Photo by: Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics
Jon Bateky: Small Town Star at a Big Ten School
Nov 15 | Football
Coming to one of the biggest state universities in the country can be a life-changing experience for most student-athletes, and for senior defensive lineman Jon Bateky, it was especially transformative coming from a small town with a population of approximately 10,000.
The Boyds, Maryland, native was not used to going against the elite talent of the Big Ten when he first arrived at Rutgers, but he adjusted quickly and played as a true freshman. "It was weird because I did not play against any big-time recruits coming out of high school, so I kind of got wide-eyed when I first came here."
Bateky fell in love with the game of football playing for a youth league in Germantown, Maryland, and was a star two-way lineman in high school. A Small School First Team All-State selection, Bateky helped Poolesville High School to three consecutive playoff berths and had 11.5 sacks and four forced fumbles during his senior season.
A star on the gridiron, Bateky also played for the varsity basketball team while in high school.
Coming from a small town, Bateky was amazed by the players he met during the recruitment process and loved the family aspect of the Rutgers Football team. That was one of the main reasons he chose to suit up for the Scarlet Knights.
"It was the family aspect, I felt comfortable around the players, being recruited by guys like Sebastian (Joseph), Kemoko (Turay) and Kevin (Wilkins), being recruited by them I felt like I can fit in with them," said the senior defensive lineman.
Ever since arriving "On the Banks" in January 2015, Bateky has been a mainstay on the defensive line for the Scarlet Knights, appearing in at least 10 games his first three seasons and starting all nine games this year, including a field goal block against Kansas back in September.
"It is a battle every week," said Bateky on facing Big Ten talent in the trenches. "There is not going to be any weeks off, so you have to make sure that you are prepared as much as possible every week."
"He is a pleasure to work with," said defensive line coach Corey Brown, who had high praise of Bateky. "I want the best for him and I push him to try to get that out of him and in return, he has been a very consistent player for us.
"I would describe Jon as a player that is very coachable and wants opportunities to work with. He is a guy that comes to work every day, he is very persistent and he brings an edge from the leadership standpoint because he has seen a lot. He is able to communicate with the younger guys, makes sure he is telling them the right things they need to hear, but he definitely cares."
The defensive lineman is focused on playing hard the rest of the season and enjoying time spent with teammates. Playing video games like NBA 2K and Fortnite, listening to some music in his time away from football as well as spending time with his teammates will be the fond memories that Bateky will look back upon his time here at Rutgers.
"The moments off the field were always the best, just hanging out with all the players," Bateky said.
A labor and employment relations major, Bateky is also focused on the big picture outside of football. He had an internship with Finpro, a financial management consulting firm, this past summer.
"It was good to have some experience, to see what I wanted to do and what I do not want to do. It is always good to get something on the resume," he said.
The senior is keeping all possibilities open for the future and his big goal after graduation is to be successful in the workplace.
"Just have a sustainable job, something I feel comfortable at, somewhere I am making a difference where I am at."
The Boyds, Maryland, native was not used to going against the elite talent of the Big Ten when he first arrived at Rutgers, but he adjusted quickly and played as a true freshman. "It was weird because I did not play against any big-time recruits coming out of high school, so I kind of got wide-eyed when I first came here."
Bateky fell in love with the game of football playing for a youth league in Germantown, Maryland, and was a star two-way lineman in high school. A Small School First Team All-State selection, Bateky helped Poolesville High School to three consecutive playoff berths and had 11.5 sacks and four forced fumbles during his senior season.
A star on the gridiron, Bateky also played for the varsity basketball team while in high school.
Coming from a small town, Bateky was amazed by the players he met during the recruitment process and loved the family aspect of the Rutgers Football team. That was one of the main reasons he chose to suit up for the Scarlet Knights.
"It was the family aspect, I felt comfortable around the players, being recruited by guys like Sebastian (Joseph), Kemoko (Turay) and Kevin (Wilkins), being recruited by them I felt like I can fit in with them," said the senior defensive lineman.
Ever since arriving "On the Banks" in January 2015, Bateky has been a mainstay on the defensive line for the Scarlet Knights, appearing in at least 10 games his first three seasons and starting all nine games this year, including a field goal block against Kansas back in September.
"It is a battle every week," said Bateky on facing Big Ten talent in the trenches. "There is not going to be any weeks off, so you have to make sure that you are prepared as much as possible every week."
"He is a pleasure to work with," said defensive line coach Corey Brown, who had high praise of Bateky. "I want the best for him and I push him to try to get that out of him and in return, he has been a very consistent player for us.
"I would describe Jon as a player that is very coachable and wants opportunities to work with. He is a guy that comes to work every day, he is very persistent and he brings an edge from the leadership standpoint because he has seen a lot. He is able to communicate with the younger guys, makes sure he is telling them the right things they need to hear, but he definitely cares."
The defensive lineman is focused on playing hard the rest of the season and enjoying time spent with teammates. Playing video games like NBA 2K and Fortnite, listening to some music in his time away from football as well as spending time with his teammates will be the fond memories that Bateky will look back upon his time here at Rutgers.
"The moments off the field were always the best, just hanging out with all the players," Bateky said.
A labor and employment relations major, Bateky is also focused on the big picture outside of football. He had an internship with Finpro, a financial management consulting firm, this past summer.
"It was good to have some experience, to see what I wanted to do and what I do not want to do. It is always good to get something on the resume," he said.
The senior is keeping all possibilities open for the future and his big goal after graduation is to be successful in the workplace.
"Just have a sustainable job, something I feel comfortable at, somewhere I am making a difference where I am at."
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