By: Josh Wolmer
Conner Peters, the team manager, watches on as the Lasers warm-up for their Conference matchup against Anna Maria. Photo by: Josh Wolmer
This is Connor Peters, he is a sports management major at Lasell and has a minor in coaching. On-campus, he is a part of the radio station and works athletics games. If there is one big thing you need to know about him, is that he lives and breathes Boston sports, mainly the Celtics.
Q: What is your disability? How does he affect you?
A: “I have a mild case of cerebral palsy. It affects my ability to walk. My motive functions don’t work as well. It affects me but it doesn’t stop me from anything. The most difficult part of this condition comes with handwriting. My handwriting is not very neat.”
Q: What have you been able to do with your disability that is hard nowadays?
A: “I was able to play baseball for a while but had to stop because it would be a bit too hard on me physically. It was a bit too hard once the field got bigger from 46/60 to 50/70. I also played rec soccer a few years as a goalie until it was too difficult because the goals became wider. I have also been a part of the Special Olympics. I played soccer, basketball, and Track and Field.”
Q: Why is basketball your favorite sport?
A: “I love the up and down tempo of the sport. The comradery of the team is absolutely amazing. Not just in this sport but in others as well you can make friends for life. Sports mean a lot to me cause it sets up life in a great way.”
Q: Before Lasell, did you coach or manage anywhere else?
A: “I was the manager and the assistant coach for my high school, Sturgis West Charter School Men’s Varsity Basketball Team. High school sports are there to teach us all how to be better people. It is not all about winning, this is where I developed a true passion for being a manager or a coach. I want to help transform players into better people outside the court.”
Q: What does the sport of basketball mean to you?
A: “This sport helps give me an identity, something to look forward to when I wake up. I crave all the game days. It is so fun to see how all the hard work you put in days prior to pay off in a win. Wins are a lot of fun and the locker room is amazing. Everybody is extremely hyped.”
Q: What do you do for the basketball team?
A: I” am a manager for the team but get helped out by someone else, Corina Lombardi. She does a lot of the off-court duties and during the games scorebook for the team. I run the clock during the practice and also help out with some drills during practice. During the games, I keep track of winning plays like charges, big baskets, extra possessions, and turnovers. A small thing I do is hold the whiteboard for our head coach Aaron Galletta. During timeouts, I hand him it and it allows him to draw up some winning plays.”
Q: What has been one of your favorite moments as a manager for the team? Why?
A: “There are so many moments that I can choose from. One being during my freshman year when the team won a home playoff game. The atmosphere was electric and the team was able to use that energy. The team won with a blowout.
During my sophomore year, my favorite moment came on the last day of the season. We had to beat Anna Maria, and St Joes of Maine had to beat Regis to find a way in the playoffs. During the Monks and Pride game, we had our Practice after losing the night before. We only were able to catch the end of the game. Down by one, Regis ball. Their top player drove into the paint. One of the defenders drew an offensive foul as the layup was good but due to the offensive foul, it didn’t count. The Monks wound up winning. Part one down and everyone was hyped. In Part two, our game, the team came out hard and had their best game of the season. They were fueled and it showed. We wound up winning by 14 and we got into the playoffs. In the locker room, it felt like a party, everyone was excited.
A moment from this year was the team pulling off an upset against the 7th ranked Nichols College. We were 0-8 entering and hungry for a win. This one was not going to be easy but we played insanely and won by 7. The locker room for the first time came to life after the game. I was pumped as well. I loved the fact that we were able to close out a game for once which has been a struggle for us. The one time we did, a huge win was pulled off for the program.”
Q: If you could coach any other sport what would it be and why?
A: “The easy choice would be baseball. I like the strategy involved in it, and I love how a game could change in one pitch. Each count has a different meaning that could change the emotion.”
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