Each year the National Elks Lodge holds their annual Hoop Shoot Free Throw Contest where kids from all over the United States have the opportunity to advance round-by-round through the tournament-style competition, with the ultimate of eventually making it to the national championship held at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, home to the WNBA Champion Chicago Sky and DePaul University.
After Plant City’s local competition in October, winners advanced to Lake Placid for the district round where Kaden Montgomery, Elijah Gilroy, Kara Ouzts and Marlee Kraus advanced once again, earning their spot in the state regional round in Sanford last weekend.
At the state regional round, Montgomery finished second in the boys 10-11 year old division, Gilroy finished third in the boys 12-13 year old division, Ouzts finished fourth in the girls 10-11 year old division and Kraus claimed victory in the girls 12-13 year old division.
Kraus’ 14 baskets in 25 attempts was not only a high enough mark to earn her a spot in the upcoming state competition in Umatilla, but also won her an additional prize for converting the most free throws by any girl across all age groups.
“Plant City Elks Lodge 1727 is so proud to have Marlee Kraus representing us as she heads into the state competition,” Elks Lodge member George Domedion said. “She did a phenomenal job at the state regionals this past weekend, she won a prize for making the most free throws out of any girl in the whole competition. This girl is on fire, she is so excited, we’re so proud of her and we can’t wait to follow along and we hope that she can get to nationals.”
If Kraus can advance through the competition at the Florida Elks Youth Camp in Umatilla, her last hurdle to leap before securing her spot and representing the Plant City Elks Lodge 1727 in the national championship will be the national regionals in Valdosta, Ga.
At the national championship in Chicago, kids from across the country will battle it out for the national championship and a chance to see their names and pictures enshrined as part of a brand-new digital exhibit in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.