Tazewell High School Star Signs To Play At Wake Forest

As expected, Tazewell High School senior Matt Muncy signed his national letter of intent to play football at Wake Forest University on Wednesday morning.
As usual, Muncy’s No. 1 fan was there to applaud his achievement.

“Matt has always had faith in himself, and now all his work has paid off,” said Steffani Queen, Muncy’s mother.

While many of his peers were being toasted by national media outlets Wednesday afternoon, Muncy retreated to his personal laboratory after a brief signing function at the high school.

“I lifted weights for about an hour,” said Muncy, who is projected to play the H-back or tight end position for the Deacons.

That sort of dedication is typical for an athlete who has worked overtime for his dream on and off the field.

Muncy, who grew up in a single-parent household, credited his mother and grandfather (Jerry Peery) for offering steady dose of guidance and inspiration.

“It’s always just been Matt and myself…I guess you call him my best friend,” Queen said. “We’ve been through the ups and downs together.
“I’ve always encouraged Matt not to give up on his Dreams. ‘If you Believe it. You can Achieve it.’ That’s our motto.”

Muncy was the lone athlete from Southwest Virginia to sign with a Division I school Wednesday. The versatile 6-foot-4, 220-pound athlete received full scholarship offers from Duke and Ohio University. Boston College, Virginia, Vanderbilt and Connecticut were also in the recruiting mix

“Wake Forest expressed interest in my junior year,” Muncy said. “The [Wake Forest] coaches told me they would give me a chance if I keep making plays.”

Splitting time at three positions, Muncy made plenty of big plays this fall as the Bulldogs posted a 9-3 record after winning just one game the previous season.
Muncy not only compiled more than 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns, he organized his own 12-minute highlight video which he distributed to schools in the ACC and SEC.

“Mom didn’t have a clue when it came to putting together the videos,” Muncy said. “My girlfriend’s mother (Melissa Thompson) helped me with that process.”

According to Peery, Muncy never stopped striving to be the best. Peery played football at famed Big Creek High School and Concord College, and later coached at Tazewell High School.

“It’s always been Matt’s dream to play college ball and to progress on to the professional scene if possible, and that’s been the motivating force that’s driven him all these years,” Peery said.
“Matt has been willing to put forth the extra effort.”

Peery noticed the determination of his grandson long before Muncy emerged a star for the Tazewell Bulldogs.

“Even as a little boy, Matt would tell his mother to stop and let him out of the car when she turned onto the road leading to our house,” Peery said.
“He would run that last eight-tenths of a mile behind the car, having his mother watch the speedometer to check his speed. During the summers, Matt would ride his bike all over to build his leg muscles and his endurance.”

While athletes such as Honaker’s Heath Miller (Pittsburgh Steelers) and the Jones brothers from Powell Valley (Thomas and Julius) have found their niche in the National Football League, Southwest Virginia has long been off the recruiting radar for major college football coaches.
Muncy was aware of the long odds, so he compensated through camps, extra workouts and his highlight videos.

Steffani Queen was there for each step of the journey, including trips to prospect combines in Ohio, Texas and New Jersey.

“Matt started really serious about things as a sophomore,” Queen said. “I helped him every way I could.”

The recruiting process, which includes a maze of paperwork and procedures, can be confusing even to experienced college coaches.
Queen admits that the task became strenuous.

“It almost felt like I had taken a part-time job some nights,” Queen said. “Matt and I would go through all his letters. If a school took the effort to show interest, we made the effort to respond.”

The sight of Queen in her No. 7 Muncy Bulldog jersey became around Southwest District football stadiums.

“I was doing little things to support Matt,” Queen said. “For example, I gathered quotes from famous coaches and posted them around our house.”

Muncy said he was never lacking for nurturing or motivation. He simply had to look in the stands.

“My mom and grandfather have always been there for me,” Muncy said. “Mom gave me moral support. And my grandfather taught me the basics of football and stressed the importance of playing with class.
“It hasn’t always been easy, but I set my goals and worked to reach them.”

Each football player at Wake Forest is granted four tickets to each home game. Muncy said two of his tickets are already spoken for.

“I will definitely have a ticket for mom and my grandfather,” Muncy said. “It will be a great honor to represent my district and region.”

Despite up to 10 inches of snow in some parts of Tazewell Wednesday, nothing could dampen feeling of National Signing Day for the Muncy family.

“It’s absolutely a proud moment,” Queen said. “Matt has reached one goal and he has the determination to do even bigger things -  maybe even become the next Heath Miller.”

Weather permitting, a more formal ceremony for Muncy is being planned for Friday at Tazewell High School.

|(276) 645-2544