In honor of Jim Peckham, a scholarship fund has been established to support Massachusetts high school wrestlers who plan to wrestle in college and who demonstrate the integrity, commitment, character and philosophies while overcoming adversity which Jim Peckham valued.

Jim Peckham was an important figure in Massachusetts wrestling and a fine person. It is fitting that a scholarship fund be initiated in Coach Peckham's name to assist wrestlers achieve their goals in our great sport. Jim was an Olympian, a coach, a mentor, a friend, and a family man. 

Jim Peckham competed in the 1956 Olympics (Melbourne, Australia) in Greco-Roman Wrestling. This, despite the fact that he never wrestled in high school or college! Jim coached two US Olympic Wrestling teams, assisting Bill Farrell in 1972 (most medaled team in US Olympic history) and serving as head coach in 1976. In addition, "Coach" led the US Wrestling team during three world championships. Altogether, Jim Peckham was the US Wrestling head coach for 38 major international competitions.

Coach Peckham went on lead the wrestling programs at Emerson and Harvard for many years, where he guided numerous collegiate wrestlers to success. Jim headed up a well-known wrestling club at "the Boston Union" (the Young Men's Christian Union). This club was a wrestling mecca, where high school, college, and elite wrestlers would gather to hone their skills. Coach also ran a wrestling camp out of his home (the kids lived there, too) in Weymouth, where many wrestling techniques and stories were generated.

In a nutshell, Jim Peckham was the nucleus of Massachusetts Wrestling for decades. If you cared about wrestling, you knew Jim Peckham and he knew you. To learn more about Coach Peckham's impact on the sport of wrestling please visit these links.

• Boston Globe Obituary

• Boston Herald Obituary

• Legacy of ‘father of wrestling in Massachusetts’ Jim Peckham lives on

To nominate a wrestler for the James Peckham Scholarship, please print the application below and return completed applications to Matt Quimby by April 25th. You may also make a pledge (donate) to the Peckham Scholarship Fund. Any support is greatly appreciated!

• Peckham Scholarship Application

• Peckham Scholarship Fund Pledge Form

Eligibility Any male or female senior, regardless of wrestling achievements, who will be attending a four (4) year college or university who is committed to wrestling in college. Students who are attending a post graduate (2nd senior year), a community college or junior college are not eligible.

James Peckham Scholarship Winners

• 2023 Rawson Iwanicki - St. John's Prep (Columbia University)

• 2023 Freddy Pimental - Belmont Hill School (John Hopkins University)

• 2022 Jimmy Harrington - Belmont Hill School (Harvard University)

• 2022 Ty Stewart - Dracut High School (Springfield College)

• 2021 Max Leete - Danvers HS (American University)

• 2021 Ethan Wilson - Thayer Academy (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

• 2020  Marisol Nugent – Phillips Academy Andover (Lehigh University)

• 2020  Antonio Sevastos – Mansfield HS (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

• 2019  Jack Darling – Masconomet Regional HS (Virginia Tech)

• 2019  Colin Vallis – Belmont Hill School (Johns Hopkins University)

• 2018 Brad Basham – BB&N School (Washington and Lee University)

• 2018 Bella Ricchiazzi – Framingham HS (University of the Cumberlands)

• 2017 Brendan Kiernan – Wayland High School (Williams College)

• 2017 Nick Konovalchick – Brooks School (Washington and Lee University)

• 2016  David Shlomo Ellis-Rech – Sharon HS (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

• 2016  Peter Tedesco – Belmont Hill School (Maryland)

• 2015  Brandon Casamassima – Worcester Academy (Gettysburg College)

• 2015  Fritz Hoehn – North Andover HS (Edinboro University)

• 2014 Chris Sullivan – Canton HS (Coast Guard Academy)

• 2014 Christian Vallis – Phillips Andover Academy (Johns Hopkins University)

• 2013 Aaron Conrad – Bridgewater-Raynham HS (Boston University)

• 2013 Ryan Neals – North Andover HS (UMass-Amherst)

• 2013 Jim Ryan – Dracut HS (Roger Williams College)

• 2013 Mike Stewart – Dracut HS (Ellsworth College)

• 2013 Geoff Verallis – Northfield Mount Hermon (Drexel University)

• 2012 Logan David – King Philip HS (Cornell University)

• 2012 Mike Mui – Hingham HS (Merchant Marine Academy)

• 2012 Ryan O'Boyle – Central Catholic HS (McDaniel College)

• 2012 Jeff Ott – Belmont Hill School (Harvard University)