Maggie Quinlan '06

Ron Connors, Dottie Harris, and Norm Therien, affectionately referred to as simply Ron, Dottie, and Norm, of the athletic department collectively serve as the glue that holds Deerfield athletes in their places. Every day they encounter practically every student involved with all sports teams or organizations. However, what do they do during the day while students are busy with classes?

Everyday, Ron, the athletic store and equipment manager. makes the 55-mile journey to campus from his home in Windsor Locks. Connecticut. Beginning around nine in the morning, he spends his time maintaining the weight room, overseeing the athletic store, ordering all uniforms, apparel and equipment, and maintaining the sports gear: "Fix it, if it needs to be fixed," Ron said.

Ron, probably like many others on campus, cited lunch as his favorite part of the day. On the other hand, he noted that his pet peeve is cleaning the weight room, which students often leave quite messy. In his time off, which is only one day a week, he said that he enjoys riding his motorcycle.

Dottie Harris, who has spent 23 years at Deerfield, works as the girls' stockroom manager. She lives in Conway, Massachusetts. However, it could be said that she actually lives on campus, as her only full day away from the stockroom is Sunday. Yet Dottie remains unfazed. In fact, she describes "the insanity" of handing out uniforms as her favorite part of the job because she loves the interaction with students.

When not doling out uniforms to mobs of girls, Dottie can be found folding the contents of four massive hampers of laundry, arranging the uniforms, and preparing the equipment for the teams.

Dottie, who is notorious for her policies about returning uniforms, said that her pet peeve comes when students forget to bring back uniforms. "There should be a can on my desk for every time a student says, "Sorry." They would have to put a dollar in it, and then I could donate it all," Dottie joked. She believes graduation to be the saddest part of her job as she watches the students that she has known for years depart from campus.

The boys' side of the stockroom has been managed by Norm Therien. Norm, who lives in Greenfield, has had a long history with Deerfield. Before he came to the Academy 31 years ago, Norm remembered going to a basketball game here in which he was impressed by the attendance and spirit of the student body. His spirit for Deerfield continues. Norm stated, "Being at Deerfield is a gift that everybody should have the opportunity to enjoy. Coming to a job that you love everyday is a big asset." When not performing his famous locker-room break dance for the football team or throwing the first pitch at a sub-varsity baseball game (in full uniform) as he did many years ago, he can be found in the stockroom folding masses of laundry and preparing and arranging the uniforms, all to ensure that Deerfield's athletes are ready to go for Wednesday and Saturday games. He declared that the students are his favorite part of the job, especially as he has had the experience of watching some students grow into faculty and faculty children into students.

Ron, Dottie, and Norm not only keep Deerfield's athletes looking their finest, but with their welcoming smiles (and bottomless candy bowls) they provide irreplaceable spirit and dedication to students.