Junior and VC Star athlete of the week Jack Pointner gets ready for the up and coming club season, and reflects on his high school season. A starter since freshman year, stellar student since middle school and overall an outstanding athlete, Pointner knows a thing or two about being balanced and having the right mindset for success. Pointner always tries to be the best, striving to “win” at life. He gives all that he can, knowing he needs to be there for his teams, whom he sees as family.
“[Pointner] will hype us up, he gives us confidence pregame,” junior and friend Nate Johnson said. “he never fails to [bring up the energy], and we all feed off [of it].”
Having played water polo since the second grade, it has always been a part of who Pointner is, and he gives a lot of credit to it sculpting the person he has become.
“I love [waterpolo], it is my life, my goals… and my successes are because of waterpolo.” Pointner said. He stays dedicated to his sport, and values hard work over anything.
Pointner approaches everything in life with the “winning” mindset that he values in sports. He claims they “go hand in hand” and that he needs to be prepared for a test the same way he would need to be prepared for a game.
“It’s with anything that takes work and dedication,” Pointner said. “just be prepared to succeed.”
He has gone through many years of learning and playing in tournaments such as the summer Junior Olympics, Futures tournament and the Olympic Development Program with the Channel Islands United water polo club, formerly known as Gold Coast. Although constantly in competition, he keeps a balanced mind and steady routine to continue to be a phenomenal athlete.
Pointner has seen many athletic achievements in high school such as All-Channel League first team, first team Ventura County and, the most recent one, Ventura County Star athlete of the week. He has also seen athletic accomplishments in club water polo, recently earning his spot on the USA Youth team and leading his team to victories in the Quicksilver cup and Junior Olympics.
It hasn’t just been the sport that has helped him thrive, but the people who came with it.
“[My teammates] are my closest friends,” said Pointer, “we stay close as a team, we hangout everyday at school, everyday outside of school… we kind of do everything together”
His teammates are what makes him thrive, as an athlete in the pool and as a person everyday. They help each other through any game and function incredibly as a team with the connection that they have. Pointner leads his team through wins and losses.
As someone who has coached him for four years, Davis has seen him through his ups and downs as an athlete and as a young man.
“I’ve seen Jack grow as a team leader, as well as physically,” Davis said. “he’s gotten much stronger and also much smarter in the water.”
Pointner ended his high school season with the most goals out of the team and an excitement for next year. Pointner says that as a “hardworking, dedicated and honest” person, he “understands what has to be done to end up where [he] wants to go.” And, there’s no where he wants to go but up for his 25-26 senior season.
As his high school career comes to a close, he has high hopes for playing in college, and aspires to play D1. But, Pointner doesn’t take all the credit for the athlete he has become, he claims a team is what builds him as a player.
“We can feel completely different emotions, after a loss or win, [but] I feel like those moments are when you truly see what your team is about,” Pointner said. “and [that’s when you know] whether you have a family, or just a team.”
