Football a family affair
Petercuskie learns from many elders
When John Petercuskie watched game film, you often could find a young boy right next to him, soaking it all in.
John laid the foundation for the Petercuskie football family. He served on the staffs at five different Division 1 colleges and was the defensive line and special teams coach with the Cleveland Browns for six seasons. As a Hall of Fame high school coach in Pennsylvania, he led Neshaminy High to a 51-game winning streak across four seasons.
The influence of John has now stretched across three generations, with Barnstable senior quarterback Matt Petercuskie the latest in the family to apply the lessons taught by his grandfather.
“He understands defenses better than any high school quarterback I have ever been around,” first-year Barnstable head coach Ross Jatkola said. “You can definitely tell he has been around the game from a very, very young age, and you can just tell he has had great role models to look up to and great coaches, not only in the program but in his home as well.”
When Matt was that little boy watching film with his grandfather, exploring a new love for the game, John taught him the importance of preparation in all aspects of life, and that success is simply a byproduct of the hard work.
It is a somewhat complex idea for a kid to understand, but sacrifice and preparation go hand in hand. Luckily, the family etched the route to follow as all three of John’s sons — including Matt’s father Gary — played Div. 1 college football. After playing at Penn State under Joe Paterno, Gary even signed an NFL contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“When he carves out that piece of time for tape, there is nothing left other than sleep and get up and do it again,” Gary said of his son’s dedication. “That is a sacrifice and a commitment that is instilled in him. Prepare yourself, and hopefully an opportunity presents itself for you.”
For four seasons and beyond, Matt has been preparing for his opportunity to play at the next level. And he is well aware they aren’t just handed out.
Aside from his grandfather, his uncle Jerry coached at the Div. 1 level and was on the staff at North Carolina State when Russell Wilson played for the Wolfpack. Jerry has since moved into an assistant role at Barnstable and has had a great effect on Matt in their time together. Jerry doesn’t sugarcoat things with his nephew and tells him exactly what needs to be worked on for a college coach to take a chance on the quarterback.
“I’ve loved it, and it has been awesome,” Matt said about the on-field relationship with his uncle. “He is hard on me, but he is always honest. Having a coach that will correct me when I’m wrong and explain things and teach things with the knowledge that he has is awesome. Me and my uncle have a great relationship, and it is a pleasure to be out on the field with him.”
Although a college decision might be on the horizon for Matt, right now his focus is solely on his next and final high school opponent.
The Red Raiders clash with rival Falmouth tomorrow on Thanksgiving, and if they manage a win, they will have overcome four opponents who have challenged them in recent seasons, picking up victories against Bridgewater-Raynham, Dartmouth and Dennis-Yarmouth earlier this season.
“We wanted to win those four games, and we have three of the four now,” Matt said. “We are really locked in on getting this fourth game done and moving the program in the right direction. Obviously, we were a little short on the team goal, but in terms of getting the program in the right area, we want to win these four games and go out on the right note.”