Playing for a Higher Purpose: Taelon Peter’s First Season as a Flame

Although sports were Taelon Peter’s “first love,” the redshirt senior has his eyes on a higher purpose: glorifying God and growing his faith alongside his teammates on Liberty University’s Men’s Basketball team.  

Peter spent three years playing basketball at Arkansas Tech University before deciding to enter the transfer portal to push himself outside of his comfort zone and see where his talents could take him.  

Peter had never heard of Liberty prior to entering the transfer portal, and he was even more surprised to receive a phone call from Head Coach Ritchie McKay.  

“My first impression was … I didn’t know places like this existed. I didn’t know that there was a place that I could go where the majority of the people here are Christ followers,” Peter said.   

Liberty’s values and McKay’s character during recruitment impressed Peter so much that he thought the offer was too good to be true.  

“I was like, ‘When is somebody going to slip up and make a mistake and show their true self?’ It took me awhile to be able to receive all the grace and all the good things that they were giving me,” Peter said. 

Despite Peter’s excitement over his decision to come to Liberty, transferring meant that he had to move away from his home and support system in Arkansas. This move was a life-changing transition as it happened around the same time he married his wife, Gracie. Through the challenges of multiple new endeavors at the same time, Peter found mentors to guide him through this new season of life. 

“I’ve had a bunch of married men and godly men around me who have helped me walk through some of those storms,” Peter said. 

Upon his arrival in Lynchburg, Peter was able to find family at Liberty. Not only did it make his adjustment period easier, but it also made him realize that Liberty’s basketball program is different from what he had experienced before.  

“Without a doubt, there has been over a handful of guys that I just had instant connections with and instantly felt like they were going to be brothers for life,” Peter said. “In other places, you might not get that. … It’s hard not to want to do life with all these guys.”  

In addition to the family-oriented culture, the team is also faith focused. For Peter and his teammates, their shared beliefs encourage deeper connections and allow them to be just as spiritually strong as they are athletically gifted.   

“We’ve got a bunch of guys who believe that what we’re doing is more important than the outcome of the game,” Peter said. 

Peter said that he grew up going to church and made the decision to follow the Lord while he was in high school. He has felt God working in his life ever since.  

He shared that God has been guiding him as he has settled into his role on the team. Since coming to Liberty, Peter said he has experienced major growth in his leadership qualities — both on an athletic and spiritual level.  

Peter’s mentor and inspiration throughout his entire experience at Liberty has been McKay. He sought out Peter when he entered the transfer portal and has continued to not only develop him as a basketball player but also as a Christian.  

“Since we spoke on the phone for the first time, we’ve just been ‘locked in.’ We kind of have a similar background, so he kind of understands a lot of things that I went through growing up,” Peter said. “Our connection is so natural.”  

Liberty Men’s Basketball has an overall record of 21-5 so far this season with several regular season games left and aspirations to win a Conference USA Championship. As for Peter, he said he hopes to continue to grow on and off the court.  

“My role is obviously a little different than it was last year (at Arkansas Tech), so learning which ways I can be the best teammate is definitely something that I’m trying to learn and grow,” Peter said.  

After college, Peter hopes to play basketball professionally and build a life together with his wife. Ultimately, he wants to continue to push himself and go where God leads him.  

“I hope to bring joy to everyone who encounters me,” Peter said. 

Miller is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion.