On a field or a stage, Canfield High's Joe Rosko is a Most Versatile Performer

By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANFIELD -- When it comes to dishing out hits, no one on the Canfield High football team does it quite like senior middle linebacker Joe Rosko.
The Cardinals' 5-foot-11-inch, 196-pound third-year fullback is the player most likely to drive his teammates nuts with music, from singing Broadway showtunes in the lockerroom to hitting the play button on his car's CD player when unsuspecting ears are riding along.
"Oh man, the things he'll sing," said tailback Angelo Babbaro, rolling his eyes.
"Don't forget his car," center Nick Rousher said. "Last night, he was singing Christmas songs -- who was that?"
Bing Crosby and *NSync, Rosko replied.
Rosko's passion for sports is matched by his love of music and theater. That's right, Canfield's football captain who also has varsity letters for basketball and baseball, is a most valuable player in the school's drama department.
Had lead roles
Already, he has performed lead roles in "Oklahoma" (Curly) and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (Joseph). Next spring, Rosko hopes to play Marius when CHS stages "Les Miserables."
"He's certainly an exceptional young man," Cardinals coach Mike Pavlansky said. "You always talk about having student-athletes that are well-rounded -- Joe Rosko is the definition of that."
Rosko said he's "not afraid of expressing my liking for theater in the lockerroom," admitting he'll sing showtunes while changing into pads. "I try to broaden their knowledge outside of the sporting world.
"The guys like to poke fun at me and give me a hard time, but when it comes time for a performance, a lot of my buddies like Angelo and Nick will be in the front row to watch me."
Rosko even persuaded Rousher to take a role in "Joseph."
"I was a guard," the center/defensive lineman said.
Rosko is confident that his teammates now know the difference between "Oklahoma" and the team Bob Stoops coaches as well as that musical's hero Curly and everyone's favorite Stooge.
This week, theater is on the backburner as the 14-0 Cards prepare for Friday's Division II state championship game against Toledo Central Catholic (13-1) in Massillon.
Decisions
The title contest could be Rosko's final football game. Then again, he might play in college. He faces a lot of decisions before his graduation next spring.
"It would be hard to walk away [from sports]," Rosko admitted.
Baseball is in the picture. Last season, Rosko compiled an 8-0 pitching record with an earned-run average of 0.75 and earned all-Metro Athletic Conference honors.
But so is music theater. In January, Rosko will be The Baker when Canfield choir's dinner-theater stages "Into the Woods." This fall, Rosko had a role in the play "Voices," which was written by students of Dr. Rebecca Heikkinen, Canfield's drama department director.
So how did a boy who excels at football, baseball and basketball get involved with the stage? Naturally, a girl influenced him.
"In seventh grade, my girlfriend at the time talked me into going out for my first show, 'Much Ado About Nothing,' " Rosko said. "I made it and she didn't. I was stuck ... I didn't even want to do it in the first place."
Rosko wasn't enthralled with Shakespeare, but then he was involved with CHS' production of "Guys and Dolls."
"Our choir director, Mrs. [Kelly] Scurich, talked me into trying out and I liked it," Rosko said. "My love for theater kept growing."
Parents receptive
As a freshman, Rosko had key supporting roles in "The Man Who Came to Dinner" and "Footloose."
Rosko said his parents -- Fred Jr. and Kathy -- are cool with his first theatrical pursuits.
"But my Dad probably wouldn't have gone along with it if he knew that it would grow so much," Rosko said. "That's a hard part of my [college] decision because my Dad wants me to do sports so much."
If he continues with athletics, baseball most likely would be his sport.
This winter, Rosko is giving up basketball to be on the Speech Team. Through February, he has six auditions scheduled for musical theater programs.
"After that, I'll really know where I stand, and that's when recruiting picks up for baseball," Rosko said. "So that's when I'll make a decision as to whether I want to pick another major so I could play football or baseball, or just not do sports to major in musical theater."
With 370 yards on 76 carries, Rosko is the Cardinals' third leading rusher behind Babbaro (1,901) and Kyle Banna (581). On defense, Rosko's 82 tackles trail only Banna (99).
Finding time
How does he find team for sports, rehearsals and homework?
"My schedule gets crazy. Last year, I'd go right over from football practice to the auditorium to practice for 'Joseph.' It's hard, it's really tiring.
"It's really has been Dr. H who has had to give me leeway because I really haven't ever missed a [sports] practice," Rosko said. "Over the years, coaches Pav, [John] Cullen and [Tony] Ross have been great in supporting me.
"They think it's great I'm involved with other things. That's made it a lot easier - it could have been a lot harder."
Pavlansky said, "Joe is unique -- he doesn't need much rest. In all his activities, we haven't seen any dropoff. I think that's a testament to his mental attitude as to how well physically he's in shape."
As for a future in theater, Rosko says he's received advice from his "Oklahoma" co-star Tiffany Gardner, a second-year theater major at Syracuse.
Prepare for criticism, Gardner said.
"[She said] professors are straight up with you -- they'll flat out tell you in any harsh way that they want. You just have to be able to take it and use it to better yourself," Rosko said. "I feel like I've been through a lot worse than that with sports so [criticism and competition don't] faze me."
williams@vindy.com