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04/04/2019 12:00 AMMax Warner has been a major presence in the Branford sports scene for several years. The Branford High School senior recently completed his fourth season on the Hornets’ football squad as a linebacker. Max is also an umpire with the Branford Little League (BLL), after playing for several seasons. While at the Walsh Intermediate School, Max joined the wrestling team, as well as the football squad. Max continued his football career at Branford High, and after leaving Walsh, Max came on as a volunteer assistant for its wrestling team.
From the time he was five years old, Max Warner has been involved in sports. He began with tee ball in the BLL and continued playing through his freshman year at Branford High School. When Max was in 6th grade, one of his friends suggested he give football a try. Max found that he loved the game and stuck with it through his senior season with the Hornets this past fall.
“It’s hard to believe it’s over, but I know we’ll all stay in contact,” says Max. “I loved the competition and playing with all my friends. Some of my biggest highlights are beating East Haven in my last game, having the news come for our game against North Branford, and playing for Coach [Joe] Limone for all four years.”
While playing football gave Max many great memories and friendships, it also steered him in a direction he never could have imagined. At one of his games during his first year playing at Walsh assistant coach, Tom Ermini, approached Max and his mother, Holly, about joining the school’s wrestling team.
“When he saw my impact on the field, he asked me and my mom if I had interest in coming out on the mat, and Mom wasn’t sure about it at first. But, I thought I wanted to give it a try,” says Max, who then wrestled the next three seasons with Walsh. “I really enjoyed wrestling for Tom for those three years.”
While Max’s mom wasn’t sure about wrestling at first, she, Max’s father Neil, and his brother Dylan, soon fully immersed themselves in the sport. Dylan even requested a wrestling birthday party when he turned five, and went to the state tournament while he was in 2nd grade and Max was in 8th. While at that tournament, Coach Ermini made an offer that would make a big difference in Max’s life.
“At states, Tom asked me if I’d be wrestling in high school, and when I said no, he said I was more than welcome to come back and help the team,” says Max. “It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.”
For the past four years, Max has remained with the Walsh wrestling program as an assistant volunteer coach. Ermini remembers watching Max as a wrestler in the program and seeing the way he would help his teammates who were new to the sport.
“For as long as I’ve known Max, he has always worked extremely well with kids,” says Ermini. “That passion to help others continued on into his high school years. Max’s passion to work with kids was evident as he continued to consistently come back to Walsh to help younger athletes.”
Max has always been a steady presence in the gym and on the mats. Earlier this month, he attended the banquet celebrating the Walsh wrestling season and said goodbye to the graduating 8th graders—the first group he helped coached.
“You build such close relationships with all of these kids, and it’s sad to see them move on to high school,” says Max, who also works at Rockin’ Jump in East Haven. “Knowing I was able to make an impact on them and seeing them smile or hugging them when they come off the mat after a big win, means so much.”
Even though seeing his first four-year group graduate was sad, Max is already looking forward to the coming seasons, especially since Dylan has two more years with the team. For the past two years, Max has had a mat-side seat and been able to coach his little brother through many successes. Dylan also wrestles for a club program, giving Max and his family the chance to cheer him on as he won his second state championship this year along with first place in several other big tournaments.
“It’s nice to know I had a part in that. My family loves to watch Dylan wrestle, and I enjoy it myself, coaching. As a family, we’re all happy and cheering on the people we love,” says Max. “I have no idea what I’d be doing if I didn’t start football. It led to Dylan wrestling, which means the world to him, and it led me to coaching and being able to work with the kids.”
Ermini has seen Max’s ability to work with kids first-hand. After years of watching Max interact with the athletes, Ermini approached him about a possible career in education.
“Max continued to shadow me as a coach and has grown into a terrific role model for all the kids he works with,” says Ermini. “I began speaking to Max about turning his passion into a possible career. He is truly a one of a kind young man with tremendous potential. I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for him.”
Beginning Wednesday, May 1, Max will begin his senior internship, working with Ermini teaching physical education at Walsh. Max has wanted pursue middle school education since his sophomore year, teaching either math or physical education.
“This will help me determine what I want to do—now it’s a matter of if I’m stronger with math or PE,” says Max, who is thankful to have so much support at home and at school as he pursues college. “Coach Limone has always influenced me and Miss [Alicia] Loesche always tells me to keep reaching for the stars. When I told her I really wanted to be a math teacher, she said she’d help in any way. Scott Villa [of BLL] has helped me, too, but it’s mostly Tom. I feel like I could talk to him about anything. Anyone who has wrestled for him or been a friend is lucky to have him. From the time he came up to me in 6th grade, he’s wanted to help me in any way possible.”
Max is not only looking forward to his internship, but all of the fun that comes with senior year like the prom and graduation. In the fall, he will attend Southern Connecticut State University and he is to be able to continue coaching alongside his mentor in a program he loves.
“I’ll also be able to maintain my time with the wrestling team, helping out Tom,” says Max. “When I was wrestling on the team, it was just going to another practice every day, but now that I’m coaching, every time I walk into gym knowing I’m seeing same kids everyday just makes me smile. It’s made me so happy over the past four years.”