Waterbury native Ta’Quan Zimmerman has returned from playing professional basketball in Asia, but he’s not done staying busy.
Zimmerman, a former Holy Cross standout, is looking to start an elite shooting company called “Shoot With Toot.” He had an opportunity be a shooting coach in China, but it was only for 20 hours per week. Zimmerman came away inspired, though, hence “Shoot With Toot.”
“This is designed for guys who like to shoot, that can shoot and want to take their shooting ability to the next level,” Zimmerman said. “I don’t want to teach anyone how to shoot, but I want to show them how to get shots in a game. All different kind of shots. Off the bounce, catch-and-shoot, standstill, and on the move. The goal is to improve your shooting ability in different in-game situations.”
The elite shooting program, which costs $40 per session, would be 45 minutes to an hour in length and give the participant as many reps and/or makes that he can get. Zimmerman said 1,000 attempts or 600 makes, whichever comes first in the time allotted.
“And for the older kids (junior or senior in high school), I will have college coaches come in and watch them privately shoot with me,” Zimmerman said, “possibly have workouts recorded, too, so if they want we can send it to schools and stuff like that.”
Again, this shooting program is not for beginners. How does Zimmerman stack up as a shooter? He was Sixth Man of the Year in the National Basketball League of Canada with the Halifax Hurricanes (see the submitted photo at right). His three-point shooting prowess was a big part of him winning that award.
Are you still not convinced? Here are two people that endorsed him.
“Ta’Quan is a very good perimeter player that is able to play all three positions,” Chicago Bulls assistant coach Dean Cooper said. “He can run the team at the point guard position if needed, he can play the wing. He is a very good three-point shooter, he is able to make all of the different three-point shots.”
“I’ve enjoyed working alongside Tootie since he completed his post-graduate year here at Putnam Science Academy,” assistant coach/head scout Josh Scraba said. “I’ve had a great relationship with Tootie and trust his player evaluations. He’s been a big help to this program recommending players to us that fit the mold here at Putnam. I know that attending a player workout with Tootie would be beneficial to evaluating talent because he has done it at the highest level and knows what coaches at the prep school, college and NBA level are looking for.”
Zimmerman said Holy Cross High School will be available to him for sessions once outdoor fields are playable. He will be looking to secure other facilities in the area to make travel easier for clients. Zimmerman figures his age level for the school ranges from 13 up. Again, this is not beginner-level shooting.
“I’m not here to teach you how to shoot, but I’m here to get you shots,” Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman wants to start scheduling clients as early as next week. You can contact him at 203-565-7839, by email at tootiezimmerman91@gmail.com. You can also contact him via social media on Twitter and Facebook.
