Liberty continues finding success on football field

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, August 2, 2018 | 10:54 PM

Nathan Liberty did a little of everything in athletics while a Quaker Valley student.

However, his biggest impact came on the football field.

Liberty, a 2001 graduate, was an all-state football player his senior year. He will add to his resume when he’s inducted into the Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame on Sept. 21 at Sewickley Heights Golf Club.

“Coach (Jerry) Veshio called my cell phone to tell me, and, at first, I was in shock a little bit. Hearing from him, it was a great honor. I am very happy. I want to thank Quaker Valley for this honor and how they appreciate their former athletes. It means a lot,” Liberty said. “You think back, and those experiences are what mold you. I am an emotional support teacher now, and I know that if I didn’t go to Quaker Valley, I might not be one because the teachers and principals steered me that way and I am glad.”

Liberty earned 12 letters while at Quaker Valley: four in both football and track, two in wrestling and one in both baseball and basketball. On the gridiron, he was an all-conference performer at defensive back and running back his last three years. While he excelled at both, Liberty preferred carrying the ball.

“There’s no other feeling like when you get to run that ball,” he said. “When I call my friends and we talk, sometimes we ask each other what we would do if we could run the ball just one more time.”

Liberty continued his academic and athletic careers at Cal (Pa.). He was a starter at safety on the Vulcans’ 2005 PSAC championship squad. He earned PSAC scholar-athlete honors every year he was at Cal and was a three-time Cal Presidential Scholar.

“I think the best part about Quaker Valley was playing sports with some of my boys I am still friends with,” he said. “Forming that brotherhood is something I won’t forget.”

Liberty has remained active in football. He got into coaching like his father, Tom, a longtime coach. Nathan Liberty began his coaching career as offensive coordinator at Linesville for four years. He spent five seasons as coach at Cochranton and posted a 28-22 record with four playoff appearances. After taking last year off, he will return to the sidelines this fall as coach of Fairview near Erie.

“Football kind of molded me. Having the great coaches that I had is the reason why I wanted to become a coach,” he said. “After taking a year off, my wife told me I had to go back to coaching because it’s something I can’t live without. It’s been pretty cool.

“Fairview is a lot like Quaker Valley, and that was the first thing I noticed when I applied. They have high standards in their academics and athletics.”

He becomes the second member of his family to gain hall of fame honors. His wife, Megan, was a basketball standout at Cal (Pa.) and hit the winning shot in the ’04 NCAA Division II national championship game. They have a daughter, Peyton, who is 4.

“My wife was inducted into the Cal Hall of Fame, so not many couples can say they both have those honors,” Liberty said. “I remember coming into the locker room for football practice one day, and the Cal school paper had a big headline saying, ‘Liberty leading the PSAC in interceptions’ and everyone was laughing. I said, ‘What are you laughing at?’ Then, at the bottom of the page, there was a big headline saying, ‘Megan Storck leading nation in assists and steals.’ I definitely live in the shadow of my wife, and I love it.”

Joe Sager is a freelance writer.

Joe Sager is a freelance writer.

Tags: Quaker Valley