Stagner thanks coaches that made milestone possible

Eagle Times Staff
With the congratulations for scoring her 1,000th point still coming, Springfield’s Macie Stagner took a moment to thank the coaches who helped her reach the milestone.

Eric Fazio of the New England Jayhawks, one of Macie Stagner’s AAU basketball coaches, drove from Keene to support and cheer her on as she went for 1,000 points.

“Coach Eric Fazio is one of the best AAU coaches I have ever had. He believes in me so much,” said Stagner.

She said Wayne Lafley, founder of Lone Wolf Athletics, was also an integral part of her development as a basketball player and person.

“I played with many different programs including Lone Wolf in Burlington. I played with CBC with the Rockwoods. I played for Wayne who sadly passed away with cancer and really, I wouldn’t be the player I am today without him. He really changed my game and who I am, and I really wanted to do this for him,” Stagner said.

And perhaps the best person with a view of her 1,000th point was Springfield Cosmo Head Coach Lester Peck, who called her accomplishment one of his proudest moments as a coach.

“What I can tell you as her coach is exactly what I told her last night when it happened, ‘Thank you so much for letting me share in your journey,’” said Peck. “More importantly, no matter how talented you are as a player, it is far surpassed by how special a young lady you are. I am very proud of her … this is just another chapter in an epic novel we are all lucky enough to partake in.”