Inductees

He had grown up fishing with his grandfather and then with his mom before eventually helping others fall in love with the sport, too.

J.P. Sell remembers when he went all in. For years, he tripled as a propane dealer, competitive angler and volunteer eager to help disabled kids learn how to fish.

In 2012, a year after met a young girl who was confined to a wheelchair and after surviving his own health scare, Sell constructed a reel that allowed Ms. Courtney to catch her first fish.

“As I sat back and took it all in, I realized what a true team effort this had been,” Sell said. “I also realized my real purpose: to take what had once been a hobby and turn that passion into a full-time effort to help people of all abilities enjoy the great outdoors.”

Sell has given back to hundreds of disabled and disadvantaged kids and military veterans ever since, and it’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted him with the Class of 2026.

A longtime Rogersville resident and a 1989 Conway High School graduate, Sell has primarily worked through Bass Pro Shops and numerous non-profit organizations – including his own, Fish-4-Tales and Diversified Freedom for Disabilities. Additionally, he has developed fishing and hunting equipment for use for special people with severe disabilities.

Along the way, he has been a marketing and sales specialist for developing new programs to get more children and veterans involved with fishing and outdoor events.

In essence, he has taught hundreds to be better anglers through the National Youth Fishing Association, Anglers for Life, Teen Anglers, Missouri Conservation, Corps of Engineers, Camp Barnabas, B.A.S.S., Firefighters Burn Camp, Down Syndrome Group of the Ozarks, Operation Wet Vet, Southwest Center for Independent Living, Wounded Warriors, Conservation/Heritage Foundation, Bass Pro Conservation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Catch A Dream Organization, and Empowers Abilities.

And that’s not all. Other notables are MDA, Boy Scouts of America, Special Olympics, Camp Valor Veterans Events, Fishing Dreams for Veterans, The Arc of the Ozarks and Fishing Dreams for Special Children.

It all started a few years after he bought his first boat in 2001. And then a friend, John, who used a wheelchair as he was losing the use of his arms, needed a special rod and reel. Sell jumped on the project, but sadly John passed away, and so Sell shelved the idea.

That was, until a few years later after meeting Ms. Courtney, a blonde little girl in a bright pink wheelchair. He pinky swore that he would make her a special rod and reel.

“After the tournament, I rushed home to find the old box I had put away after John’s passing,” Sell said. “I was filled with motivation and felt more alive than ever to get this reel built.”

In 2012, he did complete it – but only after surviving a health scare. Sell fell ill from contaminated propane and lost 78 percent of his lung capacity.

“I knew I was right with the Lord, but in my condition,” Sell said, “but all I could think about was a pinky swear promise I had made earlier that year to a beautiful, blonde-haired little girl in a bright pink wheelchair.”

Since opening Freedom Park Lake in Rogersville, Sell has hosted more than 12,000 children and visitors, teaching them about fishing. Through the National Youth Fishing Association, he has helped award $2 million-plus in college scholarships and has helped over 30 children with disabilities compete in fishing.

And he knows what he’s talking about. Over the years, Sell earned more than 100 Top 10 finishes and won three Bass boats through tournament competitions – and has taken home six figures in earnings.

Even better, he has long had the support of his wife, Jennifer, and their children, Andrew and Ashlynn. Key mentors have been God, Lynn Reeves, Martin Mac Donald, Gayle Julian, and Debbie Weathermon.

Sell has won numerous awards, including the Jefferson Award/Jackie Kennedy Award in Washington, D.C., and has appeared on numerous TV and radio segments promoting the sport. He also has held leadership roles in a dozen organizations.

“When I work or fish with a veteran or a child with disabilities, and that person hooks a fish, time literally stops,” Sell said. “In that brief moment, there is no physical pain, no disabilities, no problems at home, and no bad memories. There is only you and the fish. It is the most peaceful and exciting moment there is.”