FB: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Gray Fox]

I like reading everyones comments on this board and have had a few laughs over the years. I would like to bring some attention to one of the SCIACS most humble guys but an athlete to watch Anthony Pomponio of lowley Whittier College. For those who may not know with some help he lead the SCIAC this year in rushing on a team with no QB after their starter was injured. On any other team he may have broken records. Heres a guy who is 5'8" and weighs in at 185lbs. he runs the 40 in 4.3 and bench presses 430lbs. He can also by the way dunk a basketball. From what I am told he is being tried out by a Canadien Football Team in the very near future.He was offered 3 opportunities to play in Europe but elected to finish his Senior year and graduate in 4 years. Oh and check this out he entered a natural Bodybuilding competition in L.A. after finishing 3rd in his first competition shortly after football season in San Diego and finished in 1st place in his weight division. Props to you Anthony and good luck may the underdog never give up their dreams!

Great profile;D   I've always had a soft spot for humility, so I gave you a +k.

P.S.  What was that email address again?   Good luck in Canada.

[OxyBob]

Props to you Anthony and good luck may the underdog never give up their dreams!

P.S.  What was that email address again?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apa0nG1OfUc

OxyBob

[Gray Fox]

You should have posted that on the new softball board.

Anthony, we will be interested in how you do.  Maybe you can write some kind of diary.

[poetry in motion]

correct I am a relative!

[D O.C.]

Here we go!   8)

[Gray Fox]

correct I am a relative!

Keep us informed.  We are interested in all SCIAC players, even "lowley Whittier College" guys.

Does he speak French?  He might need that with a Canadien team.

[Purple Heys]

correct I am a relative!

Keep us informed.  We are interested in all SCIAC players, even "lowley Whittier College" guys.

Does he speak French?  He might need that with a Canadien team.

Maybe not...the French Canadian version of End Run Right is: 'ey you, run zeh ball around zeh end on zeh right, eh?!   

[OxyBob]

Article about CLU from the Ventura County Star:

CLU Notebook: Kuntz seeing success in classroom, too

From total wins to overall titles to All-Americans, there are various ways to measure the success of an athletic department.

But Cal Lutheran athletic director Dan Kuntz includes another standard in his assessment of his Division III programs.

"One of the key barometers is how many student-athletes have top GPAs amongst our population as a school," Kuntz said. "To me, that says a lot, because they are here for their education and if a significant portion of your athletic population's GPA is well above the general non-athlete population, I think you are healthy."

CLU's physical and mental state keeps improving.

The athletic department will be inducting 99 athletes into the CLU Scholar-Athlete Society this year.

The number represents nearly one-third of CLU's entire intercollegiate athletic population, and marks an increase of nearly 80 from the initial class in 2003.

Athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher to qualify for the Scholar-Athlete Society.

This year's class will be honored at a breakfast on Saturday in the Lundgren Events Center on campus.

Although coaches and professors have played a role in increasing the numbers, the Scholar-Athlete Society plugs into a primary athletic trait — competition.

"Student-athletes within various programs begin talking about it and through that peer interaction it becomes a reality," Kuntz said. "Students emulate each other and each other's achievements because they want to become a part of it."

Of course, Kuntz wants CLU's success in sports to go beyond the classroom and into the athletic arena. Using that measurement, Kuntz believes CLU continues to make strides as well.

"I think across the board all of our teams are competing," he said. "Whether it's having a SCIAC diving champion for the first time ever or the women's water polo team being champions for the first time, our programs are moving forward."
...

OxyBob

[coco]

That's great news about Goltz! I haven't been on the board in a while and hadn't heard.
I wish him the best of luck with the Lions, and hope you guys will keep the rest of us informed.

[OxyBob]

SCIAC and NWC recruiting news, from the Merced Sun-Star:

Quarterbacks with game, brains

Both of Kyle Davey's parents were teachers.

The Buhach Colony senior learned the importance of education at an early age.
...

Parents don't lie. Davey's good grades have opened up an opportunity for him to play football at Willamette University in Oregon for former Merced football coach Mark Speckman.

"It's always been my dream to play college football," said Davey, who played quarterback at BC. "Of course my dream was to play at USC or Cal, but as you get older you realize there are so many players who don't move on.

"Willamette is a Division III school and it's really competitive. I'm excited as ever to go there."

Davey isn't the only area quarterback moving on.

Hitting the books has also paid off for Stone Ridge Christian senior Matt Borges.

The SRC quarterback will be playing at Occidental College in Los Angeles next year.

Borges will have the bulk of his tuition paid for with academic merit scholarships he has earned with the help of his 4.25 grade point average.

"At Occidental, academics are first and athletics are second and I find myself fitting that mold," Borges said.

Borges is the first Stone Ridge Christian athlete to go on to play at a four-year university out of high school. He was a three-sport star at SRC.
...

Borges is torn between majoring in business or engineering.

Either way, he feels attending Occidental puts him in an ideal spot for his career.

"One of the big draws to Occidental is it's in Los Angeles," Borges said. "There will be a lot of internship opportunities while I'm there."

While Borges is blazing a trail from Stone Ridge Christian, Davey is following the lead of former BC players Ronnie Carter and Chris Kelly.

Both Carter and Kelly earned financial aid packages based on their academics to play football at Willamette and Lewis & Clark College, respectively.

Davey earned his financial aid with a 3.9 GPA and high SAT scores.

"Willamette is a tough school to get into," Davey said. "It's a great academic school and they're competitive in athletics.

"I have the best of both worlds."

OxyBob

[Sabretooth Tiger]

From the Oxy website:  http://www.oxyathletics.com/sports/fball/2008-09/news/050609fb_Goltz_LIONS

May 6, 2009

After Successful Mini-Camp Goltz Back to the Books

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (May 6, 2009) – For three days Justin Goltz got a taste of what life in the National Football League would be like as he participated in the Detroit Lions rookie mini-camp in what he described as an amazing weekend and a dream come true. While he is not ready to let that experience fade away, he returned to Southern California to completing another dream: completing his college finals and walking at graduation.

Last weekend Goltz took a break from the books to show the pros what he could do on the gridiron. In a long weekend that flew by all too fast, the 6-foot-6, 220 pound quarterback had the opportunity to train with the No. 1 overall pick, Matt Stafford, as well as other players chosen in the 2009 draft and rookie free agents.

Their days began at 6:00 a.m. and when other players hung up their helmets and pads at the end of the day, Goltz hit the books. This time the play books.

"Learning the playbook and seeing the depth of the game was the most challenging part of the weekend," he said. "It takes the whole game to another level and the mental aspect of things is something that takes a lot of work, a lot of thought, with not a lot of time to process it."

Because of the short time in which the camp ran, Goltz took the extra initiative at night to study a extra, allowing him to stay on track and find a rhythm on the field.

Upon arriving at camp players passed physicals before meetings, practices, lifting sessions and more practices. The team ran drills both indoors and outdoors and while the sunny Southern California was lacking, the overcast Michigan skies opened up into a beautiful afternoon and Goltz felt right at home.

What prepared him most for the weekend was the people he spent the last four years around from his teammates to his coaches, from his classmates to his professors.

"Occidental instilled a sense of confidence in me that if I worked hard enough, anything was possible." On the field and in the classroom the people I have been around have been very influential and driven me to succeed in everything I do."

The three-sport athlete has played a significant role not only on the football field, but on the baseball diamond and the basketball court as well.

"Justin is the quintessential Division III athlete," said Head Football Coach Dale Widolff. "He has always worked hard and has been able to succeed not only on the football field but in numerous other athletic situations during his four years at Occidental."

His first two years he played both football and baseball and this past winter, after leading the Tigers to their third Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title in four years, he took to the court where he immediately became an impact player for the Tigers basketball team.

"As soon as he stepped on the court Justin played a huge role for us," Head Men's Basketball Coach Brian Newhall shared. "The athleticism and confidence that he brought to the court were a big help to a very young team. His rebounding and post defense were instrumental to our having a solid SCIAC season."

Since the season ended, Goltz has been working out on his own and with teammates to improve and be ready for an opportunity like the one he experienced this weekend.

Now that it is over, he will continue to train locally with other hopeful and already signed NFL athletes. Between working out and having completed his academic responsibilities, the only thing left for Goltz to do while he waits for the phone to ring is to enjoy his final weeks as a Tiger in anticipation of graduation on May 17.

[Ralph Turner]

It seems to me that Goltz is an offensive coordinator in the making.

[coco]

Thanks for the update, Tooth. I hope his phone rings, too.

[Purple Heys]

Keep your cell phone fully charged, young Mr. Goltz   

[Oxy Fan]

Recruiting news from the San Diego Union-Tribune:

Other local athletes continuing their athletic careers in college:

FOOTBALL: Santa Fe Christian's Ben Burke (Division III Chapman); Westview's Connor O'Brian (Division III Chapman); Carlsbad's Max Miller (Division III Chapman); El Camino's Paul Register (Division III Occidental); University City's Federico Giacomelli (Division III Occidental); Kearny's Derrick Beebe (NAIA Midland Lutheran)..