NHTI Athletic Hall of Fame
First question! Why Speedy for a nickname?
At his very first NHTI basketball practice there were three players named Chris. Every time I said Chris, all three players responded. Speedy was appropriate nickname that stuck from that first practice and fit him perfectly. I actually named him after a pro named Craig Speedy Claxton who played in the NBA with great distinction.
The second question with Speedy is one often answered and discussed by me with every NHTI team over the years. Be coachable! We almost didn’t make it as a coach-athlete pair. Speedy had a “big” chip on his shoulder when he arrived at NHTI and his academic success was lacking as well.
His attitude on the court changed dramatically by the end of his first semester at NHTI. His classroom preparation and success changed as well. Special thanks to Professor Judy King for adopting Speedy and following through to guide, motivate and help him become a FABULOUS student.
Fast forward to his final spring at NHTI on a hot sunny afternoon during final exam week and I am leaving the Wellness Center and headed towards the parking lot when Professor Laura Morgan (long regarded as a demanding but fair Accounting instructor) is screaming at me across the lot from a distance of 50 yards or more. Coach Hogan, Coach Hogan….I need to speak with you. Usually this doesn’t mean good things but in this case the words shared by Professor Morgan and her excitement about Speedy. “Speedy just scored a 100 on his final exam in my class!” Oh my…..the expression and energy from Professor Morgan was amazing.
During our National championship run of 2005, he enjoyed a spectacular tournament with 13 points off the bench in the game one win, then 19 points and six assists in the second-round win over St. Joe’s of Brooklyn followed by a spectacular 14-point effort in the championship game. In that game with some starters on the bench with foul trouble, Speedy made shots and kept the momentum in our favor for an incredible 72-69 win over Golden St. Baptist for the National Championship.
Speedy made the adjustment smoothly from year one to year four. The young player with “the chip” became a fantastic player leading the way to 4 straight YSCC titles, 4 National Tourney appearances and of course the National Championship. From key sub in his first two years to the star of the team his last two years, Speedy transformed his image and attitude.
NHTI basketball became synonymous with Speedy and the success of the teams led by Speedy. He also dealt with adversity of the insults from a rival college fan base. He handled this gracefully and with great poise.
As his former coach, I am so proud of his many accomplishments on and off the court. He is a regular at our alumni games and he shares his story with all of our future teams.
A new dad and the current manager of the River Road Tavern in Bedford, NH that was featured on the Phantom Gourmet show last spring. Speedy lives in Manchester with his wife Julie and daughter Jordan.
On behalf of NHTI Athletics, let’s welcome Chris “Speedy” Lawes on stage for his induction to the NHTI Athletic Hall of Fame
