Author: John Cotey

Guinness Record for local hotshot

New Tampa resident Justin Dargahi recently made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for making 26 NBA-range (23’-9”) three-point shots in one minute.

Justin Dargahi doesn’t have the smoothest shot around. His form isn’t ideal, his finish isn’t textbook. In fact, you could argue he looks a little awkward as he fires the basketball towards the rim, jumping forward a bit, landing on his right foot.

“My shot’s been laughed at all my life,’’ Dargahi says.

Until it starts going in, which it almost always does.

Swish.

Dargahi, who lives in Hunter’s Green, is one of the newest entries into the Guinness Book of World Records, for that not-ideal, non-textbook, awkward-motion shot, after he made 26 three-pointers from the NBA range in one minute.

Shooting at the top of the key from 23 feet, 9 inches away, Justin broke the old Guinness record of 25 threes in a minute held by Oregon’s Dan Loriaux, who also holds the record for most treys made in one hour (1,077) and in 24 hours (10,381).

“I told some friends that I set the record, but they just told me to come see them when it’s official,’’ Justin said, laughing.

Well, it’s official.

Taking aim at Guinness record

The former Land O’ Lakes girls basketball assistant coach set the record Jan. 4 in the Land O’Lakes High gymnasium. His record-setting morning, for which he had to file an official application, as well as hiring basketball officials and recording the event, was finally certified by the Guinness Book of World Records last month.

Justin says the Guinness record doesn’t sound like much to some, who are convinced that an NBA player could set it if they tried. But, he says some have, most notably former Boston Celtics All-Star forward Paul Pierce and former NBA journeyman and sharpshooter Jason Kapono, who led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage twice and also won the Three-Point Shootout, held during the NBA’s midseason All-Star Weekend, twice.

It takes consistency and resilience, Justin says, and the fortitude to throw up almost a shot a second. After about 10 shots, most shooters’ arms grow weary. After 20, they hurt and after 30 the ball gets heavier, and the shooting form becomes a bit unraveled.

On Justin’s most recent attempt, which was the fifth time he had tried to break the record, he missed his first shot but then made his next six.

Halfway there (at 30 seconds), he had 16 makes and only five misses.

Justin Dargahi sets the record, seen here on YouTube.

And, with 7.8 seconds left, Record No. 26 swished through the net.

Justin, however, thought he had only made 25. After missing his final four shots, he extended his arms in agony, despite the cheering from the girl basketball players on hand.

“We had to make sure and check the video,’’ he said.

In all, Justin shot 38 times in 60 seconds, and made 26, for a remarkable 68.4 percent.

“It’s a little bit of notoriety, that’s nice,’’ said Dargahi, who works for Future Home Realty, which has six Florida offices, including one in Wesley Chapel.

Guinness confirmation arrives

The official Guinness Record certificate now sits over the fireplace in his home, a testament to setting a goal and achieving it. His next shot at fame, he says, may come from the free throw line, where the current record is 52 made in one minute from that 15-foot distance.

For Justin, the road to the record books was a natural one. He grew up a shooter, always drawing crowds and breaking records at the pop-a-shot games you find at arcades and theme parks.

He first played organized basketball at Tampa Baptist and Tampa’s Cambridge Christian, and had college aspirations. But, there were few spots on college basketball rosters for slightly-built 6-footers who weren’t great defenders.

“I was always by far the best shooter on the basketball teams I played on,’’ Justin said. “But, I wasn’t at good playing defense.”

Instead, Dargahi went to USF — where he once won $1,000 in a three-point shooting contest at the school — and graduated with a degree in journalism.

He continues to shoot hoops. On a recent blazing hot afternoon at Hunter’s Green’s Capt. Nathaniel Hunter Park, Justin shows off his gift, moving around the court and firing up shots, or “shot puts,” he jokes, many from a few feet behind the arc.

Swish.

“I’ve never been better,’’ says Justin, who is 34 years old. “My range keeps getting better.”

Justin still plays on Sunday mornings at Cambridge Christian on N. Habana Ave. with his old high school teammates and friends, and though he lives across the street from the court at Hunter’s Green, he doesn’t get out to shoot as much as he would like.

Still, he recently sent a letter to the University of South Florida basketball program — which has sorely lacked a pure outside shooter in recent years — asking coach Orlando Antigua for a chance to walk on to the team. He figured if he can make the Guinness Book of World Records for his uncommon gift of deadeye, long-range shooting, why not?

“Wouldn’t that be a great story?’’ Justin asks with a smile.

The Force Not With LEGO Thief

Pasco Sheriff’s deputies arrested Shannon Kirkley, a New Jersey fugitive, after he was caught stealing thousands of dollars worth of Star Wars LEGO items from the Toys ‘R’ Us located at The Grove at Wesley Chapel.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Kirkley put up a fight before being taken into custody. He was charged with the theft, as well as resisting arrest and possession of cocaine and paraphernalia.

The Grove at Wesley Chapel wasn’t Kirkley’s first stop, says the PCSO. He is also suspected of stealing Star Wars LEGO items across the country.

The Force was not strong with this one. (h/t to the PCSO).

Wesley Chapel Resident Saloni Mehra Earns Top Honors At Land O’Lakes

Land O’Lakes High valedictorian & Wesley Chapel resident Saloni Mehra, with members of the New Tampa Family YMCA synchronized swim team.

Saloni Mehra went into her final year of high school in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Land O’Lakes High tied with eight other IB students in the academic battle to become Class of 2016 valedictorian.

That’s exactly how she finished, too.

“It’s crazy,’’ she says.

Mehra, a Wesley Chapel resident, finished her high school career with a 4.79 grade-point-average, becoming one of nine – that’s right, we said NINE – valedictorians at Land O’Lakes.

“It’s kind of a first,’’ Saloni said, chuckling. “They (school officials) just didn’t know how to settle it.”

Which Saloni says is fine with her and her co-valedictorians. She says all nine valedictorian Gators are friends, and none minded the fact the school couldn’t figure out a tiebreaker.

As for who gives the traditional valedictorian speech, Saloni says the nine settled that by co-hosting graduation, kind of like presenters at an awards show.

Being co-class valedictorian is, “icing on the cake,’’ Saloni says. She has always been driven to succeed in the classroom, so getting good grades was just what she expected.

In high school, Mehra thrived in an IB program regarded for its tough schedule of projects and homework. She says that balancing her schedule became one of the more important survival skills she learned.

“It was pretty brutal,’’ Saloni says. “There were a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of work. But, it taught you how to manage your time. Sometimes, the work just piles up and you have to prioritize, so you meet your deadlines…lots of deadlines.”

How many all-nighters did Saloni pull in four years of high school?

“I lost count,’’ she says.

Her frenetic schedule did not keep Saloni from being involved in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) at Land O’Lakes, competing in state competitions all four years with the club, nor did it stop her from swimming for the Gator varsity team, where she advanced to Regionals twice.

She says her greatest love, however, has been synchronized swimming, where Saloni was one of the first members of the New Tampa Family YMCA in Tampa Palms program as an 8-year-old when that program began a decade ago.

With a background in gymnastics and dance — which she did for 13 years, learning everything from Classical Indian to Bollywood to Jazz to Hip-Hop, with a little ballet thrown in — Saloni became an exceptional synchronized swimmer, the Summer Olympic sport which is often referred to as water dancing.

“My Mom came home from the YMCA one day and told me they were starting this team for this sport, and we had no idea what synchronized swimming was,’’ says Saloni. “I decided to try it out and I loved it.”

Saloni, who does solos, has advanced to Junior Olympics, where she will be competing nationally for one of the last times June 24-July 2 in East Meadow, NY. She also competed for a spot on the U.S. National team during tryouts in Arizona in April.

Although she says she once had Olympic dreams herself, next year, Saloni plans to swim with the Florida Gator synchro club team. Saloni picked the Gainesville school, which she will attend on a Presidential Scholarship, over 10 others, including the likes of Boston University, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Until then, she says she plans on putting all of those all-nighters and daily swimming practices on the back burner for a bit. The IB program definitely taught her a little bit about time management.

“I’m going to take some time off and enjoy the summer,’’ Saloni says.

GreatFlorida Insurance Agents Help You Protect Your Home, Car & Business

(L.-r.) Julie and Bill Sullivan, Julie Morgan and Nicole Weaver of GreatFlorida Insurance on Cross Creek Blvd. provide outstanding insurance service for your home, auto, business & more.

Bill Sullivan, the owner of GreatFlorida insurance in the Cory Lake Professional Center on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa, says the local area – especially nearby Wesley Chapel – is experiencing growth, with lots of new businesses and new families moving into the area.

He wants to help these people be sure that they’re properly covered and paying the best rates possible when it comes to their insurance needs.

So, on May 25, GreatFlorida Insurance hosted a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) ribbon-cutting event, “to let people know we’re here,” explains Bill.

“We offer traditional home, auto, boat and motorcycle policies, along with renter’s policies, general liability and umbrella coverage,” Bill says. “We also offer a wide variety of insurance products for business owners, such as commercial property insurance.”

GreatFlorida Insurance is a network of independent, franchised insurance agents that has been in business since 1991, with more than 100 offices located throughout Florida. Bill owns the New Tampa location, which originally opened in 2005 with a previous owner. That owner sold the business to Bill in 2013. Bill says he made the purchase because the previous owner — who was retiring— had a very well-run, diligent and ethical business, a business that he has been able to build on and grow over the last three years.

Bill earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and then worked in investment banking for 25 years in New England. Looking to make a change, he and his wife Julie moved down to Florida in August of 2012. Bill got his “2-20” insurance license so he could sell all lines of Property & Casualty Insurance. Julie also works in the office as the office manager and customer service agent. She is a Licensed “4-40” Sales and Service Representative. The Sullivans also work with two agents – who also hold “2-20” licenses – Nicole Weaver and Julie Morgan.

GreatFlorida sells policies from many different auto insurance companies, including Travelers, Safeco, Mercury, Progressive, and Hartford, and homeowners insurance companies that include Prepared, Heritage, Safe Harbor, and Peninsula.

Looking Out For You

Bill says statistics show that 85 percent of people are inadequately insured – either they have too much or too little.

For example, Bill says he often sees empty-nesters who had high limits when their teenage children were driving and two parents were commuting to work, but now that it’s just the two of them – and maybe they’ve even retired and aren’t commuting anymore themselves – so, do they really need all that coverage? The agents at GreatFlorida Insurance want to help clients be sure they’re neither over-insured nor under-insured.

GreatFla2 Not only do people’s life circumstances change, but the way insurance carriers price policies change, too.

Bill says insurance carriers are “fickle” and the things that change in a year can have a big impact on the price of an insurance policy. “One year, insurance carriers like a certain area, and the next they don’t. Rates change and go up, so we think we should review your policies at least every 12-18 months.”

That’s why the agents at GreatFlorida Insurance automatically and proactively watch to see if rates increase whenever your policies come up for renewal.

“Most people buy a policy and then don’t look at it again for four or five years,” he explains. “People view it as time consuming. So, we do that ‘dirty work’ for you to take that away.”

That’s exactly why Wesley Chapel resident Kathleen Zagaros says she switched her home and auto insurance policies to GreatFlorida. She was frustrated that her former agency didn’t seem concerned that her policy renewal prices were going up and didn’t offer her any alternatives, prompting her to wonder, “If you have to start doing your own research to find a better policy, why have an insurance agent?”

When Kathleen reached out to GreatFlorida, however, she says she found something very different. “Bill and Julie provide excellent and personalized service,” she says. “They want to find the best policies for their customers. Instead of you having to call them, they already know and have other options to present to you. I was able to change my homeowners insurance as well as our car insurance for less money and better coverages!”

Kathleen says she also likes that she can do business with the Sullivans over the phone and via email. “It’s so easy and not stressful at all!,” she says, adding that she likes that she has an advocate if she’s in an accident. “If you are involved in an accident, they are right there to help you through the claims process.”

Kathleen says Bill and Julie and their employees understand what good customer service is all about and go out of their way to provide it. She says they all have great senses of humor and that talking with them is like talking to a good friend or a close neighbor.

“Julie’s title is ‘Director of Customer Happiness & Office Operations,’” Kathleen says. “I think that says it all!” Because she is such a happy customer, Kathleen says she highly recommends GreatFlorida Insurance all the time. And, Bill says she’s not alone in her endorsement.

“A good majority of our business comes through referrals,” says Bill, “I take that as a compliment.”

Flood Insurance

One tip Bill is always sharing with clients: Homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover damage from a flood.

“A lot of people are dismissive about flood insurance because they’ve never experienced a flood and think it won’t apply to them,” says Bill. “But, for as little as $299 annually, you can have peace of mind should something happen.”

“I personally went through it up north,” Bill says. “I never would have thought I needed flood insurance because I was far inland. But then, it rained for 14 days straight and we had water damage, and I paid for all the damages out of pocket. It was a costly lesson.”

He stresses that, especially in Florida, water damage leads to other issues, too. “With our heat and humidity, we need to be concerned about mold,” says Bill. “Mold is toxic and airborne, and the cost of having a home repaired and remediated is expensive.” He says this can be a huge problem for snowbirds who may leave their home for a few months at a time. “If there’s any water damage while they’re gone, it doesn’t take long for mold to take hold and grow substantially. “

Bill says if a Realtor refers someone to GreatFlorida for a homeowner’s insurance quote, he and his staff always provide a flood quote, too. “The lender doesn’t require it, and the client doesn’t have to take it, but we still highly recommend it.”

“All of Florida is a flood zone,” says Bill, “to what severity depends on where a home is located.”

To find out how GreatFlorida Insurance can help you, call 994-1143 or visit GreatFLTampa.com. GreatFlorida Insurance is located at 10353 Cross Creek Blvd., Suite C.

Wesley Chapel Resident Says He Was Shot Foiling Burglary

A Wesley Chapel homeowner was shot Monday while disrupting an attempted car burglary, according to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the PCSO, deputies were called to a home on the 6800 block of Aramon Court in Wesley Chapel at 12:33 a.m. Deputies were told by the victim that he had come outside to smoke a cigarette when he came upon two men trying to break into his vehicle. He yelled at the would-be burglars, who shot at him. The victim was struck in the left thigh, and transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The case remains open as the suspects have not been captured, according to the PCSO.