2024 IHFA Recipients

Fourth generation hoop net maker Larry Haycraft believes the key to making a good net is patience. “It’s about the rhythm and the math,” he says, “you’ve just got to visualize what you want it to do.” Larry’s father worried his son would be the last net maker in their family. As net making becomes less common in Indiana, Larry strives to teach the practice to his family. “He learned from his dad,” his son Samuel stresses, “and I learned from mine.”

Creating hoop nets is about more than just tying knots—it's about spending time together. In teaching his grandson Tyler Mason, Larry is investing in his future. He explains, “Whenever he feels lost in this world… he can always pick up that string and start tying those knots. He’ll never be alone with it,” he says, “I’ll always be right there with him.” Larry was featured in the award-winning documentary The Net Makers.