Ballard Elks Lodge #827

There are two Hoop Shoot contest divisions, boys and girls, and three age categories in each division:

1. Boys, ages 8-9
2. Girls, ages 8-9
3. Boys, ages 10-11
4. Girls, ages 10-11
5. Boys, ages 12-13
6. Girls, ages 12-13

1. A contestant may only enter one Lodge contest.
2. The Hoop Shoot Director sets the time, date and location of the contest. All participants should be notified of this information in advance.
3. All contestants must be present and ready to participate at the time the contest for their age category begins. In no case may a contestant shoot before or after the designated time set for his/her age-group. Shooting times should be set by the Hoop Shoot Director. Participants who shoot before or after their designated time will be disqualified. No exceptions.
4. Shooting positions will be drawn randomly. The method is left to the discretion of the Director.
5. All contestants should be allowed 10 minutes to warm up. Warm-ups should take place under the supervision of the contest officials.
6. To start the contest, boys 8 to 9 shoot at one end of the gym and girls 8 to 9 shoot at the opposite end of the gym at the same time. Boys and girls in the 8 to 9 age category shoot 4 feet in front of the regulation foul line. Use blue painter’s tape to mark the line.
7. Each contestant, in order of their draw, may have up to five warm-up shots (if desired) and then, will shoot 10 shots for score. The designated line judges should inform the contestant and the scorers that the contestant is shooting for score. This will be the last verbal contact that the judge will have with the contestant. Upon completing their warm-up shots and 10 shots for score, the contestant will report to the end of the line or sit on a chair until the remaining contestants have completed their warm-ups and 10 shots. After the other contestants have finished shooting, the contestant will shoot 15 shots to complete their 25 shots for score.
8. A free throw is the opportunity given to the contestant to shoot a basket for score from within the free throw circle and behind the free throw line (except for 8 to 9 year old contestants). A free throw begins when the ball is given to the contestant at the free throw line. It ends when the shot is successful; or when it is certain that the shot will not be successful; or when the ball becomes dead.
9. Contestants cannot bounce the ball more than four times between shots. If the ball is bounced more than four times, a penalty occurs and the shot is void.
10. Contestants must stay behind the foul line until the ball has touched the hoop, backboard or net. Line violations will be marked the same as indicated in Rule 11. The penalty for a line violation is the loss of a basket, if made.
11. In the event that a foul is committed, the line judge will indicate it by signaling a “T” with his/her hands, signifying that a technical foul has been committed. This should be done in clear view of the contestant and three judges. Scorers should note a foul with a circled “T”.
12. Ties will be broken by taking five additional shots in the same shooting order as the regular contest. Contestants will continue to shoot a series of five shots until the tie is broken and the 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd- place winners are determined in all three age- groups. All tie-breaking shots will be made at the same basket as the previous 25. In no way can a tie be broken in any other manner except by those described above.
13. Only contestants, officials and scorers are allowed on the floor during the contest.
14. There should be three scorers at each basket to record the results on score sheets. Scorers should sit behind the contestants while they shoot. There should be three officials represented by wearing striped referee shirts. Click here for diagram. At each basket, there should be one official on each side of the foul line to retrieve the ball, which should be passed to the line official standing by the contestant. The line official will then hand the ball to the contestant. The line official should signal made or missed shots to the scorers. The decision of the scorers is final. No spectators, because of their count, can change the scorers’ decision.
15. No flash pictures should be taken of a contestant while shooting for score except by an official photographer designated by the Director.
16. No one should be allowed to sit close to the basket or cause any disturbance while the contestant is shooting. If this occurs, the official must stop the contest and clear the area.
17. All persons attending the contest should sit on the side of the gym and maintain complete silence. In no way should spectators cause any commotion that will distract the contestant.
18. The basketballs used in the contest should be furnished by the Director, whose duties are to ensure that regulation size balls are used and the required air pressure (7-9 lbs.) has been checked.
19. All contestants should maintain silence and in no way cause any commotion that will intentionally distract another contestant. Taunting or purposely distracting a shooter, as determined by the contest Director, will result in the disqualification of the offending contestant.