Boarder John Antolik ‘23 was looking at Bolles with his mom for some time, and in June, she told him that he was going to be moving from Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, Arizona to Bolles in Jacksonville, Florida.

Finally, when the time came, Antolik went to the airport and flew alone for the first time. First he was going to see his grandparents and then he would be driving to Florida with them. When Antolik got on the plane, he was a little sad that he would be leaving his hometown, and he sat down and started listening to his favorite artists: Morgan Wallen, Drake, Eric Church, The Weeknd.

During his two-week stay with his grandparents, he said he was able to learn more about the history of his family and where he came from.

Antolik would be staying with Cooper Fordham ‘23 and his family, in Ponte Vedra, for about a month before school started. Fordham and Antolik are football players and they soon became great friends. Antolik said, “[The Fordhams] made me feel at home.”

Cooper Fordham intorduced Antolik to his friends and taught Antolik, from high desert country, how to fish. Antolik laughed and admitted that while Fordham reeled in many fish, Antolik never caught even one. “I would hook one and then it would wiggle off the hook.”

Still, Antolik enjoyed learning a new skill and the hope of maybe someday catching a fish.

Instead of fishing he now enjoys working out, which he does every morning with some of his friends from the football team. They go to a nearby gym, Esporta, every morning and if it were a leg day, they would be doing squats and calf raises among other exercises. Antolik can lift 420 lbs.

Along with football, John also enjoys playing basketball, which he has been doing since he was five, and throwing discus, a pastime since his freshman year.

This football season, Antolik is playing as an offensive lineman, right guard, a position that involves different blocks. His main goal in this position is to clear a path for the quarterback or for the running back. He says that one of the main parts of his position is, “Where you put your hands and how low you stay to the ground.”

Once he’s had football practice and hung out with his friends, he goes back to the dorms which is where he stays now. He said that boarding makes you “more independent” and went on to add “it prepares you for college,” although it was a hard switch.

Antolik is a dedicated football player and student and tries to get better at everything he does. He says his main inspiration for everything is his mom. He explained that she was someone that provided for him and has done so much to help him to excel. She is the founder and is currently running a non-profit called Sto4Kidz that gives tuition money for children to attend better schools.

While his journey was long and far, Antolik found friends within his team and the Bolles community.