by Scott Sacry
Note to all girls junior high basketball coaches next year – don’t send Florence’s Pressley Neuman to the foul line with the game on the line, because, chances are, she’s going to make it.
Neuman, a 6th grader from Florence, recently competed in the National Finals of the Elks Hoop Shoot in Chicago where she finished 6th in the girls 12-13 year old division.
The Elks Hoop Shoot is an annual free throw contest for youth ages 8-13 and is organized by the Elks.
Neuman’s journey took her all over Montana and the country. She began by becoming the Missoula Lodge champion, then she won the District contest in Polson, next she became the State Champion in Livingston. This sent her to the Regional Championship in Rapid City, where she took 1st place by making 47 of 50 free throws and was named the best overall girls shooter.
Finally, she competed in the National Finals in Chicago where she placed sixth in the nation, one of only two Montanans to make the finals.
Neuman figures she shot about 20,000 free throws since Thanksgiving. And when asked what it takes to be a good free throw shooter, she said, “lots of hard work and determination, but the biggest thing is that you have to believe in yourself.”
The goal of the Elks Hoop Shoot is to provide participants the opportunity to compete, connect and succeed through hard work and competition. They like to say they have been developing “gritty” kids for 50 years.