Liberty Elks Lodge holds Soccer Shoot

Many children in our area enjoy all types of sports. One that has become popular in the last few years is soccer, with our local high school advancing in the past few years. The national Elks organization saw this growing interest and created an Elks Soccer Shoot. On Sunday, May 15, 2022, Liberty Elks Lodge #2019 hosted its 1st Annual Soccer Shoot. Students from 12 school districts were invited to participate, and we welcomed 20 students to shoot.

The soccer shoot was open to children ages 14 and under with two different goal setups. Ages 7 and under shoot in a series of 5 goals that begin at 48 inches wide and ends at 17 inches wide. These boys and girls shoot five balls in 3 rounds from 15 feet from the face of the goal. This portion of the soccer shoot is called the “Five Goal Contest.”

The older children’s groups range in age from 8 to 15. This is the “Grid Goal Contest.” The standard soccer goal is set up in a grid, and each square in the grid represents a point value from 1 to 5. Contestants kick the ball from different distances measured from the face of the goal, which is determined by age group. They kick the ball in a five-ball, 3-round series with cumulative points.

While the National Elks Foundation hosts regional and national level soccer shoots, Misty Fregia, Soccer Shoot Director and Drug Awareness Director of Liberty Lodge, is at the beginning stages of building this program. Liberty Elks Lodge #2019 aims to help host district and state shoots, get recognized regionally and nationally, and allow our local youth to participate at the top as we do in the Elks Hoop Shoot.

Liberty Elks Lodge #2019 will be hosting several other sports contests throughout the year. Morgan Webb, Liberty Lodge #2019 Youth Program Director, has tentatively announced Punt Pass Kick, Jr Golf Shoot, Home Run Derby, Hoop Shoot, and another Soccer Shoot. To learn more, follow Liberty Elks Lodge Event Center on Facebook. The Lodge also hopes to host a Golf Tournament to help raise funds to ensure these events happen.

Winners are as follows:

8-U Boys

1st Place – Anthony Rodrigues

2nd Place – Clark Smith

3rd Place – Eli Marek

10-U Girls

1st Place – Wrainy Hunter

2nd Place – Ellie Marek

3rd Place – Lily Simon

10-U Boys

1st Place – Oscar Ruiz

2nd Place – Caleb Smith

3rd Place – John Fregia

12-U Boys

1st Place – Ryder Cook

2nd Place – Adrian Ceja

3rd Place – Taylor Fregia

14-U Boys

1st Place –Tony “Angel” Ceja

2nd Place – Angel Reyes

16-U Boys

1st Place – Jovany Diaz