Veshio hits ground running with Quaker Valley football

By: Alec Italiano
Wednesday, August 9, 2017 | 4:36 PM

Jerry Veshio has held plenty of titles at Quaker Valley, but at this point in his career, he was trying to trim the list, not add to it.

That all changed this week, when John Tortorea's sudden resignation as the Quakers football coach forced the athletic department to turn to Veshio, who will lead QV on an interim basis in 2017, 31 years after his previous stint as head coach ended.

“Mike (Mastroianni, QV's athletic director) was contacted by John, who said he was resigning, and then Mike called me with the season starting in about five minutes,” Veshio said with a chuckle. “I could tell they were really in a struggle to find someone.”

A former athletic director and still the Quakers' track coach — as well as an ex-swimming coach, assistant principal and gym teacher — Veshio, 65, knows his way around the school and the community. That familiarity and a strong sense of loyalty helped sway him into a decision he was reluctant to make at first.

“At first, we talked about me staying on for about three weeks, but ultimately, I met with the coaches staying on the staff, and they were in agreement that if I did this, it should be for the whole season,” Veshio said.

“I was a little reluctant, but I know a lot of the kids through track, and there are a lot of seniors on this team expecting big things. It was an emotional response on my end, because I'm a QV guy and wanted to help out as best I can.”

One thing Veshio doesn't want to do is rock the boat.

While he will be the man in charge when it comes to in-game management and the administrative duties that come with being a head coach, Veshio and his assistants won't be shaking up the Xs and Os that the team has worked on all season.

“I'm not a novice to seeing what's going on out there and making adjustments at halftime, clock management, all those things. … But I'm not going to upset the apple cart,” Veshio said.

“Right now, it's all Greek to me with the play calls, but football is football. They had a lot of offense and defense in already, and being a senior-laden team, I was really impressed that first day by the kids' knowledge. The way they're getting in formation and running plays full speed, they're as ready as any team I've seen at this point of the year.”

The Quakers scrimmage Aug. 19 at South Side before opening the season Aug. 25 at home with a nonconference game against Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic.

Matt Grubba is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mgrubba@tribweb.com

Tags: Quaker Valley