Big kid creates big holes Vetta helps push aside West’s opponents By Daniel Mike Freeman Staff WAUKESHA – Steve Rux has not had to worry about his left guard for three years. The Waukesha West High School football coach has penciled in Austin Vetta at the spot every game since 2011. Now a senior, Vetta has rewarded his coach with some impressive play. “He’s a guy who’s always had good size,” Rux said of the 6-foot, 280-pound Vetta. “He’s got really good toughness, and he’s really a smart player. Sometimes when you bring a sophomore up they struggle with the complexity of it, but he didn’t. “Now, he’s like a coach on the field. He makes adjustments in the huddle and helps lead the team out there.” That’s a role Vetta has cherished this season in helping West to third in the difficult Classic 8 Conference. Rux sees him continuing that play Friday as the Wolverines host Waterford for a WIAA Division 2 state quarterfinal game. “I’ve kind of changed from being the student to the teacher,” Vetta said. “Now I’m teaching and mentoring the kids below me.” Much of what Vetta is teaching today was learned from Conor Stefanski, who is in his second year at Ball State University. “I learned a lot from him,” Vetta said of Stefanski. “He really led me and taught me a lot of everything I know. I now try to pass along what I learned from him.” Vetta has been playing football since fifth grade when he joined the West youth program. He’s always been a lineman, although he did have a moment at tight end, where he scored his only career touchdown. His older brother, Nick, was also a lineman at West. Vetta can remember watching his brother play and waiting for his junior year to join the varsity. He didn’t realize that dream would come to life one year sooner. “We live close to West, and my dad would joke, ‘We’ll see you on that field in six years,’ which would’ve been my junior year,” Vetta said. “We never even thought of me starting as a sophomore. “It helped me in getting an understanding of everything.” Vetta has not missed a game since, and he’s become a reliable force up front for Rux, who coaches the West linemen. “He’s got good feet, and he’s a much better athlete than you would expect out of a guy that big,” Rux said. “He’s a basketball player and gets varsity minutes – and he somehow makes plays.” That athleticism is vital for guards at West, as it’s a position often called upon to move in more directions than simply forward. “We do some pulling with our power game and counter games,” Rux said. “Generally we put our shorter, more powerful guys inside the taller guys. “He and (left tackle) Josh Schnept worked together the last two years on the left side, and it’s really our strongest side of the offensive line.” Vetta is primarily an offensive player, but Rux and the West staff have used the senior captain on the other side of the ball when warranted. “He’s always wanted to play more defense,” Rux said. “He was a nose guard as a JV player his freshman year. He played 75 percent of the game against Catholic Memorial on defense, so we do practice him there. “But I think it’s been best for the team to keep him fresh on the offensive side.” Vetta plans on playing football in college. He’s talked with several of the state’s Division III schools as well as Division II schools around the Midwest. “He is certainly going to play someplace,” Rux said. “The key for him – or anybody else at any other level – is to find a good fit, to find a place to be successful. “I know he can be a very successful college football player.”
Posted on: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 15:42:56 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015