Athlete of the Week

Peter Mazza, JE '01 Football Position: Linebacker Height: 6' 1" Hometown: Cheshire, Conn. Favorite Movie: "Top Gun. It reminds me of that other interest in my life: wanting to fly." Age when he started playing football: 10 Other interests: Chinese History, Politics, Baseball, Alpine ski racing Greatest Inspiration: His teammates.

Mazza, who already has earned three varsity letters playing for the Bulldogs, plans to gain his fourth this season with a solid trouncing of league foes Princeton and Harvard. The second team All-Ivy linebacker is excited for the new season, and with good reason. Last year Mazza was a defensive powerhouse, leading the team in tackles; this year he should get a good deal of help from a number of experienced returning players. And it is just those returning teammates that keep this Bulldog going. "The most inspirational thing [about playing at Yale] is the other guys on the team," Mazza said. "Seeing their enthusiasm everyday is what builds mine." Mazza claims to have grown up in "the backseat of a car." The Cheshire, Conn. native journeyed all over the country on innumerable family road trips in his younger years. In spite of his many hours spent on the road, Mazza managed to squeeze football into his schedule when he was 10. He joined a league in fifth grade and continued to play through high school, also playing four years of baseball in the spring. Aside from football and baseball, Alpine ski racing was his main priority. Mazza went to the Junior Olympics, and still competes occasionally. Since home is relatively close by, Mazza opted to stay in New Haven for the summer, working with the city on a number of community-related activities. Last summer he worked as a President's Public Service Fellow in the mayor's office, allowing him to get a feel for how the city runs by observing a variety of different departments. His experiences there sparked an interest in foreign affairs. Law school is a possibility in the next few years, but the multitalented senior wants to keep his options open. Mazza's activities tend to be political in nature, ranging from his summer job to his interests off the field. Yet he is a history, not a political science, major, with a particular affinity for Chinese history and culture.

Mazza is not sure exactly where he will end up after this year, but since his parents moved to Fargo, N.D.—he made them watch the movie—he is the last in his family to remain in Connecticut. He may revisit his youth and take a road trip out to Wyoming to visit his sister.

On the field, Mazza and the Bulldogs will open their season next weekend against Dayton, with their league opener at Brown the following week. With the departure of senior star quarterback Joe Walland, TD '00, head coach Jack Siedlecki and the Bulldogs will rely on Mazza and the defense to shut down opposing offenses, keeping games close for the new offensive leader. Whatever the future holds for Mazza, one thing is for sure: he remains a well-rounded person on and off the field. Photo by Julia Tiernan.

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