Steve Gatena

Infobox NCAA Athlete
name = Steve Gatena


caption =
college = USC
conference = Pac-10
sport = Football
jersey = 73
position = OT
class = Junior
major =
career_start = 2004
nickname =
height_ft = 6
height_in = 5
weight_lb = 290
nationality = flag|United States
birth_date = birth date and age|1985|12|15
birth_place = Simi Valley, California
highschool = Westlake High School,
Westlake Village, CA
championships =
championship_list =
career_highlights = Y
awards =
honors = 2003 Wendy's High School Heisman Nominee
National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame High School Scholar Athlete
2002 & 2003 Super Prep All-Farwest
2003 All-CIF Division IV First Team
All-CIF Academic First Team
Los Angeles Times All-Ventura/North Coast First Team
Los Angeles Daily News All-Area First Team
All-Ventura County First Team
Ventura County All-Academic Team
All-Marmonte League First Team
4 time consecutive Westlake High Scholar Athlete Award

Steve Gatena (born December 15, 1985) is an American football offensive tackle. He currently attends the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Gatena plays left tackle for the 2008 USC Trojans football team.

Gatena prepped at Westlake High School in Westlake Village, where he teamed with fellow USC Trojan Jimmy Miller to go 14-0 winning the 2003 California Interscholastic Federation Division II State Football Title. After graduating high school in 2004, Gatena attended the United States Air Force Academy. Gatena and fellow high school teammate Ryan Ruel entered the Academy with the graduating class of 2008. While at the Academy, Steve played Defensive End for the Falcons. Gatena's 2004 collegiate season was cut short due to illness and injury.

In 2005, after suffering from pneumonia, two dislocated shoulders, a collapsed lung, and a broken right hand, Gatena transferred to UC Davis. At UC Davis, Gatena earned his Bachelors degree and continued to pursue his football career. Gatena started as a left tackle for the Aggies, who won the Great West Football Conference Championship in 2005. While attending Davis, Gatena interned for John Garamendi, the 46th Lieutenant Governor of California, at his main office in Sacramento.

In the fall of 2008, Gatena began pursuing his Master's degree in Strategic Public Relations at the USC Annenberg School for Communication. While attending graduate school, Gatena continued to play football for the 2008 USC Trojans football team as a left tackle.

Gatena's college football highlight tape can be viewed here: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbaCD9r6EYY"Steve Gatena's Highlight Tape"]

References