Harrison will compete at Elks State Hoop Shoot


Kolt Harrison was one of six Weiser Elks Hoop Shoot finalists to compete in districts, where he won his division and will now move on to the Elks state contest on Feb. 8. Photo by N. Grindstaff
By: 
Nancy Grindstaff
Weiser’s 10 year-old Kolt Harrison won his age division at the Elks Hoop Shoot district contest held at Nampa Christian High School on Saturday, Jan. 4, and will now move on to the Elks State competition set for Saturday, Feb. 8, at the same location.
 Kolt was the high-point shooter in the local 10-11 boys division, making 15 of 20 free throws. Hitting 14 at the district event puts him at 72.5 percent average from the free throw line.
 Catching up to Kolt and his mom, WHS girls basketball head coach Laraine Harrison, a few minutes before the start of the WHS freshman girls basketball game against Fruitland, they both agree the Elks program is something pretty special.
 Kolt’s older brothers, Kolin and Klete, have both seen success in the event, and Laraine competed in it every year between the ages of 8 and 13, claiming numerous wins.
 “Kolin made it to districts, and Klete made it through local, districts, state, and to regionals,” Laraine said. “He even went further than I did. I made it past local, and some years past district to state, but I was never able to make it beyond that.”
 Kolt said he practices free throws at home on the family’s ranch, usually around 25 in a row. His mom said he might need to add more to his regimen between now and the state contest.
 Smiling at Kolt, Laraine told him, “Grandma would make me go out there and we shot a lot (100 at a time.)
 “She was a better rebounder than I am,” she laughed. “I need to do a better job rebounding for him.”
 According to Dave Jenkins, a Weiser Elks member and current lead man of the civic organization’s Hoop Shoot program, Weiser was the only community at the district event with competitors in all six age slots. The Weiser players there included Kolt, boys 8-9 Ashton Mills, boys 12-13 Kellen Strasser, girls 8-9 Natalie Grant, girls 10-11 Sloan Lancaster, and girls 12-13 Ava Shirts.
 “It’s one of the coolest things, and we all agree the Elks Hoop Shoot is a big deal,” Laraine said. “We really appreciate it.
 “All of Weiser’s qualifiers went, and some of the qualifiers from other towns were no-shows,” she added. “That’s too bad because the Elks go to all this work for it. The district and state events are just at Nampa and they still give us a hotel room and dinner, and then the banquet afterwards. It’s a really neat thing for these kids, and so we really do appreciate everything they do.”
 Kolt is currently in wrestling, something older brother Klete has just taken up this winter, too.  Thinking ahead, he said he’s planning on sticking with football and basketball, but isn’t sure on a spring sport yet. 
 Not surprisingly, PE is his favorite subject at school, and he did get a new dirtbike for Christmas that will get him to and from the fields around home, where he’s becoming a pretty good gopher trapper.
 

Category:

Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

Upcoming Events

Connect with Us