White never looked back
Destined to play football, Rio Mesa star picked water polo instead
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers ONE OF THE BEST—Rio Mesa High senior Danny White was honored as the Pacific View League's Player of the Year last season. Coming from a family with a strong football background, White's decision to play water polo came as a shock to those who know him.

Growing up, Rio Mesa High senior Danny White loved to watch Spartan football games.

White would sit in the stands and look on as his cousins, Don and Brian DiDomizio, played quarterback. On other days, White's cousins would take him to the park and teach him techniques on how to be the next family football star at RMHS.

As expected, White eventually ended up being the big man on campus—just not on the gridiron.

Months before his freshman year at Rio Mesa, White shocked just about everyone who knew him when he decided to ditch football and instead compete in water polo, a sport he'd learned only a few months earlier.

"What I remember the most is when my aunt took Danny to school to change his schedule," 2004 Rio Mesa graduate Brian DiDomizio said with a laugh.

"The counselor looked up with a grin and said, 'Are you sure you want to do this? Aren't you from a football family?'"

Although White had played youth football for the Ventura Packers, he feared he would suffer a career-threatening injury.

"I was always seeing football players injured and barely able to walk," White said. "I didn't want to be one of those guys. Choosing water polo was one of the toughest decisions I've ever made, and I knew when I was doing it I was in a way planning the rest of my life."

These days, instead of avoiding potential broken bones, he's shredding the Rio Mesa water polo record book.

Despite being double- and triple-teamed for the majority of his junior year, White was still able to score a school-record 116 goals and register 72 assists en route to being named the Pacific View League's Player of the Year.

White also made the United States National Cadet team as a sophomore and the Junior National team last year.

"In the beginning, I heard a lot of jokes from my cousins like, 'What is this water polo stuff?'" White said with a laugh.

"They've finally come around, however, and these days they're very supportive and come to most of my games."

White may be one of Ventura County's best players, but success didn't always come easy.

"When I first showed up at the pool, I came in boardshorts and I could barely swim a lap across the pool," White said. "But I never wanted to settle for being just an average player. I can't even settle for good. I have to be great. So I just worked even harder on becoming a better player."

Rio Mesa head coach Derrick Timmons saw White play briefly for the Titan Water Polo Club before he attended Rio Mesa.

"When I saw (White) I knew he had potential, but I didn't know how hard he was going to work at becoming better once he came to high school," Timmons said.

"He played on the varsity team his freshman year and contributed, but he wasn't the impact player he is now."

White became a stronger player his sophomore season, and before he knew it, he was drawing more defenders in the pool.

"Coming into my junior year there was a lot of talk that I would be double, triple and even quadruple-teamed," White said.

"So I knew I would have to be more aggressive. I was still able to score a lot of goals, but I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates for being able to find open looks for me."

White's ability to still find a way to score didn't surprise Timmons.

"He's like a big train without brakes," Timmons said. "He keeps going hard, and he's not going to stop until he puts the ball in the goal. A lot of water polo players over time become satisfied with how they're playing, and they never grow stronger. Not Danny. His desire has never waned since he's been here."

Although White's proud of his personal achievements, he said it doesn't compare with what Rio Mesa does collectively as a team.

"The Player of the Year Award is great, but I really want to attain something with the team like a league championship and a CIF title," White said. "I'd like to have my name up with teammates on one of those championship boards they put up in the pool complex."

Last season, the Spartans finished in second place behind Pacifica in league play, and White knows once again it will be a dogfight for first this year.

"Pacifica is a really good team, but then again so is Oxnard," White said. "It's going to be a battle, but we have a really good team as well."

When White isn't in the pool, chances are he's enjoying one of his hobbies, such as snowboarding, fishing, paint-balling or working out in the gym. He likes to hang out with his friends and even attends an occasional RMHS football game.

"A couple times I've stepped out onto the field after a Rio Mesa football game and looked up into the lights," White said.

"Sometimes I miss playing the sport, but I look back at all the friendships I've made playing water polo, and I say, 'Yeah, I made the right decision.'"