13/04/2026
WAY TO GO, TENLEY TRIPPLE!
Tenley has been competing in The Elks Hoops Shoot for 6 years at various levels throughout her journey. The Elks Hoop Shoot became a national competition in 1974. Girls and Boys ages 8-13 shoot 25 free throws to see who scores the most. They are broken down into age and gender brackets: 8/9, 10/11, and 12/13. They compete at a local lodge event with winners advancing to Districts, State, Regionals, and Nationals. This year, the competition had nearly 1 million competitors nationwide. Tenley has made it to State twice, but this year she won State and advanced to the Region 1 finals last month, competing against girls from Alaska, Oregon, and Washington. She won Regionals and also won the Frank Hise Top Shot Award, given to the best scores across the girls' and boys' divisions. By winning Regionals, she earned her spot in the National Finals in Chicago on April 18th. This accomplishment means she's made it to the top 72 overall and top 12 for 12-13-year-old girls! She will compete against 11 other Regional winners at the Wintrust Arena, home of the WNBA's Chicago Sky and DePaul's Blue Demons. The winner of each age group and gender will be a National Champion AND be inducted into The National Basketball Hall of Fame. Juggling school, club basketball, volleyball, and softball while trying to practice for this has been challenging. She is learning grit, determination, and focus as she puts in the time and makes the sacrifices required to get this far.
