Tuesday, November 3, 1998
Drive and determination
FEATURE: Tom Poltl has spent much of his life perfecting his
soccer skills, so it’s no surprise that he is a leader of the Bruin
soccer team
By Moin Salahuddin
Daily Bruin Contributor
Lightning-quick reflexes, deft touch and an innate ability to
score are three virtues that only soccer phenoms possess.
Luckily, the UCLA men’s soccer team has an abundance of these
players, one being senior midfielder Tom Poltl.
However, Poltl is not your typical soccer star. His love and
admiration for the game run deeper than most. His desire and
fortitude have been unmatched in his career. His uncle Randy Poltl
played as a free safety in the National Football League. But the
most striking feature of this team player is his undying affection
toward "Beverly Hills, 90210."
"My favorite television show is definitely ‘90210’," Poltl
exclaimed. "I’m just hooked on it. It’s just a great show to
watch."
While "90210" is leaving the spotlight, though, Poltl is merely
entering it.
Poltl started playing soccer at the age of four. His father was
the biggest influence in sports for him. His older brother took the
younger Poltl to play one day  and ever since, he’s been only
a soccer player.
"My dad was the biggest influence on me," Poltl said. "My older
brother also played, but my dad coached me until I was 16 or
17.
However, soccer has not come easily to Poltl.
"I’ve always had to work at it," Poltl said. "I have a good work
ethic and that’s what helps me. But then, I’ve always had to work
on my skill."
"You can never be too good at anything."
That attitude has carried Poltl to the upper echelon of the
soccer world. His team is the defending national champion, ranked
in the top three in the nation, and in the midst of seeking their
second consecutive NCAA title.
"Tom Poltl is one of the key players on our squad," said head
coach Sigi Schmid. "He works extremely hard on both sides of the
ball, and is a great asset to our team."
Poltl’s success in soccer began early in his youth. Club soccer
was his first experience with organized ball. He played on a club
team in San Diego for several years until he went on to high
school.
"It was pretty competitive," he said. "There were state and
national cups, but we were never state champions. We had a pretty
good team, though."
High school soccer became the next step in Poltl’s stairway to
soccer success. His freshman year, Poltl participated on the junior
varsity squad, kept off of the varsity team because of the
incredible talent on the team that year.
"I made varsity my sophomore year," Poltl said. "I stayed on the
varsity squad through my senior year. My junior season was the best
for us; we went to the CIF semifinals and I was on the All-CIF
first team that year."
Despite his immense success in high school, Poltl was not
heavily recruited by colleges. He applied to many major schools,
but only got responses from the smaller ones.
Poltl spoke mainly to UC Berkeley and UCLA just before the
acceptance deadline. However, in Poltl’s mind, there was little
choice to be made.
"UCLA was my lifelong dream," Poltl said. "I came to youth camps
here. My room was plastered with UCLA stuff. As soon as they asked
me to sign, I did."
So, Poltl satisfied a dream and entered UCLA with a vision to
compete and better his game. However, making the transition between
high school and college playing proved difficult.
"High school and college soccer are completely different," Poltl
said. "When you come into college as a freshman, you are 17 or 18
while everyone else is 20 or 21. It is really hard to adjust at
first."
"You get used to it though. You learn as you go and fit in
fairly well," he said.
The beginning of Poltl’s soccer career as a Bruin had an
unexpected twist. One of the squad’s older players became injured,
and the young and inexperienced Poltl was called on to fill the
void.
"I started the first two or three games," Poltl said. "I didn’t
do too well then. Seth George stepped in to start the next 14 games
because I didn’t play very well."
However, Poltl did play in every game that season for UCLA,
whether as a substitute or a starter.
"I’m just glad I got to play," he said.
As Poltl began to play more, his desire to succeed increased. He
started all 20 games his sophomore season and finished as the No. 3
scorer on the squad.
"I was less nervous at practice and started to fit in more,"
Poltl said. "I set my place on the team. My freshman year I was
just new here, but I established myself. But my sophomore year, I
knew what had to be done."
During Poltl’s junior season, the Bruins lost several players to
injuries, including Sasha Victorine and Peter Vagenas.
Poltl stepped in to fill the injured players’ spaces, and help
his team overcome the adversity ahead of them.
The Bruins became a team to be reckoned with that year, and went
on to win the NCAA title despite the injuries.
"We overcame all of the obstacles we faced last year," Poltl
said. "We won the title, and with a lot of our guys coming back, we
have a good chance to repeat."
Poltl is now in his fourth year on the squad and has established
himself as a leader.
"My role on the team is to work hard and do my part," Poltl
said. "I have to win balls and help Sasha (Victorine) and Pete
(Vagenas) play better."
Poltl dreams of playing professional soccer in the near future,
especially within the United States.
"I’d like to make the U.S. National team," Poltl said. "First,
I’d like to win my second national title. Professional soccer is
next, and hopefully I can make the Major League Soccer draft."
With the determination and attitude that Poltl possesses, there
is little doubt of him making the draft. The question is where he
will end up.
Poltl, however, has a little unfinished business to attend
to.
"We want that second national title," he said.CHARLES KUO/Daily
Bruin
Senior Tom Poltl motivates his team with his incredible work
ethic.
Comments, feedback, problems?
© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board[Home]