A return to the hardwood for Woodland senior

0
176
Woodland senior Jack LaPerriere (24) drives past Oxford’s Hunter Keller (33) Jan. 18 at Woodland Regional High School in Beacon Falls. LaPerriere, who played indoor track as a junior, returned to play basketball this season. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

BEACON FALLS — Jack LaPerriere enjoyed his first two seasons of basketball at Woodland, but after his sophomore year, he realized that his success during the outdoor track season required more commitment.

That meant no more high school basketball as he joined the indoor track squad as a junior.

“I thought I’d be better able to prove myself in track,” LaPerriere said. “In outdoor (track), my relay teams are really good. I went (to indoor track) and played rec basketball (on the side).”

He spent one season on the indoor track team. But throughout last winter, he continued to revisit the gym and watch his friends compete on the court.

“I missed it,” said LaPerriere, who also played soccer in each of his four years at Woodland.

At the same time, LaPerriere realized the different nature of the indoor track season wasn’t for him. He said he was prepared to take the winter off, but then the hardwood started calling again.

“Coach (Tom Hunt) texted me to see if I was going to come back, and Kyle (Macek) and John (Frasco) and other guys were begging me to come back. I was, like, whatever, let’s try it again.”

Pressured by the only two other seniors on the team, LaPerriere made his comeback to the Hawks for his final season. And although he hasn’t been a star player or a leading scorer this winter, Hunt is thrilled that LaPerriere decided to return.

“It was really nice to hear that he was coming back,” Hunt said. “He’s a hustle kid who leaves it all on the floor. He’s a positive influence on the younger kids. He works hard and sets a good example to the younger kids in the program, seeing his leadership done through his actions and not through his talk.”

Hunt, who has led Woodland’s program since 2007, knows through experience that he coaches at a relatively small school whose athletes are pulled in different directions. He’s always accepted athletes whose best sport might not be basketball as long as they’re willing to put in the work.

“Since I’ve been at this school, there are so many athletes and there are a lot of sports,” Hunt said. “Some kids need to go find themselves. Jack was running track and he was trying to see if he could carry his outdoor season into the indoor season. He always communicated his intentions to me and it was never anything negative about either program. On the plus side for us, he was able to come back.”

LaPerriere has been a versatile player for the Hawks (5-7). He’s able to handle the ball, play aggressive defense and create space with his track-honed speed.

“Being able to control the ball and see what’s happening (are my strengths),” said LaPerriere, who enjoyed one of his best games of the season Jan. 23 when he scored 11 points in a nine-point loss to Wolcott. “I work hard on defense and offense, trying to get everyone open.”

Hunt has tried to put LaPerriere in positions where the Hawks can exploit his speed. Woodland’s coaching staff has been able to integrate LaPerriere plenty this season because of his previous experience and his work ethic.

“He played the first two years in the program, so he knew what to expect,” LaPerriere said. “He was able to get right back into it. It was seamless. He wasn’t a starter the first day he came back because he had to earn that, but he worked really hard in the preseason and he was able to earn that starting spot back by the opening tip.”

LaPerriere realizes that he only has about 10 games left in his high school basketball career so he plans on making up for lost time over the final month. Woodland needs to win three of its last eight regular-season contests to qualify for the Division V state tournament.

“It’s fun to win, and (hopefully) we’ll get to states,” LaPerriere said. “I just want to work hard to help my team win. I’m going to leave it all out there.”