Buena’s varsity boys water polo team kicked off their new season with high hopes as they ended last year in the CIF-SS open-division. As the season goes forward, star players are completing their fourth and final year before entering the world as college and Navy committed athletes.
As they wrap up their time at Buena, seniors River Davis and Jack Pointer take the next step in their water polo careers at University of California Irvine and the U.S. Navy.
River Davis – University of California, Irvine
Entering the pool as a water polo player in fifth grade, Davis began his career with determination, leading him to continue his parents’ Division 1 legacy at the University of California, Irvine (UCI).
Born from a Division-1 tennis-player mom and water polo dad, Davis’ athletic history has inspired him to pave his own future as a valued player, student and member of UCI both in and out of the pool.
Despite the length of his already successful career, R. Davis wants to continuously pursue water polo throughout the stages of his life, saying it “brings [him] a lot of joy” and long-time friendships such as Pointner. “[Pointner and I] are team mates who push each other to play the best we can” in every aspect of the game. Inspired by each other and the future that awaits, the difference in commitment choices won’t separate the two as they aspire to reunite on the U.S Olympic Men’s Water Polo Team in 2032.
“I am very excited and looking forward to the opportunities I will find at UCI,” R. Davis said.
Davis’ father and Buena’s head coach of the varsity boys water polo team, Tom Davis, stated that his varsity starter son has had “half-a-dozen different opportunities” to join elite teams across the country, with UCI being a “perfect fit for him based on the culture of the team.” R. Davis’ consistent success rotating around different positions as a utility player has helped to strengthen the many teams he’s played for, especially Buena’s, ever since he transferred from Oak Grove his junior year.
Jack Pointner – Navy water polo
Pointner grew his love for water polo as he played for Buena for the past four years. From his first game, he has had a competitive fire that’s brought him opportunities for the future.
Since his freshman year of high school, Pointner had been planning to attend a top four university and play D1 polo. His plans, however, had a slight shift.
“Serving my country is dear to my heart,” Pointner said when asked about why he decided to join the Naval Academy. “I felt a deep connection with the team and I decided to go pursue that.”
Pointner committed to playing for Navy water polo in the Naval Academy Athletics Association (NAAA). This decision was influenced by his willingness to serve others as well as his Buena coach T. Davis.
“I think that we have some of the hardest working players in southern California,” T. Davis said, regarding R. Davis and Pointner. “They both ended up at the best spots for them, and Pointner will turn the [Navy] program around.”
As Pointner looks to the future, he also gives thanks to the coaches and the team that got him to where he is. Pointner’s journey at Buena may be coming to an end, but new beginnings await for the superstar player.
“[T. Davis] is like a second father to me,” Pointner said. “He is a role model for me, and has truly done a lot for me and I am forever grateful.”
The future looks bright for the players as they wrap up their senior seasons and plan for the next steps in their athletic careers. As for their impact at Buena, T. Davis believes the legacy they will leave behind is undeniably imprinted in their memories and historic seasons.
“They are very disciplined, and always willing to learn and improve,” T. Davis said. “[These teams] are great fits for them.”
