no cost to enter the event.