Among high school and college students at The Linc on Monday afternoon, 11-year-old Maddy Larkin dribbled her basketball and went for her shot, hearing the net swoosh as the ball went smoothly through the hoop.
A sixth-grader at St. Joseph Cathedral School, Larkin will receive an all-expense-paid trip to New York to compete in the Jr. NBA Skills Challenge finals in June, where she will also watch the National Basketball Association draft.
"It's really cool, and you get to go see the NBA draft," she said. "I've never been there, so it's going to be exciting."
Larkin came in second place at the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department's Jr. NBA Skills Challenge in January. That qualified her for last month's regionals in Indianapolis, where she took the top spot.
During the Jr. NBA Skills Challenge, participants garner points by showing off their dribbling, shooting and rebounding skills.
"You just have to shoot, rebound and dribble," she said. "I was nervous, but you get practice rounds; so once I started doing the practice rounds, all of the nerves went away."
After watching some of her favorite NBA players, Larkin picked up a basketball in second grade and hasn't put it down since. Larkin said she gets her inspiration from Stephen Curry, a point guard with the Golden State Warriors, and Sophie Cunningham, a senior guard with the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Larkin is on the court at least four days a week practicing, between basketball lessons at The Linc and practices and games for the Central Missouri Lady Knights and St. Joseph Cathedral School's PAL (Parochial Athletic League) basketball.
"I have teammates, and it's really fun being with my friends. I also love being able to compete and shoot and lay-ups, stuff like that," said Larkin, who also plays softball and soccer.
Smiling at his daughter, Mike Larkin said he was proud she has been able to play sports while maintaining her grades.
"I think what I'm most proud of is she understands balance," he said. "She's a very, very good student and a great athlete, and she understands the importance of both. She's got a great work ethic for her age. She understands that in order to get better, you have to work."