Upper St. Clair Eagle Scout shines in sports, too
Jay Pollock of Upper St. Clair gained a berth in the PIAA track and field championships held May 26-27 in Shippensburg. The shot putter also was presented his certificate for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout on May 21. A senior, who also wrestled and played football in high school, will attempt to walk on to the West Virginia University track and field team while pursuing a degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering.
Jay Pollock prepares to make his throw.
Jay Pollock displays the medals he earned to become an Eagle Scout.
Jay Pollock played football and wrestled at Upper St. Clair. He reached the rank of Eagle Scout and also gained a berth in the PIAA track and field championships.
Through scouting, Jay Pollock learned many lessons. None served the Eagle Scout more than the motto “Be Prepared” as he reached the pinnacle in his scholastic sports career.
After the disappointment of missing a berth in the state track and field finals, Pollock received a reprieve. Four days before the PIAA championships, the Upper St. Clair senior was informed he indeed was going to Shippensburg to compete.
During the WPIAL championships, the District 7 qualifier for the state competition, Pollock had thrown the shot put 50 feet, 2.25 inches, two feet under his personal best, 52 feet, 6 inches, which ranks No. 6 in school history. Pollock finished fifth. Ryan DeBoer took fourth and the final slot for states but the Seneca Valley senior declined his spot and that created the opening for Pollock.
“Devastated,” Pollock said he was when he missed the cut for states by a mere half-inch. “Making states was my goal. After the competition I went home early with my mom instead of going to Eat ‘N Park to celebrate.”
At 7:30 a.m. May 22, Pollock was “ecstatic” when he walked out of Coach (Doug) Petrick’s classroom. Petrick had just told him of the news of his qualification.
“When he told me, I was super excited,” said Pollock, who immediately called his mom. “To end my year and career with a trip to states made me so happy. It was a reward for a lot of hard work and a lesson in perseverance.”
Another scouting lesson, agreed Pollock.
“One hundred percent, those lessons apply to athletics, too. You always have to be prepared. Make sure you are in peak condition to compete and take care of everything you are capable of controlling,” he added.
For the better part his life, scouting and athletics have been intertwined. Pollock has been a member of Boy Scout Troop 366 for the past six years. “I love camping so it seemed like an obvious step to try out for the Boy Scouts,” said the 18-year-old son of Margaret and Matthew Pollock. “It was a great environment. I was camping, being placed in challenging situations and learning new things. So I stayed with it.”
Pollock stuck with sports, too. In second grade, while living in Mt. Lebanon, his next-door neighbor, Brian Perri, convinced him to join the youth wrestling program.
“I liked it,” said the four-year varsity letterwinner. “Plus, I was successful in the beginning. Success was fun so I kept doing it.”
In middle school he added track to wrestling and football, a sport he has played for 10 seasons.
“Football seemed like fun so I tried it and turns out it was a blast,” said the 6-7, 270-pound lineman. “Because I was big, my middle school coach (Zoltan Toth) told me to try track. He thought I would be good at it. I have been throwing ever since.”
Pollock’s been juggling, too. Some how he managed to balance scouting and sports, competing in three varsity activities and adding the discus to his track events. His best throw has been 134 feet, 6 inches.
“It’s been challenging. Especially with football,” Pollock added, “because in middle school some of the scouting meetings were at the same time as practice but once I got to high school, I’d go to practice and then to meetings. I loved it.”
Above all, Pollock “loves” track the most. The reasons are obvious.
“Track’s my favorite sport because I qualified for states,” said Pollock, who hopes to walk on to the West Virginia University track and field team while pursuing a degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering. “There is an individual aspect as well as a team nature about the sport.”
Track has been a Godsend after an injury-riddled senior year. During the football season, Pollock tore his labrum. His condition worsened in wrestling and forced Pollock to miss the sectionals and individual championships. Despite discomfort, he “handles” the pain until his scheduled surgery.
“Jay has gone through a lot of adversity and experienced an incredible amount of pain but he has endured it all,” said Dominick Frollini, one of his track and wrestling coaches.
“You feel bad that he should get hurt and miss out on sectionals because he’s a pretty good wrestler,” added throwing coach John Yarosh. “If he had not gotten hurt, he would have had a much better track season. To get to states, considering his condition, is a great accomplishment and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. He’s a special kid and I’m glad to see him rewarded for all the hard work he’s put into this. It’s special for him to make states.”
Pollock makes things special for everyone. For his Eagle Scout project, he coordinated a Putting Your Best Foot Forward Stars Tournament. He brought in 12 other schools as well as special needs students to participate in soccer games and drills. A kick ball contest was held at the end of the event. Pollock got the idea from the Special Olympics programs run through the Baldwin High School athletics department.
“I saw a volleyball event they held so I thought it would be great to do something like that at Upper St. Clair. I’ve always been really interested in students and kids with special needs. It’s another lesson in scouting,” Pollock added. “It’s given me a sense of inclusion.”
Through scouting, Pollock has also gained “confidence” and developed “leadership qualities” that have enabled him to become captain of his wrestling and track teams.
He said that he attempts to apply those lessons learned to “all aspects” of his life, not just sports.
“Absolutely,” he said. “Scouting helped me get to where I am today. I have the ability to interact with all age levels.
Pollock, say his track coaches, including Matt Martocci, has handled every curveball thrown to him and scouting has been a big reason why.
Regarding the scouting motto, Pollock also added that it’s extremely important. “If you are not prepared, then you will not be ready for what life throws at you.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Jay Pollock placed 14th in shot put at the PIAA track and field championships.
“As the lone South Hills thrower in the competition, he represented our section and the WPIAL well,” said USC track coach Doug Petrick. “Jay is an amazing athlete and I feel fortunate to have gotten to see him perform on the big stage.