[2] In 1985, swimming for Butler High School, Pichler was runner-up for the WPIAL diving championship, and in the Pennsylvania State Meet finished third.
Beginning in High School Freshman year, Pichler trained in diving with Julian Krug at Pitt Aquatics Club, a highly competitive program that had produced Boy's state champions for three successive years.
Pichler likely did the majority of his training at Pitt Aquatic Club practices.
[2] In 1992, Pichler unsuccessfully participated in the Olympic trials, but finished seventh, and may have been suffering from the flu.
[7] Pichler and Mark Ruiz won the synchronized platform final at the FINA-USA Diving Grand Prix in May 2000 scored 301.26 points, ahead of 298.50 for Australians Mathew Helm and Robert Newbery.