Chadwick junior Maddie Hursh has been scorching the nets this year. So far this season she has knocked down 118 3-point shots and needs just three more to break the record.
While she has had much success this year, this season has been years in the making.
"She and her dad have spent hours and hours in the gym. It is nothing I do," Chadwick head coach Darin Meinders said. "That is just a kid that has a great work ethic and spends a lot of time in the gym. Maddie made me a lot better coach than I made her a shooter."
Hursh has been studying the art of shooting under her father since elementary school, but he didn’t send her straight out the arch to start bombing treys.
"In elementary he (Hursh's father) never told me to shoot a three-point shot," Hursh said. "If I would start scooting towards it he would always yell at me to get down in the block."
Hursh finally did work her way out to the three-point line and beyond.
“He (Meinders) has always told me if you get past the volleyball spiking line you have the green light to shoot it," Hursh said.
That range tends to stretch opposing defenses.
"She knows has the green light, and other teams know that so that is why you see them picking her up at the volleyball spiking line," Meinders said.
On Monday, Hursh managed just one 3-pointer in her team’s come-from-behind win against Morrisville.
Hursh still found ways to contribute.
"Maddie struggled shooting, but she didn't ever quit hustling on defense and she took care of the ball and made some great passes to get other kids shots," Meinders said.
Hursh’s next shot at the record comes on Monday against Niangua and she is ready to be alone at the top of the record books.
"It will be a relief because then I can get back to playing and not having to worry about breaking any records. I can get back to just playing my game," Hursh said.
Meinders agreed that the pressure of the record, in addition to an illness, may be weighing on Hursh.
"Everybody is talking about it and we know it is there. Once we can get that monkey off her back we can go back and just play," Meinders said. "As soon as we get these next three 3-(pointers) out of the way and get that pressure off I have no doubt she will go back to hitting six, seven and eight a game."
Chadwick tips off against Niangua at 6 p.m. on Monday at Niangua.
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