Nicolet National Bank Senior Spotlight: Connor Pytleski, Green Bay Southwest football and basketball

By Greg Bates
Sports Editor
Name: Connor Pytleski

Parents: Bryan and Melissa Pytleski

Activities: Football and basketball

Nickname: CP

Instagram: @ConnorPytleski

Pytleski, a wide receiver, has been a full-time starter for three seasons on the Green Bay Southwest football team and then in the winter it will be his fourth season starting on basketball. Through the first four football games this season, Pytleski has 14 catches for 169 yards and two touchdowns.

Your brother Will plays basketball at UW-Whitewater. What kind of athletic talent have you taken
away from him?

“Watching him, he was kind of an undersized big guy, so he knew how to use his body, because he
wasn’t very tall. He grabbed a lot of rebounds, scored a lot of points.”

You haven’t played basketball since sophomore year. What occupies you during the spring season?

“A lot of offseason lifting. I’m in the weight room all day. Then I played AAU pretty much every year since like third grade, I think.”

What is your favorite sport?

“It’s kind of a toss-up, honestly. I think I lean toward football a little more these days, because I’m trying to play college football at the next level.”

Are you getting some college looks?

“Yeah, a couple D-II looks in Minnesota and then the WIAC, like La Crosse is kind of reaching out a little bit, not too much. I’m going on a couple gameday visits here.

What schools are after you?

“The University of Minnesota Moorhead St., I’m going on a gameday visit in like two weeks. It should be fun. Also Winona State a little bit. They contacted me a little bit, but they have been too consistent with that.”

What WIAC schools are interested?

“Platteville, La Crosse, Stout and River Falls all kind of reached out a little bit.”

What do schools look at you as for a position in college?

“Wide receiver for sure. I’ve been playing a lot of defense this year, so if they came to the games they might see. But I think it’s mainly wide receiver.”

How long have you wanted to play college football?

“At first when I was a freshman, I was on varsity for basketball, so I thought like playing basketball in college, but then COVID happened and I ended up going in the weight room a lot more and got a lot bigger and football’s come a lot easier. My dad also played college football (at Whitewater), so I kind of thought I could play college football.”

As a freshman, you started one football game and then went right into basketball and started. What did you learn that season?

“Yeah, it was a big thing for me. I knew I was ready for it because I was friends with a lot of ex-teammates with the brother, so I was kind of cool with all those seniors that played with my brother. They kind of trusted me, because my brother was pretty good at basketball. They just kind of had some trust in me, and I saw that and I was all good to go to start.”

Who is your favorite professional athlete?

“I want to say probably Giannis (Antetokounmpo). I think his story’s just amazing. He came in a skinny little kid and he just grinded his way up to his physique now and how he can play. And he develops every single year. I think it’s awesome.”

Your favorite professional team?

“The Green Bay Packers, for sure.”

What excites about this season for the Packers?

“I’m excited to see how Aaron Rodgers is going to do with a lackluster receiving corps. We’ll see how it goes.”

Do you like to travel?

“Yeah, I’ve been traveling with AAU. We went to Minnesota, Kansas City, Atlanta, Chicago, all over the place. Previous years before that it was like Vegas, Nebraska. I don’t mind it — it’s pretty fun.”
Coolest place you visit during AAU ball?

“This year, actually, I was in St. Louis. We went downtown and watched a Brewers game there. It was pretty cool.”

Most important thing in your life right now?

“Probably school and having fun with friends. In school, it’s good to be back. I was excited about getting good grades, getting ready for college.”

If you could be somebody for a day, who would it be?

“I think LeBron James. See kind of what that lifestyle is like and see all the fame he gets and what his regular life is like actually, not just playing.”

What are you hoping to accomplish as an athlete senior year?

“For football, try to get a couple more wins. Then in basketball, we obviously have De Pere in our conference, so I don’t know if anyone’s really touching them. I want to go for second in conference.”

What are your hobbies besides playing sports?

“I’m going to say just hanging outside. I love to hang outside, especially in the woods — ride four-wheelers around. It’s pretty fun.”

Have you gone on spring break recently?

“I did spring break last year for the first time in a couple years. We (his family) went to Destin, Fla.”

Favorite subject?

“Math is probably by best subject and I guess it could be my favorite subject.”

Do you have any idea what you’d like to do for a profession?

“Finance or accounting, something like that, business.”