Amid all the sports that Stanford has on campus, it can be easy to forget about the Stanford dodgeball team, which has dominated the Pac-12 for decades and entertained fans at Burnham Pavilion & Ford Center. This year, they were no exception as they dominated the competition all season long, winning another NCAA championship. With their move to the ACC, the Cardinal are hoping to add some fresh talent to their squad and they have done just that with the addition of 5-star phenom Peter La Fleur, Jr.
In case that name rings a bell, it should. Back in 2004, La Fleur’s father Peter La Fleur, Sr. led Average Joe’s Gym to an improbable ADAA (American Dodgeball Association of America) championship, defeating the Globo Gym Purple Cobras in the championship game to save their gym and inspire a new generation of dodgeball players.
As for his mother Katherine “Kate” Veatch, she was on that Average Joe’s team and ended up marrying La Fleur not long after their championship. A couple years later, Peter La Fluer, Jr. was born and as they say, the rest is history.
Inheriting the amazing focus and resolve of his father and the powerful arm of his mother, La Fleur, Jr. has emerged as the top dodgeball prospect in the nation, ranked number one in the 2024 class by all dodgeball scouting services.
“He’s like nothing we’ve ever seen,” one scout said. “He’s got cat-like quickness and the ability to get anyone out from anywhere on the floor. He can play both on the wing and in the middle with ease and dominate at both positions. He’s an amazing talent that only comes around once in this game. He’s the closest thing our sport has had to a LeBron James.”
While he’s inherited great genes from his parents and been taught well, La Fleur, Jr. acknowledges that he wouldn’t be where he is had the legendary Patches O'Houlihan not inspired his father to play the game in the first place. O’Houlihan is considered the greatest dodgeball player ever, a seven time ADAA all-star who coached Average Joe’s until his untimely death in which he was crushed to death by a sign that read “Luck of the Irish.” La Fleur, Jr. has a tattoo of a four-leaf clover on his left arm to serve as a reminder of who O’Houlihan was and what he means to his entire family.
“While I never met Patches, he is the reason I play this game,” La Fleur said with a tear in his eye. “My father and mother have taught me so much and I’m eternally grateful for all the sacrifices they’ve made for me. But, I realize that without Patches, they would never gotten into the game in the first place. He was such an amazing player and even better person. He truly cared about making everyone the best they could be.”
Some of O’Houlihan’s coaching methods have drawn criticism from fans and those in the media. He used to have players dodge traffic and flying wrenches in order to hone their skills. While sometimes players got critically injured, La Fleur, Jr. understands what O’Houlihan was about. He’s embraced those same drills and feels like that’s really taken his game to another level.
“Dodging traffic at first was scary,” La Fleur, Jr. admitted. “I thought I was going to die. But then I got the hang of it and now I know I can dodge anything. A flying wrench to the face hurts, but once you learn how to avoid it, it makes a flying ball look so much slower and easy to dodge. I wouldn’t be where I am without having endured a little pain.”
“Patches was such a great friend,” La Fleur, Sr. added. “What he means to my family and the entire dodgeball community cannot be overstated. It’s an honor to have my son carry on his legacy of athletic and academic excellence.”
As for why he chose Stanford, La Fleur said it was easy. The combination of elite academics and the chance to play college dodgeball at the highest level really appealed to him. Compared to his other offers, Stanford stood out from the competition.
“Stanford has it all,” La Fleur said. “I can get an education at the top university in the world and also play dodgeball for the top program in the nation. What’s not to like? At some point that dodgeball is going to stop flying at me and when it does, I want to be able to find success in the next chapter of my life.”
Given his abilities to dodge wrenches and traffic, La Fleur, Jr. has an interest in studying physics and plans to major in it once he comes to The Farm. He took AP Physics in high school and got a perfect 5 on the AP test. That really helped him get admitted to Stanford and stand out from other applicants.
“I’ve always been fascinated by physics and learning about how things move and why they move the way they do,” La Fleur said. “It really helps me become a better dodgeball player because I’m able to calculate the proper velocity by which I need to get a player out. I can also read the velocity of a ball coming at me and know where I need to bend my body in order to avoid getting hit. It’s been really helpful to study.”
As far as where his favorite spot on campus is, La Fleur, Jr. said he loves the CoHo, a favorite coffee house on campus. He loves the variety of selections of food and drinks they have to choose from and the overall vibe. He hopes that one day, he too can have a caricature of himself on their wall of famous alumni.
“It would be awesome if I could make that kind of impact on Stanford,” La Fleur said of the possibility of having a caricature of himself end up in the CoHo. “I don’t think anyone from the dodgeball team has made it up there and I want to change that. We’re just as good of athletes as anyone on campus.”
That said, La Fleur knows he has to work really hard to achieve that level of fame and impact at Stanford. He’s motivated to being the best he can be, even if he has to resort to some unorthodox methods to find success.
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to become the best,” La Fleur said. “Stanford is all about excellence and that’s what I’m about, too. People will think I’m crazy for trying to dodge traffic on Palm Drive. I don’t care. They can laugh. That’s why they’re not doing what I’m doing.”
When asked about NIL and what kind of deal he thinks he can secure from Lifetime Cardinal, La Fleur is optimistic that the collective takes dodgeball seriously. He’s looking forward to marketing himself on campus and making the most of all that Stanford can offer to build his brand.
“With Stanford, anything is possible,” La Fleur said. “If I can dodge a wrench, I can do anything. The sky is the limit. I can’t wait to see what doors open up for me and how I take my brand to the next level. I really hope to see my face on the billboard on El Camino right across from Town & Country Village.”
Regarding the dorm conditions at Stanford, La Fleur finds that to be one of Stanford’s strongest selling points. He’s not sure if he’s going to room at Branner Hall or Crothers Hall, but regardless, he’s confident that he’s going to have a great dorm that is easily accessible with all the amenities that he needs.
“I heard some guy freaked out about his dorm and split for Cal,” La Fleur said with a laugh. “That’s crazy. These dorms are amazing. Very clean, comfortable, and easy to access. There’s nothing to dislike about the dorms and if anything, it might be the best reason to come to Stanford outside of the amazing education and weather. Certainly much better than Telegraph Commons.”
All in all, Stanford appears to be a great fit for Peter La Fleur, Jr. and he in turn appears to be a great fit for Stanford. It’ll be exciting to see what he brings to The Farm and what kind of impact he makes both on the dodgeball court and also on the university as a whole.
P.S. Hope you all enjoyed this year’s April Fool’s post!
In case that name rings a bell, it should. Back in 2004, La Fleur’s father Peter La Fleur, Sr. led Average Joe’s Gym to an improbable ADAA (American Dodgeball Association of America) championship, defeating the Globo Gym Purple Cobras in the championship game to save their gym and inspire a new generation of dodgeball players.
As for his mother Katherine “Kate” Veatch, she was on that Average Joe’s team and ended up marrying La Fleur not long after their championship. A couple years later, Peter La Fluer, Jr. was born and as they say, the rest is history.
Inheriting the amazing focus and resolve of his father and the powerful arm of his mother, La Fleur, Jr. has emerged as the top dodgeball prospect in the nation, ranked number one in the 2024 class by all dodgeball scouting services.
“He’s like nothing we’ve ever seen,” one scout said. “He’s got cat-like quickness and the ability to get anyone out from anywhere on the floor. He can play both on the wing and in the middle with ease and dominate at both positions. He’s an amazing talent that only comes around once in this game. He’s the closest thing our sport has had to a LeBron James.”
While he’s inherited great genes from his parents and been taught well, La Fleur, Jr. acknowledges that he wouldn’t be where he is had the legendary Patches O'Houlihan not inspired his father to play the game in the first place. O’Houlihan is considered the greatest dodgeball player ever, a seven time ADAA all-star who coached Average Joe’s until his untimely death in which he was crushed to death by a sign that read “Luck of the Irish.” La Fleur, Jr. has a tattoo of a four-leaf clover on his left arm to serve as a reminder of who O’Houlihan was and what he means to his entire family.
“While I never met Patches, he is the reason I play this game,” La Fleur said with a tear in his eye. “My father and mother have taught me so much and I’m eternally grateful for all the sacrifices they’ve made for me. But, I realize that without Patches, they would never gotten into the game in the first place. He was such an amazing player and even better person. He truly cared about making everyone the best they could be.”
Some of O’Houlihan’s coaching methods have drawn criticism from fans and those in the media. He used to have players dodge traffic and flying wrenches in order to hone their skills. While sometimes players got critically injured, La Fleur, Jr. understands what O’Houlihan was about. He’s embraced those same drills and feels like that’s really taken his game to another level.
“Dodging traffic at first was scary,” La Fleur, Jr. admitted. “I thought I was going to die. But then I got the hang of it and now I know I can dodge anything. A flying wrench to the face hurts, but once you learn how to avoid it, it makes a flying ball look so much slower and easy to dodge. I wouldn’t be where I am without having endured a little pain.”
“Patches was such a great friend,” La Fleur, Sr. added. “What he means to my family and the entire dodgeball community cannot be overstated. It’s an honor to have my son carry on his legacy of athletic and academic excellence.”
As for why he chose Stanford, La Fleur said it was easy. The combination of elite academics and the chance to play college dodgeball at the highest level really appealed to him. Compared to his other offers, Stanford stood out from the competition.
“Stanford has it all,” La Fleur said. “I can get an education at the top university in the world and also play dodgeball for the top program in the nation. What’s not to like? At some point that dodgeball is going to stop flying at me and when it does, I want to be able to find success in the next chapter of my life.”
Given his abilities to dodge wrenches and traffic, La Fleur, Jr. has an interest in studying physics and plans to major in it once he comes to The Farm. He took AP Physics in high school and got a perfect 5 on the AP test. That really helped him get admitted to Stanford and stand out from other applicants.
“I’ve always been fascinated by physics and learning about how things move and why they move the way they do,” La Fleur said. “It really helps me become a better dodgeball player because I’m able to calculate the proper velocity by which I need to get a player out. I can also read the velocity of a ball coming at me and know where I need to bend my body in order to avoid getting hit. It’s been really helpful to study.”
As far as where his favorite spot on campus is, La Fleur, Jr. said he loves the CoHo, a favorite coffee house on campus. He loves the variety of selections of food and drinks they have to choose from and the overall vibe. He hopes that one day, he too can have a caricature of himself on their wall of famous alumni.
“It would be awesome if I could make that kind of impact on Stanford,” La Fleur said of the possibility of having a caricature of himself end up in the CoHo. “I don’t think anyone from the dodgeball team has made it up there and I want to change that. We’re just as good of athletes as anyone on campus.”
That said, La Fleur knows he has to work really hard to achieve that level of fame and impact at Stanford. He’s motivated to being the best he can be, even if he has to resort to some unorthodox methods to find success.
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to become the best,” La Fleur said. “Stanford is all about excellence and that’s what I’m about, too. People will think I’m crazy for trying to dodge traffic on Palm Drive. I don’t care. They can laugh. That’s why they’re not doing what I’m doing.”
When asked about NIL and what kind of deal he thinks he can secure from Lifetime Cardinal, La Fleur is optimistic that the collective takes dodgeball seriously. He’s looking forward to marketing himself on campus and making the most of all that Stanford can offer to build his brand.
“With Stanford, anything is possible,” La Fleur said. “If I can dodge a wrench, I can do anything. The sky is the limit. I can’t wait to see what doors open up for me and how I take my brand to the next level. I really hope to see my face on the billboard on El Camino right across from Town & Country Village.”
Regarding the dorm conditions at Stanford, La Fleur finds that to be one of Stanford’s strongest selling points. He’s not sure if he’s going to room at Branner Hall or Crothers Hall, but regardless, he’s confident that he’s going to have a great dorm that is easily accessible with all the amenities that he needs.
“I heard some guy freaked out about his dorm and split for Cal,” La Fleur said with a laugh. “That’s crazy. These dorms are amazing. Very clean, comfortable, and easy to access. There’s nothing to dislike about the dorms and if anything, it might be the best reason to come to Stanford outside of the amazing education and weather. Certainly much better than Telegraph Commons.”
All in all, Stanford appears to be a great fit for Peter La Fleur, Jr. and he in turn appears to be a great fit for Stanford. It’ll be exciting to see what he brings to The Farm and what kind of impact he makes both on the dodgeball court and also on the university as a whole.
P.S. Hope you all enjoyed this year’s April Fool’s post!
