Addy’s jersey retirement ceremony. Pictured, from left: Grant Young, former PHS girls’ basketball coach; Mattie White, PHS basketball player; Katie Hughes, PHS basketball player; Jennifer Schallert Cornelius, PHS athletic director; Addy Roller; Jayse Henderson, PHS basketball player; Billie House, PHS basketball player; and Kat Hughes, PHS basketball player.
Playing with pa BY SUSAN FUNKHOUSER
ON FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 2012, the Purdy R-2 School District retired a former student athlete’s jersey number for the first time in school history. During the ceremony, Athletic Director Jennifer Schallert Cornelius reviewed the accomplishments of 2012 Purdy High School graduate Addy Roller, which included: State of Missouri record-holder for career 3-point field goals made, season 3-point field goals made and consecutive games with a made 3-point field goal; 2012 Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Class 2 Player of the Year; 2012 KSPR-33 High School Athlete of the Year; three-year Class 2 All-State Player; member of the 2011 Class 2 State Championship team; one of eight participants in the National 3-Point Competition sponsored by American Family Insurance; and the list goes on and on. As Addy gazed upon her framed retired jersey and tears filled her eyes, the crowd rose to its feet, applauding the athlete and 34 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE
her accomplishments, the person and her passion. Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette tells aspiring songwriters, “Just trust the passion. The passion can write a lot of things.” Her message is heard in the music streaming from stages around the world. It also echoes the beat of a basketball in a gym, as rubber meets hardwood. Passion began writing Addy Roller’s story when she first dribbled a ball in a Springfield YMCA at 5 years of age. Addy was the only girl on her cousin, Phillip Roller’s, basketball team. “I don’t really remember it,” she confided. “People have told me I really liked to shoot it back then. I was bigger than all the boys!” As she continued to dribble, shoot and jump her way through childhood on various private teams, the passion Addy discovered at age 5 continued to grow. Basketball filled her waking hours and
many of the hours she was supposed to be sleeping. “Sometimes I got really bored at night and couldn’t sleep. I used to lie in my bed and shoot baskets at the toy goal on my bedroom door.” As she matured and learned more about the game and herself, Addy discovered that her passion on the court overflowed into her life in general. Where did she find this passion and the skills and will to make it grow? According to Addy, she received it as a gift.
Inherited passion Addy credits various family members with introducing her to basketball. Her grandpa, Bill Haynes, a successful high school and college basketball coach, often took his granddaughter on bus rides with his teams. “I picked up a lot of knowledge on those trips.” Addy’s mom, Kim Haynes Roller, and her dad, Mike Roller, also played pivotal MARCH 2013