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By David Boyce  |  Northwest Men's Basketball vs. Ouachita Baptist  |  Saturday, March 12, 2016  |  2:30 p.m.  |  Sanford Pentagon  |  Sioux Falls, S.D.
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MARYVILLE, Mo. - On the rare occasions Northwest Missouri State men's basketball coach Ben McCollum sits during a game, one person he makes sure he is next to is Nick Peters.
 
Peters isn't giving McCollum strategic advice. That is the role for assistant coaches Austin Meyer and Andy Peterson. Peters job is every bit as vital. As the athletic trainer for the men's basketball team, Peters makes sure each player is able to give his best effort when he is on the court.
 
Peters is one reason why Northwest, 25-5, earned the No. 2 seed in the Central Regional and will take on Ouachita Baptist, 19-12, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
Most of the season, McCollum uses seven to eight players in a game. It is important they are physically able to perform at their best during games. That's where Peters comes in.
 
Like most seasons, injuries present a challenge. Junior guard Anthony Woods has missed five games, sophomore guard Justin Pitts has missed one game, sophomore Xavier Kurth missed much of the first half of the season with an injury and junior Zach Schneider has played the second half of the season with a face guard.
 
"We have had a lot of injuries this year; he gets them all back healthy and make sure they limit their practice time enough but keeps them in rhythm so when they come back, they are ready to play," McCollum said.
 
"When we hired him, we knew he would be a great locker room guy and that is what he is. He has such a good positive attitude and brings that vibe to the team."
 
Peters arrived in the summer of 2012. He was so positive it was the right fit for him that he left his internship with the Denver Broncos in June of 2012.
 
"I was in my second year when this job came open," Peters said. "I talked to the head athletic trainer at Denver and he said this is something you need to pursue. They were 100 percent behind me and very supportive, which I am grateful."
 
Peters was already familiar with Northwest and the family atmosphere in the athletic department and throughout the campus. From 2008 through 2010, he was a graduate assistant athletic trainer.
 
As a graduate assistant, Peters worked baseball, football, track and field and volleyball before moving into a part-time role from 2010 to 2011. As a part-time assistant, he was responsible for soccer and the Final Four women's basketball team.
 
"Northwest Missouri State was unbelievable to me then," Peters said. "I told myself if I could ever get back here full time, I would take it. The opportunity arose in 2012 and I jumped at the chance and I haven't regretted it."
 
Peters, though, learned plenty during his internship with the Broncos. The hours were long. He would arrive at work at 5 a.m. and didn't go home until 5, 6 or 7 in the evening.
 
"At the professional level, the time commitment is much greater," Peters said. "The biggest thing was knowing my role there and fitting into what they needed and what they wanted. Obviously, I wanted to pick up stuff along the way and bring it back here and run with it."
 
Being an athletic trainer at Northwest provides Peters with the perfect balance of professional satisfaction of doing a good job while also having time for activities outside of work.
 
"It is kind of the reason I took this as well," Peters said. "Quality of life is higher here. You are able to do other things throughout the week. But they (Broncos) taught me a lot. I still talk to those guys to this day."
 
The way Peters tends to the players and the way he talks about the craft of being an athletic trainer at the college level, it is obvious he takes his job very seriously. He wants to do what is best for the athlete and the team.
 
 "It is not his way or the highway," McCollum said. "He listens to you and understands what we need to do to win basketball games. He works with you on that front. He has zero ego. That makes a big difference for our culture."
 
Peters said he is fortunate to work with this group of players and coaches at Northwest. They make his job easier.
 
"The thing I enjoy the most is the guys are great," Peters said. "The kids are unbelievable to work with. They are very respectful.
 
"The coaching staff are some of my best friends I have here. All around it is a family and I feel a great part of it. It is enjoyable to work with them each and every day."
 
It is important to have a strong relationship between the athletic trainer, the coaches and the players. The coach needs to know how hard to work a player coming off an injury and when to rest the player in practice to have the player ready for a game.
 
"There is a fine line between doing too much and not enough," Peters said. "That's what I picked up the last four years. My first year I kind of struggled with that a little bit. This year has been easier.
 
"I am very lucky to have kids who are respectful of my time and my opinion and they will do everything they can to get better. Sometimes you have to rest. It takes time to heal. If you are communicating with me and making an effort, that goes along ways. That is what I appreciate about this team."