Southern thrower shows versatility

PETE PAGUAGA – Sports Editor
Nicholas Fedor isn’t your average Southern Connecticut student athlete. He is normally walking around wearing suits or kilts, telling you the reason behind everything in the world is science and reading authors like Alexander Dumas and Jules Vern in his free time.
“He has quite a spectacular personality,” said Southern track and field throwing coach Bill Sutherland.
One example Sutherland gave of Fedor is when the team is having a tough meet and are getting upset. Fedor is the first one to crack a joke and loosen up the mood. Sutherland said he makes everyone realize it’s just a game.
Fedor graduated from Amity High School in 2007, the same high school Sutherland attended, and was recruited to throw at Southern. Fedor also had an offer from Stonehill University.
“I met Bill through my father, they were in the same business,” said Fedor, “he recruited me during my senior year.”
“Nick was a local kid that did real well,” said Sutherland, “I knew his father; he would give me updates on how Nick was doing.”
Track and field has been in Fedor’s family.
“My father pole vaulted and was a high jumper at Trumbull High School. Fedor has been throwing hammer since high school, but at Southern he has been used to throw both the hammer and discus.
“Much of my success has come in the discus, ironically,” said Fedor.
Another story Sutherland remembers was during last season’s NE-10 Conference Championships. Southern, going into the conference championships, had the best discus throwers, but the wind was coming from behind that day, said Sutherland. This makes throwing the discus harder, because the discus will go to the ground faster.
“Nick said give me this thing, and threw the discus and won the event,” said Sutherland. “He can do pretty well with anything he picks up.”
To this day he still gives the discus throwers a hard time, said Sutherland.
Track and field is only a part of Fedor’s life; he tutors students in his free time for no pay at all. He said he does this because he just loves teaching others. That is why he is studying to become a physics teacher.
“I also like to spend my free time learning new things like playing the guitar and building stuff,” said Fedor.
But that doesn’t mean Fedor doesn’t take his throwing seriously. He is a very valuable thrower on the Southern men’s roster said Sutherland.
“First off he is an excellent thrower,” said Sutherland. “He scores in multiple events.”
This season has started off well for Fedor as he took home first place at the Yale Season Opener with a weight toss of 17.4 meters.
By the end of the season, Fedor hopes he reaches the goal he set at the beginning of the season. “Hopefully at the end of the season I will be an All-American.”
Photo Courtesy | Southernctowls.com
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