Maximus McKiernan is a 7th grader in the class of 2028 from Fredericksburg, Texas. He has been playing football since he was 7 years old in 2017, and currently plays as a quarterback. He enjoys playing football because it has been a part of his family for a long time, with his father also being a quarterback.
In his opinion, a great quarterback is someone who can pick apart a defense and be a good leader to the team. His favorite current or retired professional quarterback is Josh Allen, because he likes his playing style and body shape. In addition to football, Maximus is also a basketball player and has interests in military aircrafts and world war II history.
Maximus has attended several quarterback camps in the past, including two in Texas and one in Florida. His favorite part of these camps is being able to see high school talent and learn from it. His goals for the next six months and the next 12 months include putting on more muscle weight and improving as a player and quarterback.
One of the biggest challenges Maximus has faced as a quarterback is his rapid growth, which has caused pain in his hips, knees and ankles. He overcame this challenge by going through physical therapy and working hard to improve. His pre-game routine includes warming up mentally and physically, and asking God for a good game. He does not have any superstitions or rituals.
The most influential coach or mentor in his football career has been his dad and professional quarterback coach, Petrus Penkki (Rus). His advice to young quarterbacks who are just starting out is to not give up and to remember that it gets more difficult, but also more fun. He has faced setbacks and injuries in his football career, but has handled them by continuing to work hard and improve.
His training routine during the off-season includes throwing with his quarterback coach and doing speed, agility and strength training. One of his most memorable moments from his football career is when he was 7 years old and his team went to Walt Disney World to play in the ESPN Stadium, where he threw his first 37 yard touchdown pass.