After their performance in the St. Mary’s Church Annual Knights of Columbus Free Throw Competition, on Saturday, January 27, 2018, four boys and five girls took home first place medals for their accurate shooting, good form, and composure. The boys’ shootout turned into three shootoffs to break ties.
The Knights of Columbus have hosted Free Throw Competitions internationally since 1972, reported one of the K of C organizers, Brock Helms. “We’ve never had this many girls before,” said Helms.
There were nine entries of each gender, with ages ranging from nine to 14. All 18 took home a certificate of “Free Throw Shooting Excellence” and a Happy Joe’s ice cream token and earned a chance in the drawings for two girls’ and two boys’ basketballs.
The Junior High School gymnasium, 300 Academic Drive, Morrison, IL, was filled with chatter during registration and practice time, from noon to 12:30 p.m.
Once shooting began in earnest, the chamber stilled. Even applause was muted and short; verbal “encouragement” from the bleachers was restrained, until each child completed a turn. Boys and girls competed simultaneously, making 15 shots with up-to-three practice shots to start the round. Two adults watched the balls’ trajectory; a third recorded the number of balls that were sunk.
Female winners from five age groups were, left-to-right, Megan Folkers, 9; Addyson Cox, 11; Marissa Folkers, 12; Faith Green, 13; Kalli Fisher, 14.
Male winners were determined after ties were broken. To break ties, contestants shoot five times, with no practices shots.
- Payton Decker and Alex Anderson earned the same score in the original round of 15 shots. Decker scored three-out-of-five shots to win the 13-year-old category.
- Ten-year-olds Chase Decker and Jakeb Strobbe needed two shootoff rounds to break their tie. On the first try, both boys scored four-out-of five. Decker went first and again scored four. Strobbe could not find the net.
Male winners from four age groups were, left-to-right, Brady Anderson, 9; Chase Decker, 10; Anthony Cook, 11 (not shown); Payton Decker, 13.
