By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
His accolades are already indicative of a standout career, and the guy hasn’t even finished high school.
Waterford senior Max Fisher has already been named all-conference and all-area defensive player of the year in football, along with first team all-county three times.
In wrestling, he was 51-3 and took fifth in state at 138 pounds in 2014. He was named the Southern Lakes Conference wrestler of the year for his efforts.
While this sounds like enough to fill a lifetime resume, Fisher is just getting started.
This season, the 18-year-old Rochester native is off to a 12-0 start on the mats for Waterford and became only the fourth wrestler in the history of the Ed Stech tournament to win all four years.
He was named team MVP and captain for both the wrestling and football teams.
“My goal again this year is to win state,” Fisher said in an email.
Max’s older brother Zach was the starting quarterback for Waterford’s 2011 Division 2 state runner-up squad, and his dad was a college running back and former power lifter.
Max Fisher was built for these accolades, and now he can add 2014 Male Athlete of the Year to the list.
Sports Editor Mike Ramczyk recently caught up with Max to discuss his successful year and the future.
MR: Why was it such a successful year for you in both football and wrestling?
MF: Wrestling was successful with help from both my coaches from higher level in the offseason helping me out. And coach Nick Weinkauf (Waterford High School) helped keep me motivated during the season.
For football, Coach Adam Bakken made sure we were prepared for every game and helped us understand the other offenses.
The biggest reason I am where I am today, though, is because of my dad. He’s been my coach since I was young. He always encourages me to do my best and helps me get in the right situations to make me better.
MR: Take me through last wrestling season (junior year). Why do you think you did so well at state? Were you pleased?
MF: After not winning a match at state as a sophomore, I had a goal of winning a state title. I wrestled hard in offseason with Higher Level. Coach Nick helped me come into the wrestling room every day ready to work my hardest and focus just on wrestling. Taking fifth was better than the year before, but I was still upset I didn’t win a state title.
MR: Let’s talk about football. Why were you such a defensive force, and how did the Wolverines turn things around and make noise in the playoffs?
MF: Playing defense has always been my favorite thing to do. Having no fear and having Coach Bakken show us key plays and tendencies the other team did helped me see things faster and allowed me to be there to make a play.
We came together as a team. We came in every week thinking it was a must-win situation to make us work harder.
MR: How are you doing so far this season in wrestling, and how far can you personally and the team go this season?
MF: This year is off to a good start. My goal again this year is to win a state championship. As a team, we are young but our goal is to make it to team state.
MR: Where did all this athleticism come from? Were your parents athletic? At what age did you fall in love with football and wrestling?
MF: My mom was a pom pon girl in high school, so I got some athleticism from her. My dad was four-year starting fullback for UW-Platteville. He also was a power lifter through high school and played baseball and basketball growing up. He ran track in high school as well. I started wrestling in first grade and football in second and fell in love with both right away.
MR: If you had to choose one sport, what would it be? Why?
MF: I had to choose this year between the two, and I picked wrestling just because it’s so important to my life and helped me be the football player I was this year.
MR: What does the future hold for you, Max? Do you want to play sports in college?
MF: In college I am looking to wrestle. I have some partial scholarship offers from Parkside, St. cloud state and Moorhead State, all Division 2 schools.
MR: In 2014, what was your favorite memory? What was your biggest challenge?
MF: My favorite memory of 2014 had to be when we were on the bus ride home for the Delavan football game and we heard that we won a share of conference for a fourth time in a row.
The biggest challenge was losing my state semifinals match at last year. But it gave me motivation to come back a better wrestler this year.
MR: For all the kids that look up to you and want to be a star football player or wrestler some day, what advice would you give them?
MF: Go into practice everyday and listen to your coaches. Work as hard as you can every day. Stay focused on what you want, and train hard in the offseason. Prove those who think you can’t do it wrong, and keep doing what you love.
The Max Fisher File
Wrestling is: what made me into what I am today.
Football is: the family sport that everyone loves.
I am the athlete of the year because: of the people who have helped me and pushed me to be better every day.
Favorite movie: “Remember the Titans”
Favorite song: “Tatoos on this Town,” by Jason Aldean
Favorite Christmas gift? My MacBook Pro
Pre-game food ritual: Football is a pre-game meal at my house. Some friends on the football team come over and my mom cooks everyone dinner.
For wrestling, I have my sub from Subway with a Powerade and frosted mini donuts.
If you could have dinner with one person dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Grandma Fisher, who died three years ago. I could tell her about my high school career and talk about my future with her.
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