Episode 11: Episode 11: Terry Connor

Terry Connor has strong ties at Thomas More University thanks to his father the legendary Jim Connor. Jim had a great career in the coaching world before he arrived at Thomas More in 1978.
Jim’s greatest notoriety in the Northern Kentucky area comes from his time at Newport Catholic High School. In 1966, his Thoroughbreds team was headlined by Dave Cowens. Cowens would go on to become an All-American at Florida State and later an NBA Rookie of the Year and World Champion for the Boston Celtics.
Cowens wasn’t the only superstar athlete Jim Connor coached during his career. He coached David Justice in both baseball and basketball at Thomas More in the 1980s.
After a successful run at Bellarmine University and Boone County High School, Jim Connor came to Thomas More in 1978. He was hired to be the athletic director, head baseball coach and head mens basketball coach. He was virtually a one-person athletic department at the time.
This included a need to help increase the budget with fund raising efforts. He comes up with the idea of holding a weekly Bingo Night that helps build the Connor Convocation Center.
We transition into talking about Terry coming to Thomas More and playing baseball for his dad. This is towards the end of Jim’s career at Thomas More. Jim’s final game as coach is also Terry’s final game as a senior on the Saints baseball team.
Terry follows his dad in the coaching game starting as a high school coach at Bishop Brossart High School on the basketball team under head coach Jeff VonHanDorf. Terry moves over to Dixie Heights High School where he is on Donnie MacFarland’s basketball staff and Dale Maxwell’s baseball staff.
Terry comes to Thomas More as an assistant men’s basketball coach and takes over in mid-season when head coach Larry Cox steps down. Terry is hired to replace Cox after the season ends.
He takes over as the athletic director at Thomas More in 2000 when Todd Aslaon is hired to succeed Bill Aker as the head baseball coach at Thomas More.
Terry tells a funny story about hiring Jeff Hetzer to replace Asalon as the Thomas More baseball coach. After hiring Hetzer, Terry’s first assignment to his new coach was working the weekly Bingo event.
Speaking of Hetzer, Terry tells the story of how he has “Hetz” finish the 2004 season as the women’s basketball coach. Hetzer leads the program to the NCAA Sweet 16 while simultaneously coaching the baseball team in an early season tournament in Florida.
Terry continues to hold both positions of athletic director and mens basketball coach until 2006 when he jokingly says he fired himself to concentrate on being a full-time athletic director of the now growing department.
We talk about some of Terry’s accomplishments as the Thomas Athletic Director. These include building a football stadium, entering the Presidents Athletic Conference after years as an Independent, the national success of the women’s basketball program and reclassification into NAIA.
As we wrap up the conversation Terry talks about the culture within the Thomas More athletic department. It is well know that it’s a tight knit community with a family atmosphere that generates a loyalty thanks to appreciation shown by the people in leadership positions.
Terry along with most of his family at Thomas More graduates. The cover art photo for his episode is of Terry presenting an award to his son Braden who plays on the men’s basketball team for the Saints.
You can follow Terry Connor on Twitter @TMUAD_Connor (https://twitter.com/TMUAD_Connor) and keep up with Thomas More Athletics on their website thomasmoresaints.com (https://www.thomasmoresaints.com/landing/index)
You can follow Brady Laber on Twitter @BradyLaber1 (https://twitter.com/BradyLaber1) please use the hashtag #NobodysSafe
Check out the Nobody’s Safe website at nobodysssafe.fireside.fm (https://nobodysssafe.fireside.fm)
For more information on Stove Leg Media go the website StoveLeg.com (https://www.stoveleg.com) or send an email to [email protected]
Intro music for the podcast was provided by bensoud.com (https://www.bensound.com)

Terry Connor has strong ties at Thomas More University thanks to his father the legendary Jim Connor. Jim had a great career in the coaching world before he arrived at Thomas More in 1978.

Jim’s greatest notoriety in the Northern Kentucky area comes from his time at Newport Catholic High School. In 1966, his Thoroughbreds team was headlined by Dave Cowens. Cowens would go on to become an All-American at Florida State and later an NBA Rookie of the Year and World Champion for the Boston Celtics.

Cowens wasn’t the only superstar athlete Jim Connor coached during his career. He coached David Justice in both baseball and basketball at Thomas More in the 1980s.

After a successful run at Bellarmine University and Boone County High School, Jim Connor came to Thomas More in 1978. He was hired to be the athletic director, head baseball coach and head mens basketball coach. He was virtually a one-person athletic department at the time.

This included a need to help increase the budget with fund raising efforts. He comes up with the idea of holding a weekly Bingo Night that helps build the Connor Convocation Center.

We transition into talking about Terry coming to Thomas More and playing baseball for his dad. This is towards the end of Jim’s career at Thomas More. Jim’s final game as coach is also Terry’s final game as a senior on the Saints baseball team.

Terry follows his dad in the coaching game starting as a high school coach at Bishop Brossart High School on the basketball team under head coach Jeff VonHanDorf. Terry moves over to Dixie Heights High School where he is on Donnie MacFarland’s basketball staff and Dale Maxwell’s baseball staff.

Terry comes to Thomas More as an assistant men’s basketball coach and takes over in mid-season when head coach Larry Cox steps down. Terry is hired to replace Cox after the season ends.

He takes over as the athletic director at Thomas More in 2000 when Todd Aslaon is hired to succeed Bill Aker as the head baseball coach at Thomas More.

Terry tells a funny story about hiring Jeff Hetzer to replace Asalon as the Thomas More baseball coach. After hiring Hetzer, Terry’s first assignment to his new coach was working the weekly Bingo event.

Speaking of Hetzer, Terry tells the story of how he has “Hetz” finish the 2004 season as the women’s basketball coach. Hetzer leads the program to the NCAA Sweet 16 while simultaneously coaching the baseball team in an early season tournament in Florida.

Terry continues to hold both positions of athletic director and mens basketball coach until 2006 when he jokingly says he fired himself to concentrate on being a full-time athletic director of the now growing department.

We talk about some of Terry’s accomplishments as the Thomas Athletic Director. These include building a football stadium, entering the Presidents Athletic Conference after years as an Independent, the national success of the women’s basketball program and reclassification into NAIA.

As we wrap up the conversation Terry talks about the culture within the Thomas More athletic department. It is well know that it’s a tight knit community with a family atmosphere that generates a loyalty thanks to appreciation shown by the people in leadership positions.

Terry along with most of his family at Thomas More graduates. The cover art photo for his episode is of Terry presenting an award to his son Braden who plays on the men’s basketball team for the Saints.

You can follow Terry Connor on Twitter @TMUAD_Connor and keep up with Thomas More Athletics on their website thomasmoresaints.com

You can follow Brady Laber on Twitter @BradyLaber1 please use the hashtag #NobodysSafe

Check out the Nobody’s Safe website at nobodysssafe.fireside.fm

For more information on Stove Leg Media go the website StoveLeg.com or send an email to [email protected]

Intro music for the podcast was provided by bensoud.com