Athlete of the Week: Gus Percy

’s Gus Percy is sharing the duties at quarterback for coach Jimmy Rudloff’s club this fall with Ian Maag - and that’s just fine with him.

Percy spent much of the 2010 season watching from the sidelines after tearing his labrum. He did get into a few games last fall at tight end, mostly to block, but quarterback Matt Perlow did throw a few passes his way last year.

After missing the baseball season due to his surgery, Percy worked out all summer to get back on the field throwing passes for the Magicians, who sit at 3-2 with a week off before they take on Gloucester on Oct. 23.

“It’s working out great with me and Ian,” Percy said. “I like to spread it out and throw it, and Ian likes to run, so we’re working together to do what’s best for the team.”

The 17-year-old lives on Dodge Road with his mom and dad and his younger brother Judd, who’s in seventh grade. Percy will be 18 on New Year’s Eve.

His dad Chip, who owns the in Marblehead, played on the offensive and defensive lines for Marblehead before graduating with Marblehead High School's Class of 1973.

“My dad has been a big help to me, his best piece of advice was to have confidence in myself and trust my teammates, and that’s worked out pretty well,” Percy said.

Another man who had a huge impact on Percy was Daynor Prince, who passed away earlier this year.

“He was a great guy, a true Marbleheader, anything I needed in terms of help or advice, he gave me, he was good friends with my family and he was one of my best friends,” Percy said.

Percy, who claims to have eaten at “every restaurant in town a few times,” with his friends, has been playing football with many of his teammates since the third grade.

“We’ve got good chemistry, we get along well, we push each other and it’s great to be with these guys,” Percy said. “I don’t complete a single pass without the help from the offensive line.”

Percy spends his winters working out and he hopes to be starting at third base for the Headers in the spring.

Gus plans to do a year of PG work after leaving Marblehead High, and has been looking at Berkshire, Phillips-Andover, Northfield-Mount Hermon and Deerfield Academy.

The success of the team the next town over hasn’t escaped Percy and his teammates attention.

“Swampscott’s doing well, we know that, there’s nothing I’d like better than to have both teams undefeated in league play and go at it on Thanksgiving,” Percy said.

Percy will help lead his team into Gloucester next week; he has Friday’s off from work, due to a great relationship with his boss. Gus works part time as a busboy at the Three Cod, getting the job there after an intense interviewing process for the position.

“I asked my mom if I could have a job and she said sure.”

The Gus Percy File:

Age – 17

Year – Senior

Favorite food – Pizza

Favorite class at MHS – “I like English, I really enjoy writing.”

Favorite TV show – Entourage

Favorite movie – Dazed and Confused

Favorite band – Led Zeppelin

Most embarrassing song on my iPod – Somebody’s Baby by Jackson Browne

Favorite athlete – Brett Favre

Favorite team – The New England Patriots

Dream – “To win the NEC football championship.”