Senior Captain Max Pechman achieved a major milestone at last weekend’s Region 4-6A Tournament, earning his 100th victory at Reagan. Pechman’s wrestling journey began when he and his family moved to San Antonio in 8th grade – he was inspired by his friends in New Jersey to give the sport a go.
His sophomore year at Reagan he faced an enormous challenge as he underwent spinal fusion surgery and was told that it was unlikely he would be able to continue wrestling. Not satisfied with that prognosis, Pechman leaned on his work ethic and Rattler teammates to prove the doctors wrong. “After not being able to finish my sophomore season because of the surgery, I had to relearn how to wrestle without bending my back at all,” he said. “I was able to overcome it with the help and support of my teammates and through a lot of hard work and dedication to wrestling.”
“I remember the first time I met Max when he came to summer workouts before his freshman year,” Head Coach Paul Miller said. “He showed potential and was immediately embraced by our team. He has always had the heart of a champion and has fought through a ton of adversity.” Pechman’s natural leadership qualities caught the attention of his teammates and his coaches as well as he was voted one of Reagan’s captains the spring of his sophomore year and has held that role through his senior season. “I am extremely proud of Max reaching the 100 wins milestone,” Coach Miller continued. “He will be a great example for those that come after him.”
Pechman’s favorite memory wrestling for Reagan was the Doc Hess Tournament his sophomore year. “Winning Doc Hess as an individual AND as a team just 2 days before surgery is my favorite memory,” he said.
As for the future, Pechman plans to study biomedical engineering, though he’s still deciding where to attend college. His top choices include the University of Wisconsin, University of Washington, University of Illinois, Texas A&M, and the University of Texas.
Congratulations, Max—your dedication and perseverance have truly paid off!
#OnceARattlerAlwaysARattler #100Wins
@reaganrattlerwrestling