Max McEnelly: A pretty simple decision
In this article:
One of the top overall athletes in the Minnesota 2023 class has plenty of time to make his college decision and decide which way – athletically – he is going to go. Waconia’s Max McEnelly Max McEnelly 5'10" | 205…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOne of the top overall athletes in the Minnesota 2023 class has plenty of time to make his college decision and decide which way – athletically – he is going to go. Waconia’s Max McEnelly Max McEnelly 5'10" | 205 lbs | ATH Waconia | 2023 State MN had offers from multiple schools in multiple sports. Would the two-sport star decide to go with his first love – as far as athletics go – or the sport he was not only one of the best in the state – but in the nation? It sounds like it was going to be a tough decision. In the end, McEnelly said it was ’a pretty simple decision’.
“Football was my first love,” McEnelly said. “I thought I was going to play football in college until the end of my freshman year. Football has always clicked for me. I am athletic enough, and I have quick feet. I can run the ball and have good vision. My dad played football for Minnesota-Duluth, so he was always teaching me stuff.”
The junior is one of the top returning running backs in the state.
“I am a downhill runner. I don’t think anyone wants to tackle me. I think I hit harder, and I wear people down. Once we wear on them for four quarters, it starts to pay off. That showed in a couple of games where we were down and came back because the defense didn’t want to tackle anymore.”
The Wildcats finished with a 4-6 record in 2021. McEnelly rarely came off the field.
“On defense, I play outside linebacker. I am a good tackler. Wrestling and football translate to each other – it is straight-up double legs.”
McEnelly will be wrestling for the Gophers in two years. He is a two-time state champion and wants to add his name to an exclusive list of four-time state champions. Football has always been an essential part of the Wildcats’ junior’s life off the mat.
“I have to have a balanced life. Wrestling can’t be the only thing I think about. I try to have fun outside of wrestling, so it is not what I am thinking of all the time. When it is time to do my work, I do my work, but when it is time to hang out, relax and be a teenager, I can do that too. I think you should have a balanced life with wrestling. When it is time to work, it is time to work, but when it is time to take a break, I take a break and have fun.”
Part of that fun is hanging out with friends on the lake in the summer and playing football in the fall. Part of that balance is taking time to focus on the football field.
“I am working on the mental part of football,” the 5’10″ 200 pound – during football season – junior explained. “What is this person doing? What is that person doing? I have been watching film more – just understanding football better. The more you know what is going on, the more you can use your ability to make plays.”
Football programs noticed, but they didn’t have much of a chance to lure the three-time state entrant.
“Northern Iowa, North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota State reached out for football,” McEnelly said, “but none of them interested me as much as Gophers’ wrestling.”
Once the Gophers reached out, for all intents and purposes, McEnelly’s recruitment was over.
“Recruiting for me was pretty simple. I knew I wanted to stay in Minnesota, but I didn’t know if I wanted to play football or wrestle. Once I talked to (the Gophers’ wrestling coaches) how could I say no? Wrestling for Minnesota was a dream of mine as a kid. I am a hometown kid. I wanted to stay close to home, so my family could come and watch my sporting events. When a school from far out would call, I would say, ’I am a hometown kid, and I have always wanted to be a Gopher. I talked to other coaches to see what they had to offer, but Minnesota always seemed like the place. In the end, it was a pretty simple decision.”