JEFF FIELDER Editor
SIDNEY – Jacob Peckham, a senior at Sidney High School, has been named Nspire Today!’s Male Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, LLC – American Family Insurance. Peckham is one of the top wrestlers in the Panhandle. He currently has an 11-3 record. He also competed in football and plans to compete in track and field this spring. Earlier in his high school career, Peckham competed on Sidney’s varsity cross country team, qualifying for state one year. Although he has offers to wrestle in college, he doesn’t plan to compete in sports after high school. Peckham and his wrestling team will compete in the Ogallala Duals this Saturday, Jan. 11. His parents are Shelly and David Peckham.
Q: Talk about how your wrestling season has been going up to this point.
PECKHAM: “It’s going pretty good. So far, I’ve beaten all the district opponents I’ve wrestled, and I only have three losses on the season.”
Q: You recently recorded your 100th career wrestling victory. How thrilling was that accomplishment?
PECKHAM: “It was really thrilling. Going into that match [in the Sidney/Bridgeport Invite at Bridgeport on Dec. 21], I was super nervous. I felt like there was a lot of pressure. Afterward, I felt like it was probably one of the hardest matches I’ve wrestled so far this year.” Editor’s note: Jacob recorded a 30-15 record his junior year, a 36-14 record his sophomore year, and a 26-15 record his freshman year.
Q: When did winning 100 high school wrestling matches become one of your goals?
PECKHAM: “Probably when I first started wrestling in high school. I wanted to do that, and I also wanted to be a state-placer. Those were two of my main goals coming into high school.”
Q: How many wins did you have coming into this season?
PECKHAM: “I had 92 wins.”
Q: Now that you have 100 career wins, does that take some pressure off you?
PECKHAM: “It takes a little bit of pressure off, but I still have high goals that I’ve set for myself this year. I celebrated [winning his 100th career match] that day, but then I put it in the past because I needed to get focused on my other goals for this season.”
Q: How have you fared at state the last few years?
PECKHAM: “My sophomore year I went 1-2. I didn’t qualify my freshman year. My junior year I went 0-2.”
Q: What weight classes have you competed at each year?
PECKHAM: “My freshman year I was at 113, my sophomore and junior years I was at 120, and this year I’m at 132.”
Q: How do you feel this wrestling season is going compared to previous seasons?
PECKHAM: “I definitely feel like this is my best year so far.”
Q: What is your goal for the district tournament?
PECKHAM: “I want to win the district tournament because then I would get a better seeding at state.”
Q: How many years have you been wrestling overall?
PECKHAM: “I’ve been wrestling for about 12 years.”
Q: Just how passionate are you about wrestling?
PECKHAM: “It’s probably the sport that’s taught me the most. It’s going to be heart-wrenching to walk away from it after this season, just because it’s taught me so much. Overall, it’s made a giant impact on my life. It’s taught me a lot about having a good work ethic and how to be disciplined, like watching my weight. It’s also taught me how to stay focused on stuff, and it’s taught me that if something is important to you, keep working harder and harder every day to try to accomplish your goal.”
Q: You also compete in football and track & field. Which sport is your favorite?
PECKHAM: “By far, my favorite sport is wrestling. I’ve grown up with wrestling, and I’ve met so many people through wrestling, even people from other towns.”
Q: Are you planning to continue wrestling after high school?
PECKHAM: “No, I’m not.”
Q: What are your plans after you graduate from high school?
PECKHAM: “Right now, I’m planning to go to Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, to major in biology.”
Q: Why did you pick Fort Hay State?
PECKHAM: “One of the biggest reasons I chose Fort Hays State is I have some family down there on my dad’s side, and I really like the campus. I thought it was really pretty down there.”
Q: What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now for a career?
PECKHAM: “Hopefully, I’ll be either a dermatologist or a chiropractor.”
Q: What got you interested in those two areas?
PECKHAM: “I kind of got interested in dermatology from watching Dr. Pimple Popper on YouTube. As far as being a chiropractor, I’ve gone to a chiropractor many times, and I thought it was cool how much information they know, like how much they know about the spine and the neck.”
Q: How did this past football season go?
PECKHAM: “As a team, we went 2-7. It was hard because we lost a lot of our starters from last year, so there were a lot of people filling in positions who weren’t used to playing, and we didn’t have as much size. We also had quite a few injuries that affected the season also.”
Q: What positions did you play this year?
PECKHAM: “Slot wide receiver on offense, and on defense I was a cornerback.”
Q: What events do you compete in during the track and field season?
PECKHAM: “I run the mile and the 4×800.”
Q: Outside of sports, what do you like to do for fun?
PECKHAM: “I like to hang out with my friends, play video games, hang out with my family, and I like to go hunting.”
Q: Have you lived in Sidney your whole life?
PECKHAM: “Yes.”
Q: How much have you enjoyed growing up in the Sidney community?
PECKHAM: “I’ve enjoyed growing up in Sidney. Since it’s a small town, you know just about everyone in town. I also like that there’s a lot of support from people in the community for the sports teams and other groups.”
Q: What’s your favorite TV show?
PECKHAM: “All-American, and I used to watch a lot of Law & Order.”
Q: Favorite type of music?
PECKHAM: “Country.”
Q: What are your three favorite apps on your cell phone?
PECKHAM: “Snapchat, Clash of Clans, and YouTube.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Sidney?
PECKHAM: “Either Mi Ranchito or Taco John’s.”
Q: Name one person who you feel is a big difference-maker in your community.
PECKHAM: “I’d say Christ Arent, our principal. He does a lot of nice things for the community and in the school. He cares a lot about the community.”
Q: What is one thing you wish people would do more of?
PECKHAM: “I wish people would get out and interact more with other people instead of just connecting with people through video games or their cell phones. I’d like to see more people out around town. For example, people used to be big into going to the park and hanging out. I wish that would come back around.”
Q: Who do you think is one of the kindest students at Sidney High School?
PECKHAM: “One of the kindest students is Sarah Wamsley or Nicole Birner. Both of them will go out of their way to help you or to ask how you’re doing. They’re always willing to talk to anyone in school.”
Q: What do you think is the coolest attraction in the WyoBraska region?
PECKHAM: “Chadron State Park, I think, is one of the prettiest places in the Panhandle.”
Q: If you could give a shoutout to one business in Sidney, which one would it be and why?
PECKHAM: “I would say Grandma Jo’s. It’s a cafe down by the movie theater. The lady who’s there is always super friendly. Every time I walk in, she’ll greet me by my first name. She’s not there to just get your order and then bring you your food. She always asks, ‘How are you doing?’ or ‘How is school going?’ She’s probably one of the kindest people in Sidney.”
Q: Do you have any siblings?
PECKHAM: “I have a brother, Colton Peckham. He’s 20.”
If you would like to nominate someone for Nspire Today!’s Athletes of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, you may do so by sending an email to jeff.fielder@nspiretoday.comor by mailing a letter to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Nominations may also be submitted by sending a text to 308-220-8865.
In addition to being recognized online, athletes of the week will also be recognized in Nspire Today! magazine. To sign up for a one-year subscription (12 issues) to the magazine, please send $15 to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. To pay with a credit card, please call 308-220-8865. If you would like to increase your subscription to $20, Nspire Today! will donate the extra $5 in January to Buckboard Therapeutic Riding Academy.
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