Arrow Liver: Professional Lacrosse Player, Peter Baum
ANNAPOLIS, MD – MAY 03: Peter Baum #15 of the Ohio Machine moves the ball against the Chesapeake Bayhawks at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on May 3, 2015 in Annapolis, Maryland. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)
In 2013, the Ohio Machine chose Peter Baum as the first overall pick in the Major Lacrosse League draft. For most male athletes of this caliber, this inevitably means million dollar contracts, endorsement deals thrown your way, and nation-wide recognition. While Peter does have his fair share of sponsors and is widely known in the lacrosse realm, his career is far less glamorous than other professional sports. Lacrosse is still a growing sport. Peter compares it to the National Women’s Soccer League. With most lacrosse salaries not lucrative enough to make a lifetime career a reality, many players often hold other jobs. Although Peter plays for the Ohio-based team, he lives in New York City and works for a sports and entertainment marketing firm. His team trains a day or two before their games, which consequently has made the airport his second home. He even has to travel for home games. After the game, he catches a flight back to NYC in time for a day of rest. Then he’s up at 5:45am on Monday morning so he can get in a workout before he heads to the office.. It’s a hectic schedule, only suitable for a specific breed. But it’s this “grind” lifestyle that fuels Peter to continue living in this way. He hopes to pave the way for future lacrosse stars and allow them to focus solely on lacrosse. Peter plans on continuing to juggle both jobs for as long as Peter can tolerate airports, and is given at least two cups of coffee in the morning to jumpstart his day. Peter Baum is an Arrow Liver.
Name: Peter Baum
Age: 24
Hometown: Portland, OR
Profession: Professional lacrosse player and Sports Marketing
Years at profession: Started playing age 12, 2 years professionally
What was your first thought waking up this morning?
(Preface: It’s the morning after Peter had a fun night out on the town with friends) I need to get the heck out of Long Island.
Second thought: I need to sweat today
What is your Morning Routine?
Work Day:Wake up at around 5:45am. Get dressed for the work day, and pack my gym bag. Off to the gym with my roommate and training partner, Matt Baker. Couple great hours if cardio, strength training, and stretching. 8:45am, leave the gym, grab a coffee on the way to the office. At work by 9:30 or so.
Practice day: wake up, roll-over and look at what happened on twitter mainly for the news and sports, shower, immediately, have at least two cups of coffee, pack my bag, take it downstairs, and eat breakfast in the hotel, which is usually scrambled eggs and fruit with some granola, then go to practice.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
“Be where your feet are.” My college coach used to always say that. I really like it. Don’t think too much about the past or where you wish you were. Focus on what you are doing right now.
What habit contributes the most to your success?
It may be cliche, but hard work. I always think about how hard other people are working. Whatever it is; working out, shooting, playing, watching film, there’s always someone who is doing more, so you can’t rest.
Why do you do what you do?
Two things. I think it annoys some people, but one of my favorite things about playing lacrosse is scoring goals. That and winning. Whether it’s a regular game or playoffs, nothing replaces the feeling of scoring goals and winning games for your teammates.
Biggest failure?
I won the Division 1 Player of the Year in 2012, which for Colgate was a big deal because it was the first time ever. I was on the top of the world. Then senior year, I struggled through some injuries, put up half as many points, and we had a record of 8-7, missing the playoffs. To have your career end at that low, it was really hard. But it’s what motivated me to work so hard after and eventually be selected to the MLL All Pro team in my rookie year. I wanted to get back to the top.
What has been your most rewarding accomplishment?
Being the first player from West of the Mississippi to win the Tewaaraton Award (equivalent of the Heisman). To do that for kids growing up on the west coast, and give them someone to look up to was pretty cool.
What do you wish you knew as a kid?
Not put so much pressure on one specific goal because goals change and evolve and once you accomplish one there will always be another one. So just live each day. Try to do the best in the moment and don’t get too caught up in what’s next.
What are your other passions? If you weren’t playing lax what would you have loved to pursue?
Read more and travel more often for fun and not just for work/lacrosse.
What is your biggest challenge and what do you do to manage this challenge?
Trying to balance professional sports with the other aspects of life. It’s tough to remain at the top of sport while having a lot of other obligations, a social life, and all that kind of stuff. In order to manage it I take care of lacrosse first. I get what I need to get done on lax front, and then I am open and energetic with everything else.
How are you different than the average?
I think very big picture. I try not to get caught up in really small things, whether it’s sports or something else.
Is this where you thought you’d end up?
Not when I was young and in high school; never in my wildest dreams. But after I won the Tewaaraton, it started to seem like more of a reality
If you could trade lives with one person for an entire day who would it be?
Lebron.
What did you love most about where you grew up?
The Natural environment. The rivers, mountains, ocean-you got it all. So many opportunities for outdoor activities.
If you could only keep five possessions what would they be?
Geez this is hard. I’m not a “things” person. My phone for sure. Coffee, my lacrosse stick, a good pair or running shoes, and Burt’s Bees chapstick
What skill would you like to learn and why?
I used to be good at speaking French then dropped off. I’d like to become good at that again.
What’s your favorite mobile app and what does it entail?
Google Maps. It gives you directions and reviews. It’s much better than the Apple app. I would die without it in NY. There’s so much walking and navigating needed.