By Sydney Ciano
Recent Revere High School graduate Max Doucette committed to Division III school Endicott College for football. The 18-year-old is physically and mentally preparing for the upcoming fall season.
Doucette started playing football at seven-years-old for Pop Warner, and soon began to love the excitement and energy both on the field and in the stands. Though he played some time as a defensive end his junior year of high school, linebacker was his main position. He will continue this position at Endicott.
Pursuing football at the collegiate level came to him when he first started playing for RHS’ varsity team his sophomore year.
“I realized I put a lot of work into [football] and I have enough talent that I should continue to play,†Doucette said.
He said football taught him a number of life lessons, including discipline, commitment, leadership, respect, and overcoming hardships. Keeping the sport in his life as he moves onto the next chapter of his life, Doucette expects to keep himself scheduled, focused, and “on the right track.†He’s excited to see his progress in the sport at a collegiate level with hardwork and dedication.
Joining the Gulls’ football team was something that felt right to him. After visiting the campus, he saw himself fitting in with a campus that valued athletics, surrounded by a number of student-athletes. The Endicott football team has been named conference champions four times, with their most recent success in 2022. The National Strength and Conditioning Association named five Gulls All-American this past season as well.
“I want to be somewhere where we’re winning games, competing,†he said, adding that he hopes to be part of the team that wins its fifth conference championship.
Doucette was encouraged to pursue football at the collegiate level from many of his teammates, especially Jason Shosho who was a leading tackler for the team. He also gave his gratitude to his coaches, head coach Lou Cicatelli and Paul Norton, for pushing him on the field and encouraging him to continue playing after RHS.
In preparation for the approaching fall season, Doucette has committed himself to working out daily, getting the proper nutrients with a clean diet, cutting out unproductive habits, and getting the right amount of sleep each night. In addition, he is prioritizing physical therapy rehab for his knee injury. During the second game of his senior season, Doucette tore his ACL. As he is seven months into recovery with two to four more months ahead of him, he is hopeful he will return to the field in the fall.
“I’m very hopeful that I’ll be good to play… [but] I don’t want to rush back into it,†the linebacker said, not wanting to risk another injury.
With wanting to keep football in his life, he is looking at options beyond Endicott as well. He hopes to get some playing time his freshman year, start as a sophomore, and potentially transfer on scholarship to a higher division school to ideally pursue professional football.
“The main school I’ve always wanted to go to is [Boston College],†Doucette said. He is also looking at Merrimack as a potential school to continue football at.
He is pursuing a business degree and is interested in learning key marketing skills as well. Starting a business, managing a business, and marketing products via media advertisement are possibilities circling for Doucette. He said he would consider coaching or volunteering with teams to keep football in his life.
Despite weighing his future options, Doucette is excited to hit the field as a Gull in the fall.
“The number one thing I’m looking forward to is proving to myself who I am and proving to myself that my hard work will be rewarded,†he said.
