Free Throw Championship

Since 1972, councils have sponsored the Knights of Columbus International Free Throw Championship for boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 14 (starting in the fraternal year 2013-2014)

The championship is set up to have the contestants compete within their own gender and age group. All competition starts at the local level. Winners move on to the district, regional, and state or provincial levels. From there, some make it to the international level for championship competition in their group.

To sponsor a competition, all your council needs is the Free Throw Championship Kit (#FT-KIT), a couple of basketballs, a hoop and a bunch of kids. It is a great way to get out into the public and introduce the Order to your community — while providing youths with a rewarding activity that yields a chance for local, state or provincial, and international recognition.

Bishop John Barres of Allentown, Penn., a former collegiate basketball player at Princeton University, is a strong supporter of the Free Throw Championship. He sees the focus and discipline required to achieve athletic excellence as being valuable in the faith formation and character development of young people. In addition, healthy competition helps young people to handle both good fortune and adversity with grace and dignity.

To view a short video of Bishop Barres discussing the virtues of both the Free Throw Championship and the Soccer Challenge, click here.

International Free Throw Champions

2016-2017 Free Throw Champions

2015-2016 Free Throw Champions

Tell Us About Your Programs

Help us improve the Service Program activities offered by the Supreme Council office by sending reports on your council’s successful activities and/or any suggestions you may have on improving our programs. Send this information to Fraternal Mission Dept., Service Program Suggestions, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 or contact us. Please include “Service Program Suggestions” in the subject line.

Action Steps
Support Materials

Action Steps

Start planning now to get your free throw contest off to a running start.

The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship program is a great way to provide entertainment and enjoyment for the young people in your community. To start planning, there are steps that you should keep in mind:

Order the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship Kit (#FT-KIT) using this order form. You can also use the order form in the Council Report Forms Booklet (#1436), or call the Department of Fraternal Mission at 203-752-4270.
Schedule a date and location for the event. Contact schools, community centers and youth centers to reserve a basketball court. January is recommended for council competitions, February for district competitions, and March/April for regional and state championships.
Sign ‘em up! Your Free Throw Championship Kit contains posters announcing the contest. Obtain permission to display them in schools, youth and community centers, and church vestibules. Make sure that entry forms/score sheets (#1598) are also available at these locations. Preregister contestants whenever possible.
Enlist help from schools. Ask school superintendents, principals and athletic directors to promote your championship.
See if schools will hold preliminary competitions as part of their intramural or physical education programs. High school athletes should be reminded to check with their state high school athletic association about possible eligibility conflicts. Don’t forget to contact and invite the recreational and youth basketball programs in your community.
Build public interest. Use the sample press release in the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship Rules, Regulations, Tips and Information Guide (#1928) to announce your championship. Retype the release on council letterhead, giving the details of your championship. Deliver or send it, along with clip art logos, to the editors of both local news and sports sections.
After the competition, be sure to send out a press release announcing the winners. When sending press releases to radio or television stations always use the program’s official name: “Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship.”
Be sure to send in the Participation Report Form (FT-1). This form provides the Supreme Council with informational statistics, which enables the contest to continue to be a success.

Support Materials

To assist you in promoting your Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship event, the Supreme Council offers the following items that are available in the Free Throw Kit() that can be ordered using the FT-KIT form.

Print Materials

The Free Throw Championship Kit (#FT-KIT) contains everything your council needs to organize a free throw competition for 75 participants. Items included are:

To order additional quantities of these items, send a form #1 requisition to the address below, or click on the individual item for an electronic version.

Supreme Council Supply Department
1 Columbus Plaza
New Haven, CT 06510
(Fax – 800-266-6340)

Please allow four weeks to ensure delivery by the event.

Promotional Materials

The Supreme Council has available promotional items to enhance the Free Throw program on all levels. Mini-backboards and balls, as well as glow-in-the-dark basketballs, are ideal to give to participants at council, regional and state competitions. Official Knights of Columbus basketballs, as well as a variety of awards for the various program levels, are also available. To order promotional materials and awards please use the form located in the Free Throw Championship Program Guide (#1928).

When ordering materials, please mail or fax a Requisition Form (#1) to the respective department.

Orders made online or faxed in should not be mailed because it may result in duplicate order. Please allow four weeks to ensure delivery by the event.

Department	Postal Service	Telephone / Fax
Supply Department	Knights of Columbus P.O. Box 1670 New Haven, CT 06507	Tel: 203-752-4214 Fax: 800-266-6340
Department of Fraternal Services	Knights of Columbus 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510	Tel: 203-752-4703 Fax: 203-752-4108