Lippe is one to watch

Kevin McCarthy
 

Eight-man high school football has a Norman Rockwell quaintness to it alongside the generalization that it’s played in small towns throughout sparsely populated states across the country. So then why is there just such a team doing just that in Silicon Valley? Furthermore, can a quarterback for the Los Altos-based Pinewood Panthers make the jump to manning the position at the highest level in college football? However, don’t mistake sports-centric questions as all that comprises Max Lippe.

Lippe is more than a sports participant

It’s tempting to paint the 6-foot-6, 200 pound Lippe, Pinewood’s actual senior quarterback with the broad brushstroke of George Plimpton’s Sidd Finch, hoax baseball pitcher. But fiction allows character shape-shifting for what is needed to tell the story -- reality is a more unelastic framework. Lippe certainly has displayed the potential and therefore owns possibility of helming a college football team (more on that a bit later) but to portray him as so one-dimensional is simplistic.

Take “The Modern Citizen” publication for example. Lippe was attending a Yale summer session after his sophomore year in high school and a ‘Big Idea’ hit him. It was to create a political magazine with the following objective:

"Our mission is to educate, empower, and engage students through presenting information on current affairs in an honest way that interests students and encourages them to learn more and become active, an instructional section that empowers them with tools they need to make a change in the world, and discussion to generate ideas and solve problems together."

So while many his age are consumed with Megan Fox, electronic games and the latest and greatest bands, the spectrum of Lippe’s perspective certainly contains some unique elements. "It [“The Modern Citizen”] is something friends and I started by students for students in order to try and get everyone involved in something," Lippe explained. It was designed as an apathy alleviator.

But with the constraints of school and sports participation, “The Modern Citizen” has been put on hold for the time being. As for Lippe’s sporting activities, he plays both football, baseball, golf and basketball for the Panthers -- and no, Pinewood doesn’t play four-man hoops for you tongue-in-cheekers.

It’s the second year for Lippe on the gridiron. "Coming into high school, I wasn’t consumed by sports but I’ve always played basketball, baseball and some flag football. I didn’t see sports in my college future," Lippe explained.

That has changed.

Lippe certainly possesses the size that impresses recruiters plus the type of strong arm that screams quarterback. He has moved from being a wide receiver in flag football to commander-in-chief on the field and Lippe prefers the switch: "I like quarterbacking because of the decision-making, being able to run or pass and control the flow of the game."

By the end of October, Lippe was at 15 touchdowns passing and five rushing for Pinewood, immensely enjoying the four wide receiver offense implemented by Coach Mike Tirabassi.

Here’s Tirabassi on his protégé: "Last year was different as Max played every other series at quarterback (the other quarterback is now a walk-on at Brigham Young University). Max’s growth really started this season. Keep in mind that he has played in just 15-16 games so far but he possesses all the natural talent you need to play at the next level. Max already has a pocket presence -- that was built in and something hard for a quarterback to get. He senses pressure and with experience he’ll only improve on it."

The head coach also has non-statistical expectation of his senior: "I asked him to be a leader and he has responded by getting the best grades he has ever earned and is always on time for everything. When he makes a mistake, he comes off the field asking ‘what am I doing wrong?’ and ‘how do we fix it?’" Lippe is not one to ponder and agonize over an interception.

As for arm strength, Tirabassi has no doubt. "Max can make the ‘out’ pass from the right hash mark out to the left hash mark, something that is a necessity to play quarterback in college."

Curiously, basketball has been Lippe’s top sport for most of high school "but football gives me the best chance of playing at the school I want to be at." He’s currently wide open as to a choice of college. His academics are a major asset since he currently resides north of 2,000 on the SAT and 4.0+ with his grade point average.

Besides generating recruiting interest at the next level, Lippe see major changes in himself from his freshman to now his senior year. "A freshman recently asked ‘what should I work on?’ I had got on him for not paying attention, but I told him that he was such a better freshman than I ever was just for asking. I would never have asked for advice. I was competitive but not all that respectful and didn’t want to listen to anybody. I’ve channeled that competitive edge and my focus is now in the right direction."

He comes from an athletic family. One sister (Hannah) played basketball at Brown for a year and the other (Emily) does so now at Wesleyan. Lippe noted, "My mom is really athletic and my grandfather was a super athlete."

Logically, Lippe not only thinks big but also long term. Asked where he sees himself 10 years from now, He responded, "owning my own business and being financially stable, able to travel a lot and be able to play golf any day I want."

Plus, “The Modern Magazine” will be vying for his time and more than likely a few other projects for this blossoming Renaissance young man.