Did you know that the Elks Lodge Organization hosts a free throw shooting contest called the Elks National Hoop Shoot? The Hoop Shoot is over 50 years old, in partnership with The Basketball Hall of Fame and free to all participants.

Winning the Hoop Shoot gives you a chance to inscribe your name in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

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In 1983, the famous El Tour de Tucson bicycle race was founded. It all started when a man named Richard DeBernardis was traveling around the United States on his bicycle. Upon visiting Tucson, he fell in love with the weather and thought this would be a perfect place for a bike ride. He checked the Old Farmer’s Almanac and learned the best time to have this event would be in the fall, the week before Thanksgiving, because it rarely rains that week.

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This school year, Arizona Desert Elementary School had two championship teams, in basketball and volleyball. I set out to learn about our coaches and what makes for winning teams. After interviewing both coaches, a few things stood out to me. Our school has a culture of hope. We say the Kids at Hope pledge every morning. We say “all kids are capable of success, no exceptions.”

I asked what makes a good coach. Ms. Franki Diaz, who coaches our girls 6th–8th grade basketball, said “My love for the sport and willingness to teach it to others” is what makes her a good coach.

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On Feb. 7, 2023, eyes were set on NBA legend LeBron James. That fateful day, 38-year-old James was expected to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA scoring record. All that was standing in his way was the Oklahoma City Thunder. With 3.7 million people watching, James did the unthinkable.

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On Wednesday, Feb. 8, my family went to the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale because our family likes to watch golf. It was a Pro Am day so we got to see the players up close. We drove to the parking place and after we were walking a little bit we saw a shuttle bus. The driver said, “Do you need a ride?” and of course we said, “Yes, please!” He took us right to the golf tournament gate and we went right inside, no lines.

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Every year the Kiwanis de Amigos hosts a cross country meet called the Rattlesnake Run at Christopher Columbus Park. Middle school cross country teams across southern Arizona are invited to participate free of charge!

There are two heats for both boys and girls— the A and B heats. The top seven runners on a team run in the A heat for both boys and girls and the rest who want to run are placed in the B heat. This year 158 girls and 199 boys participated. This represented 13 girls’ teams and 15 boys’ teams.

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Woosh! That’s the sound that the water makes as the boat soars over it. I look out at the lake as it shimmers in the sun. I take a deep breath and continue paddling. Would you believe that there is a dragon boating team that practices in the middle of the desert?

Dragon boating is a remarkable sport. It’s fun, and you get to make friends. It is a team building activity. You get to paddle with the rest of the team in rhythm. Dragon boating is also beneficial exercise: it helps build upper body strength, core muscles and stamina. It is a superb way to stay fit!

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 From July 30 through Aug. 10, the Arizona Cardinals had their 2022 open practices. I had the opportunity to be there to interview the team’s president, cheerleaders and fans. I also met Big Red, their mascot, and enjoyed The Kids Interactive Zone.

It was exciting to see the gigantic State Farm stadium from the freeway. Inside was even better...I received a Cardinals flag, a Cardinals key holder and a State Farm towel. The concierge shared stickers with me, and the cheerleaders gave me a poster.

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 Walking into the new Rock Solid climbing facility, you’ll experience breathtaking views of climbing walls that go upside down, slant, twist and go up to the ceiling. Rock Solid, at 3949 W. Costco Drive, opened in September of 2020, but defying all odds, it successfully opened even with a global pandemic. Rock Solid was founded by Cory Hanson, Lindsey Taylor and Carlton Taylor.

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 With the COVID pandemic, many things changed. One thing that changed was the way that sports were influenced. Whenever people think of sports, they think of teamwork and everyone together. However, that was something that COVID changed. COVID brought many problems upon volleyball coach David Rubio and his team. Rubio is the head women’s volleyball coach at the University of Arizona and has been in that position for 30 years.

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