Austin Clark '16 Recruiting Profile

Water polo has been an important part of my life since I was 11 years old. At first it was just a game. Today I would say that water polo is much more than a game. It has helped define who I am now. It has taught me how to compete, be a good sport, be disciplined, work hard, be mentally tough, use team work, prioritize, communicate, and have a positive attitude. All of this has carried over  into my family and academic life. I am grateful for water polo.

In water polo I have been blessed to participate on two very competitive club teams based out of Southern California since 2009. I have played in 5 National Junior Olympics and was fortunate to have earned a silver medal and a 5th place finish. My club team qualified with #4 seed for JOs last summer. My teams have won medals in the following major tournaments as well: San Diego Cup, California Cup State Championships, Southern Pacific Championships, Commerce Holiday Invitational, Ventura County Cup, Pacific Winter Classic, and Kap7 International. On my freshman team at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, I was the starter at 2M and led the team in scoring with 43 goals. I also had 21 assists, 34 steals, and drew 40 kickouts and 5M penalty shots in 22 games. I was called up to Varsity for the CIF Div I playoffs and our team finished 9th in the state. I was selected for the Coaches Award for demonstrating leadership and team work. In my Sophomore year, I was the only sophomore selected to play on Varsity. I was able to help my team make it to CIF finals. In my Junior year I started every game on the Varsity squad. We finished with a school record 23 wins. I scored 56 goals, had 44 steals, 41 assists, 24 forced TO's, and 22 ejections drawn. Additionally, I was blessed to have been selected to the ODP 1997 team representing the Southern Pacific Zone. I competed in the ODP National Championships in Riverside and our squad took 4th place.

Looking forward in the year to come, I am excited. Our 19u club team is a pre-season favorite to compete for a JO medal.  Beyond that, It is my aspiration to play water polo for an academically selective college. I hope to develop into a skilled enough player while keeping focus on academic achievement, such that colleges will want me to be on their team. This past year I qualified as an academic all-american with USA Water Polo. How great it will be to play the sport I love and get a higher education at the same time!

In pursuit of my dream, I aspire to do the following: Maintain a high GPA with honors, participate in the International Baccalaureate program, score well on the ACT, earn college credit with AP classes, help my High School team to greater success, volunteer my free time to help others, be a positive role model for others, and earn a scholarship to pay for my education!

Although I have much to learn and achieve still ahead of me, I am excited to be on this journey. I look forward to updating my profile as I progress down my list of goals. I look forward to the possibility of being on your list someday soon!