The Elks Hoop Shoot is a free throw program for youth ages 8-13. (Contestants must be at least 8 and no older than 13 as of April 1, 2026, in order to participate.) Open to the public. Do not need to be Elks member.
How it works:
Competitors are invited to participate in ONE lodge contest per season. (There are 7 lodge contests in North Dakota, Bismarck-Mandan Lodge #1199 being one of them).
Winners from each of the 7 lodges advance to compete with at the State Contest in Jamestown, ND in January 2026.
Winners from the ND State Contest then hit the road as a Regional Semi-Finalist, staying the weekend in a new city, and competing against winners from multiple states.
Regional winners become the 72 National Finalists who will compete on the national stage in April 2026. SIX Finalists become National Champions and have their names inscribed in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame!
Bismarck-Mandan Lodge #1199 Contest is Saturday, December 6, 2025 at Wachter Middle School, 1107 S. 7th St., Bismarck.
Registration begins at 8:00 AM. Contest starts at 9:00 AM.
If you have questions local hoop shoot coordinator info can be found on this webpage:
https://www.elks.org/lodges/CalendarDetail.cfm?EventID=1673880&LodgeNumber=1199
Also check out other Contests in Bismarck.