A Leader In and Out of the Pool: Chris Poisler ’23

Few visions of athletic glory would involve wet and potentially painful rubber orbs being hurled at one’s face while treading water in a swimming pool. This might not be your dream, but it is the daily duty and the pride of Chris Poisler ’23, goalie of the Jesuit water polo team. Chris is a humble leader. When one talks to him about his sport, he exudes a profound sense of gratitude and purpose, and it becomes clear why water polo is, indeed, a glorious sport. 

Blocking incoming salvos from aggressive invaders in the pool is Chris’s specialty. Remarkably enough, he had never played water polo, let alone envisioned himself becoming a goalie, when he set foot on the SJ campus three years ago. He had, in fact, sought a career in the Jesuit soccer program, but as fate would have it, he found his way to water polo. 

He recalls a goal he once scored with one second left. “To my surprise,” he says, “the ball found the back of the net, barely going over a field blocker and passing the other team’s goalie. It was a moment of excitement and celebration.” Scoring a goal as a goalie is not the most common thing, but Chris is no common guy. 

A typical day for Chris is anything but easy. He wakes up insanely early. He  leaves his home in The Woodlands for a long journey south. Head Water Polo Coach Tim Keogh often has an intense morning workout in store for the boys at 6:15 a.m. Chris subjects himself to rigorous academic classes at Jesuit, then hops back into the pool at the end of the day for more water polo. Some days, he doesn’t leave campus until after 6 p.m., just to fight I-45 traffic north for another hour or so. That’s a twelve-hour day, in case you were counting. And we haven’t even gotten to homework, yet. 

Family has been of inestimable importance for Chris. His parents have enabled him to pursue his goals at Strake Jesuit, and he is very grateful for this: “This is a tremendous sacrifice because they would have to drive me an hour to school and then drive an hour back to work.” Anyone who has experienced the existential dread that I-45 traffic can inspire would appreciate the nature of this sacrifice. Chris’ older brother Mark Poisler ’21, helped him discover water polo and has been a role model for Chris.

Naturally, the Strake Jesuit experience isn’t just about sports, and when Chris reflects on what has meant most for him thus far, he cites the rich spiritual growth he has experienced at our retreats. For Chris, “the retreats really help you to disconnect from the busy world around you and focus on things that truly matter in life.” Chris is especially grateful to Fr. Michael Wegenka, S.J., for his spiritual guidance, and Father describes Chris as “a quiet leader with great faith who consistently shows kindness to others.” 

We are fortunate to have Chris on our campus one more year. His leadership in and out of the pool will inspire many at Jesuit.