Disability is no hindrance for Bruce
Born without leg, kicker makes impact
Every player on the Greater New Bedford football team crosses The Concentration Line before every practice. Coach Chuck Allaire does this to prepare his squad for two hours of practice.
Peter Bruce, a humorous and popular senior, crosses the line with his teammates but there is one difference: Bruce was born with two stubs for arms and a stub for a left leg. He kicks extra points with a carbon fiber leg attached to the end of his leg.
But that is where the differences between Bruce and his teammates end.
"We treat Peter like he is anyone else," said coach Chuck Allaire. "If he misses an extra point, I will get in his face and if he makes it, I will high-five him."
"He has a lot to complain about if he wanted to but he doesn't."
As a freshman, the coaching staff was wary of Bruce playing such a physical sport, but once they saw his work ethic, they realized they did not have to exercise unnecessary caution.
"When I first met him I did [get cautious], but when we started practice and lifting weights, I knew he would be fine," said Allaire.
Bruce's father, Wayne, also worried about bigger players tackling his son.
"My dad was kind of iffy with letting me play, but I've stuck with it," said Bruce. "I have gone up against kids twice my size and I am not afraid of getting laid out."
Earlier this season Bruce, who is 5 feet 4 inches and barely touches triple digits in weight (103), received a helmet-to-helmet hit from a Seekonk player on a PAT attempt. He got right back up and said, "Nice hit." The referee thought otherwise.
"I said, 'Nice hit,' but the ref thought I swore at him," said Bruce.
Both players got unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for jawing, resulting in the Bears lining up on the 12-yard line for the extra point.
"I would have let Peter kick it but I was upset with him," said Allaire. "We went for it [a 2-point conversion], but you can't get a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct."
Bruce has converted six of eight extra points heading into tomorrow's Thanksgiving Day matchup against Diman and would love to finish off his year with a game-winning field goal.
"If the situation arises there is no doubt he will kick it," said Allaire. "His distance is no more than 30 yards."
Bruce has been striving to increase his range just in case he's called upon with the game on the line.
"I kick about 30 kicks, then take a 10-20 minute break and watch the guys play their positions," said Bruce, who runs through this routine several times during practice. "I want to kick that ball so hard through the uprights to prove to myself every day that I am getting better."
Bruce has not kicked a ball hard enough yet that the carbon fiber leg has come off, however, he wouldn't mind if it happened. Remember, Bruce has a good sense of humor: "I kind of hope it does. But I am kind of glad it has stayed on." 