Greg Connors, Sportsman of the Year, credits Hornell roots for success at Connors & Ferris

Growing up in Hornell during the 1970s and 80s, Greg Connors always looked forward to Sports Night, when pro sports legends would spend an evening in the Maple City signing autographs and regaling fans with tales from the world of professional athletes.

Saturday night, Connors came full circle and found himself on the main stage as he was recognized as the 2024 Sports Night Sportsman of the Year.

“I was here as a 7, 8-year-old kid. I could never have imagined or dreamed that something like this could be still going on,” Connors said. “The commitment of the community to continue putting the time in to help the Special Olympics is amazing. Now to be recognized is extremely humbling and I’m extremely fortunate.”

Connors graduated from Hornell High School and Alfred University, and went on to found the Connors & Ferris law firm in 2001. The firm has been a champion of youth and amateur sports, forging partnerships with Section V football and other groups.

Connors also developed a personal connection with former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly and has served on the board of Hunter’s Hope for many years. Connors traces his philanthropic efforts to the example set by Sports Night in his youth.

“I met Jim Kelly, who has the Hunter’s Hope Foundation, and finally I had an event similar to Sports Night,” said Connors. “We became good friends and I’ve been on his board now for over 15 years. That’s the influence that Hornell has and Sports Night had on me.”

Hornell athletics influenced Connors' professional success

Connors has always had a passion for sports. He enjoyed a successful career in a Red Raider uniform, helping Hornell win its first-ever Section V football title with an undefeated season in 1987. He also won a Section V basketball title in 1988 and played four years of collegiate football at Alfred U.

Connors credits those experiences with setting the foundation for his professional success. Memories of interactions with teammates and coaches at practice still stand out more than 30 years later.

“Games are great, but the team becomes a team at practice. Gene Mastin, Mike Davidson – those are guys who instilled that teamwork and we became a family,” Connors recalled.

“Hornell taught me that work ethic and camaraderie and teamwork to be successful, which I’ve fortunately translated with a great team at my office. I learned the foundation of it down here.”

More: Meet the 2024 Sports Night honorees, hear what advice the pros gave to athletes

Relationship with Bills rooted in Hornell

Connors & Ferris is now one of the state’s largest law firms representing injured workers, with offices in Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse and New York City.

The firm has also developed strong ties to the Buffalo Bills, serving as the presenting sponsor of training camp at St. John Fisher in suburban Rochester. The team hasn’t yet officially announced if camp will return to Fisher this summer, but Connors is optimistic.

The firm’s contract with the Bills runs through 2026, when the new stadium will debut.

“We’ll go from there and see what path they want,” said Connors. “Our agreement with them is to remain in Rochester. We’re hopeful and have our fingers crossed.”

The firm’s relationship with the Bills has been a dream come true for Connors, who grew up a fan. His dad was a season ticket holder in the 80s, he said.

“Being able to integrate the Buffalo Bills and my passion for football because of playing down here and learning the game from Gene and his staff, and then being professionally in a situation where I could integrate the two, was a dream come true,” Connors said. “It’s one of the reasons why we love it so much.”

When traveling the country, Connors said he is often struck by the positive feedback he receives from people who have met other Hornell natives.

“For me coming back and seeing people I haven’t seen in years, it just reinforces that it really is a community thing,” he said. “This event is a great representation and reflection of the community. They come out, they support sports, they support Special Olympics, and that’s really what’s most important about tonight.”

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: How Hornell roots fueled success of Greg Connors, Sportsman of Year