It’s getting close to Homecoming here at UNH so who’s better to put in the spotlight then one of the most important people during homecoming weekend, a Football team captain. Dontra Peters is a senior psychology major and a co-captain on the 2012-2013 team this year, playing running and corner back. He’s a five-year student after red shirting his freshman year.
How is it being on such a large team and being a Co-Captain?
I like being a captain because it allows you to set an example for the rest of the team especially the young guys who have only been there for a couple of years. It shows them the right way to do things. However, it is also challenging because you have to deal with the image of the team so if you see someone doing the wrong thing you have to address it, no matter if they are your best friends or not, that is the hardest part in my opinion. Being a senior captain there is a greater responsibility for your actions because if other players see you doing something they will feel like its ok, and it could jeopardize the entire team.
From your perspective how is the season going so far?
I think that the team is looking good so far, we have a lot of good players returning from last year, and we have a lot of new guys that are stepping their way up to starting roles in the program. In order to be great you need to prepare, So I think that how good we are (or will be) depends on how hard we practice and prepare.
What’s the best part about being on the UNH Football Team?
The best part of being on the football team is the friendships you make on the team. To me these guys are more-so brothers than teammates i would do anything for these guys and i know that they would do the same for me.
Is it hard being a student athlete?
YES!! Being a student-athlete is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The time that you spend playing a sport cuts into the time you want to spend on doing schoolwork. When we travel sometimes we leave on Thursday and come back early Sunday morning. If you don’t learn how to manage your time, you will have a very rough time getting through.
Is the homecoming game different/ how is it different from every other game you play?
The homecoming game is the best game of the season! You get to see your family, friends that graduated, and usually the football stadium is so packed, and it’s really exciting playing in front of a large crowd. Also throughout the week there are alot of events going on and its just a great atmosphere.