WOLVES FORWARD REILLY O’CONNOR AND MOM LORI
Reilly O'Connor, in his fourth season as a member of the New England Black Wolves in the National Lacrosse League, refers to himself as a "mama's boy." Therefore it's not unusual for Lori O'Connor, along with Reilly's dad Greg, to pile in the car at their home in Port Perry, Ontario, and drive to wherever their son is playing. They did the same when he was in college at Georgetown University, nine hours each way, even making a trip to see the Hoyas play at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. Now that Reilly plays for the Black Wolves, it's an eight-plus hour trip to Mohegan Sun Arena. The O'Connors go to dinner with their son after the game — Mohegan's Bobby's Burger Palace and Sol Toro were two of their favorites this year — spend the night and then head back the next day. "I've been pretty blessed with great parents who support me through everything. I always want to kind of thank them and celebrate them whenever I can," O'Connor said. "My mom, this is a celebration for her. I want to give her the proper credit and respect for what she's done for me my whole life."
O'Connor admires his mom's work ethic; Lori is a nurse. Also, her unwavering support of him as an athlete is not only appreciated but helps sustain him, he said.
"Family is very important to us. It's one of the main reasons I still play, what keeps me motivated," said O'Connor, a 6-foot-1 lefty forward who had 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points when play was suspended this year by the COVID-19 pandemic. "It's pretty special. It makes it that much more meaningful to me.
"There's the team aspect. We're all brothers (on the Black Wolves). It's so fun to show up to the rink and play together. And to have my own family there makes it all worth while . ... I can count on one hand the amount of games they missed (in my career)."
O'Connor lives in Whitby, Ontario. Outside of his playing career, he serves as the offensive coordinator for the boys' lacrosse team and as a member of the admissions department at The Hill Academy in Vaughan, Ontario, his former high school.
— Vickie Fulkerson