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Camrynn Howie finishes 8th in state Elks Hoop Shoot

Posted March 03, 2015 10:00 pm

By Jim Beers For The Herald Tribune

CHESTER -- Camrynn Howie, daughter of Josh and Christa Howie of Chester, recently completed four months of competing in the Elks National Hoop Shoot free-throw competition.

The Elks Hoop Shoot has been around for decades and in late fall of each year, Elks clubs around the state begin Hoop Shoot competitions at the local levels.

Chester does not have an active Elks Club, so Murphysboro Elks Club 572 has allowed Chester youth to compete as part of its Murphysboro Lodge.

Camrynn, a 9-year-old fourth grader at Chester Grade School, began her journey in November.

She finished eighth in her 8-9 division at the state competition in January, but said she does not know how many free throws she shot.

"They didn't really tell us how many free throws we made in the finals," Camrynn said. "I was just shooting and didn't pay attention. I just know I finished eighth."

Camrynn's father, Josh, said she was too young to enter the official competition in 2014, despite winning CGS's physical education (P.E.) competition.

"She did win the school P.E. competition and had a blast shooting, but she was not allowed to advance," Josh said.

There are eight Elks districts in the state and the Murphysboro club is located in the South District.

At the Jan. 3 Goreville district competition, Camrynn made 18-of-25 free throws and won her division. That victory qualified her to represent the Southern District at the state level.

The state competition was held Feb. 14 at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Decatur.

On the morning of the competition, all competitors were required to stay in the middle school cafeteria until their respective opportunities to compete arrived.

"It was pretty cool spending the entire day in the cafeteria with all of the other kids," Camrynn said. "We actually made a ball out of paper and played ball while we waited for our turns.

"Our parents had to wait in the gym alone without us all day."

When it was Camrynn's turn to shoot, she and the other finalists in the her division were escorted to the gym.

"We were brought into the gym behind a huge curtain which divided the gym into two courts," Camrynn said. "They announced our names individually over the sound system and we got to run onto the court down a line of judges and officials.

"They gave us high-fives and everyone clapped and cheered for us. That was very cool."

Schools across the state are offered the opportunity to host local Elks Hoop Shoot challenges at their local levels beginning in late October or early November of each year.

Chester Grade School usually makes the local competition part of the typical P.E. curriculum each fall. All students that are eligible compete among themselves in their respective age groups.

With the condemned Chester Grade School gym unusable and the new gym still under construction, this year's Elks Hoop Shoot was somewhat difficult to implement. Those students interested in competing did so on a Sunday evening at Chester High School.

The students who qualified out of the Chester competition advanced to the Murphysboro competition, which was held Dec. 13.

Camrynn won that contest by making 17-out-of-25 free throws.

"My dad," Camrynn said, when asked who taught her to shoot so well. "He plays with me and tries to help me get better."

In high school, Josh Howie played football.

"I didn't even play basketball," he said. "Camrynn apparently gets her basketball skill elsewhere.

"Her mother, Christa, was not athletically inclined and I just played football. Camrynn really works at it though, and enjoys basketball a lot."

Camrynn said she really likes basketball and can't wait until next year when she can play on the school's fifth grade team. Until then, she will continue to shoot on her goal at her house.

"Camrynn plays softball during the summer," Christa said. "She really enjoys softball and played for the Chester Sports Storm team the last two summers.

"This year, she will move up to a higher age division, so we don't really know how she will like moving to a new team."

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