Each game the Staples Wreckers Football team puts 22 players on the field: 11 on offense and 11 on defense. Legendary Coach Marce Petroccio gears up for his 22nd year on the gridiron already with an illustrious and championship-laden resume both on and off the field.

“We’ve come a long way in those 22 years,” Petroccio says, “and everywhere I go, I’m very proud to say I coach Staples Football.”

Before Petroccio was hired in 1993, the team had won just eleven games in the past seven seasons. Flash forward 22 years, and Petroccio has molded the Staples Football Program into a perennial FCIAC and state championship contender. Over Petroccio’s tenure as head coach, his teams have won five FCIAC titles and three State Championships with a combined record of 185-56.

Quarterback Jack Massie ’14 says, “Coach P will go down as one of the best coaches in high school history. He took Staples High School from a losing team to the powerhouse it is now.”

While most of Petroccio’s recognition is due to the success that his teams have on the football field, Coach “P” has emphasized the development of long-lasting relationships with every player to come through the program.

Petroccio says, “It’s great seeing those kids when they come back from college as grown men and successful family guys. They just enjoy coming back here and watching a football game and chewing the fat with me.”

While Petroccio trots out a lineup of 22 players, he recognizes the importance of every player on the team. Petroccio says, “With 22 [players], you’re really not just dealing with that group that is on the field because you have got to deal with […] the offense, defense, and kids on the sidelines.”

Linebacker Lance Lonergan ’13 also says, “Anyone who gives up that much time away from his wife and kids shows the love he’s got for his guys.”

The fearless warriors of this 22-man lineup are the captains of the Staples Football program. Petroccio says, “I have always had a great relationship with my captains. They are my eyes, ears, and my mouthpiece.”

Nick Ward ’14 says that Petroccio’s dedication to his team is demonstrated through his constant attendance at off-season weightlifting sessions for the offensive lineman.

Days away from the annual spring football game that marks the beginning of his 22nd year coaching Staples Football, Petroccio says that despite opportunities to coach at the college level, he envisions himself at Staples for many more years to come.