Watching Kansas University’s loss to Virginia Commonwealth University might have some basketball fans upset at the team’s free-throw shooting ability.

Two local charities are giving people the opportunity to see whether they’re up to snuff at the line.

Wayne Simien’s organization, Called to Greatness, and Family Promise will play host to the Wayne Simien Benefit Free Throw Challenge next weekend, April 9-10. Finalists in six age groups, ranging from fourth-graders to senior citizens, will compete for a chance to shoot in the final round at Allen Fieldhouse and for prizes.

“This is a big basketball town. If you listen to people, they cannot understand why people miss free throws,” said Joe Reitz, an organizer of the event and founder of Family Promise, which provides assistance for homeless families with children.

Simien said he and Reitz wanted to find a different type of fundraiser for Lawrence.

“It’s a lot more different when you’re toeing the line and there’s something at stake,” said Simien, who once made 34 consecutive free throws in his time as a player at KU.

Saturday’s competition will have contestants shooting between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at one of five gyms. Each person will shoot 20 free throws in four minutes with a one-minute warm-up. Teams of five may also compete.

The top five contestants in each group will then compete at Allen Fieldhouse from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday by shooting 12 one-and-one shots. Prizes and trophies will be awarded to winners, and the money from entry fees will benefit both charities.

To register online, go to iamctg.org or lawrencefamilypromise.org. Individual registration is $10, and for a member of a team it’s $15.