“One day, they called me and said, ‘You’re our top guy, we have one spot left. We’re going to give you 24 hours to decide if you still want this spot, and if not, we’re gonna go to our next guy,” senior wide receiver and safety Jackson Walker said.
After a strong junior season, Jackson Walker had a tough decision to make: commit to Pomona Pitzer within the next 24 hours or decline the offer and keep his options open. However, extenuating circumstances made the decision a lot easier.
“I got injured [over the summer], and that brought uncertainty going into my senior year. Nothing was set in stone. I had a few other offers, but Pomona Pitzer was at the top of my [list]. Once they [gave me the ultimatum], I talked to my parents and I decided I really wanted to play football [at Pomona],” Walker said. “The academics obviously are great too, and going into senior year stress free in terms of academics and sports is [relieving].”
Growing up, Walker’s passion has always been football. He began playing with the Southern Marin Broncos in middle school, and now as a senior, he still maintains the same love for the game. Coming into the season, Walker’s groin injury limited his ability to play the entire game on both offense and defense. Once Walker finally resolved his groin injury, he unfortunately fractured his wrist in a game on Sept. 23 against Enterprise, leading him to be sidelined again for multiple weeks. Senior defensive back Jack Corvi elaborates on Walker’s ability to contribute despite his numerous injuries.
“Playing [both sides of the ball] is very impressive, let alone starting and being arguably the best player at both positions, especially while being banged up all year. It’s a challenge mentally and physically; you need to be really well conditioned, but he makes it look easy,” Corvi said.
Prior to his second injury, Walker caught five passes for 84 yards as well as a touchdown against Rancho Cotate. In addition, he also caught four passes for 34 yards and a touchdown against Enterprise, securing critical wins against both teams. Junior quarterback Kody Vasquez, who works closely with Walker, admires his talent as well as his leadership.
“The quarterback and receiver relationship is one of the most important relationships in football. You have to be on the same page and almost read each other’s mind. We had played together before on [Junior Varsity (JV)] and we leaned on those experiences,” Vasquez said. “[Walker] leads the team very well. [He is always] motivating everyone, getting the guys going and taking charge when necessary.”
Not only is Walker a star on the football field, but he is also the starting goalie for the varsity soccer team and competes on the track team. In 2022, he started at wide receiver on a successful squad that went 5-2 in the Marin County Athletic League, while also leading the varsity soccer team to a 14-4-3 record.
“I always played both sports, and initially, my dream was to do both in college. Unfortunately, they’re in the same season, so that’s not possible. Football has been my passion, so I decided to focus on it in college, but I still love soccer,” Walker said.
In addition to playing on the football team with Walker, Corvi has played soccer with him since they were kids, and they both currently play for the Giants together.
“We’ve played together for so long, and no matter what it is, he’s always been one of the best at every sport he’s played,” Corvi said.
The 2023 football team has had tons of success, especially compared to recent history. A large part of the success of the team has been a strong bond and team camaraderie.
“All the guys fight together to the end. There’s been a lot of games that could have gone either way, but in the end, we stick together as a family and work to get the result,” Walker said.
