Never was the best athlete but could shoot since I read about Ted St Martin when I was 12 in Guinness Book of World Records, and made it my goal to break a record. That first record he had was 200!
Didn’t make the team in 8th grade. In high school played for a small private school in McCalla AL. Went out for B team in 9th grade. Played EVERY minute my first two games. Because we only had 5 players 😁Then two football players joined the team and I hardly got off the bench the rest of season. Next year I went to public school and tried to sign up for last period athletics class to play basketball – Coach just looked at me and told me come back later. I didn’t. Few months later during gym class, he saw me playing with the best athletes and making shot after shot from 3point range and called me over. (This was pre 3 point era) Didn’t remember me and asked why I didn’t come out for team. Told him maybe next year, but went back to private school the next year.
Got MVP my Jr and Sr years but would have probably been better athlete if I had stayed at the bigger public school and played against competition that forced me to get in top shape. In college I played one year at Southeastern in Lakeland FL. Our team won the district, but I played limited minutes. Two games I played most of game against lesser teams and Coach gave me green light. Scored 16 and 20. Was in my early 20’s and living right next to gym was first time I had daily access to a gym. Last one in the gym most nights.
NUMBERS
Always been obsessed with numbers. When I started shooting I would play a game like “around the world” but closer, just going around the paint. And I wouldn’t stop (couldn’t stop – thanks OCD!) until I made 2 in row from each spot. Then I would go 3 point distance and have to make 5 going around the world. If I missed, started back at close shots. Got a lotttt of practice on those. So each workout would go on and on till I finally would make the 15 total shots in a row. Only then could I start my freethows.
focusfreethrows@live.com === Rick Rosser 
