Basketball player Tommy Goodelle, 11, from New Hartford is following in the footsteps of his favorite Syracuse player, and he's got the hardware to prove it.

Truth be told, on a typical summer morning he’d rather be driving a golf ball. But on this day, Tommy Goodelle is trading his Titleist for the rock, and heading inside the Borza’s Recreation Center south of Westmoreland to work on his game.

250 free throws is a typical workout for Goodelle, and something he takes pretty seriously. And, with a little help from his dad, Andy, who had him shooting a ball when he was two years old, he’s gotten pretty good at it.

Goodelle had to make 50 in a row recently to win the Elks National Hoop Shoot and be crowned national champion, taking home a trophy almost as tall as he is.

“It was cool, very cool,” Tommy said.

Tommy said he has one other trophy as big as his new title, the one he won in Chicago in 2019 when he first participated in the Elks National Hoop Shoot. Tommy only made 23 out of 25 free throws that day and settled for third place. But, it’s what happened after the competition that made his dad the proudest.

“He did not cry, he did not slap, he did not make excuses,” Andy said. “He went up to the winners, shook their hands, [and] looked them right in the eye. Hey, that’s how competition goes. I don’t know anybody that’s won everything in their life.”

But, they do know Joe Girard. They met him a couple years ago, the Syracuse guard who won the same national hoops shoot back in 2012, inspiring his biggest fan.

“Joe’s my role model, and he was from New York, and he won,” Tommy said. “So, I’m from New York, and I thought I could do the same thing.”

And now Tommy is hoping to do the same thing, and be someone else’s Joe Girard someday. Until then, he’s already volunteering, helping other kids reach their goals.

“It makes me feel awesome, because I helped a person’s life, maybe even changed one,” Tommy said. “I just want to as much people as I can.”

And you don’t need a trophy to feel good about that.