Life is Great for this Sports Girl!

Crystina Poncher found time to make confetti angels on the football field of Super Bowl XLVIII, after a hard day at work.

Crystina Poncher/NFL/Instagram

Crystina Poncher/NFL/Instagram

WO M E N C A N L O V E S P O R T S , T O O !

NFL’s proudest and most charasmatic journalist to report on sports news. Christina Poncher is the top-rising young female sports host in the country.

BY Cole Hughey and Victor Reed

When meeting for coffee with Crystina Poncher on a sunny, March day in Huntington Beach, it wasn’t the caffeine that lit up her eyes or

zestfully sparked her words; it was the conversation about sports.

Sports are natural for her, she’s been around them all of her life. From the time she was a kid with a love for basketball, to now, as a sports reporter.

Poncher is one of the most rising young female sports hosts in the country, working for both Top Rank Boxing and the NFL Network—and she’s loving every minute of it. She’s traveled the world. She’s covered major sporting events. She’s even hiked the Great Wall of China with boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.

This was always her dream; she wanted to do it, she knew she could do it, and now, she’s doing it.

“It’s been a blast,” Poncher said. “It’s hard work, a lot of preparation, but it’s been a blast.”

Originally from Costa Mesa, Poncher graduated with honors from Long Beach State University in 2008, where she majored in journalism with a concentration in broadcasting.

It was there where she was propelled into the world of sports broadcasting, after taking an internship as a production assistant with Fox Sports West.

Not long after, she secured her first on-air job with El Segundo Television.

“I covered everyything,” Poncher said. “The soap box derby. Restaurant openings. Just random things that had to do with the city.” Wiith the help of her developing experience, and while still enrolled at LBSU, her internship with Fox Sports West turned into a full-time position after only six months. With hard work and dedication, Poncher balanced her new job, school and her position with El Segundo.

Coincidently, the first game she covered was at her alma mater.

“It came full circle,” Poncher said. “It was a surreal experience.”

From there, Poncher’s résumé continued to build. She made features, hosted halftime shows and continued with sideline reporting.

After about three years, in a self-proclaimed “leap of faith,” Poncher decided to leave Fox Sports West and chase her dream of becoming a more promi-nent on-air personality.

In the fashion of an old folklore, with fortune tending to favor the bold, Poncher got her wish. She would soon go on to play an integral role with Top Rank Boxing as one of the few female hosts in the sport.

Poncher says it’s been difficult at times making her way through the male-dominated sport, but that she is honored to carrying the role:

“Just to be able to say that women can love sports, that women can love boxing, that women know what they’re talking about—I take my job very seriously.”

As her career began to take off with Top Rank, Poncher—staying true to form—still yearned for

Crystina Poncher/NFL/Instagram

N O T J U S T A P R E T T Y F A C E !

Whether on the red carpet, on the field or in the control room, Poncher has made it in male-dominated sports.

more. With the help of an agent, a postion for NFL Fan Pass, a segment on NFL.com that dives behind the scenes and provides all-access coverage for fans, was offered to her.

She would quickly go on to make a lasting impression for Fan Pass, and before she knew it, found herself sitting in front of another camera—this time as a live news desk correspondent for the NFL Network. Her first assignment was one she’ll never forget.

When Deacon Jones, a NFL Hall of Famer and one of the game’s most influential players died, it was Poncher that delivered the story. In a chaotic, unscripted live broadcast that lasted nearly five hours, Poncher handled it with grace. In doing so, she proved to herself, and to all those who had watched, that she belonged in the world of sports broadcasting. Poncher’s ambition is a trait that has followed her since her college days.

“I remember being impressed by Crystina’s intelligence, resourcefulness, and drive,” said Dr. Jennifer Fleming, Poncher’s former LBSU professor. “It was clear to me that she knew what

she wanted and was determined to make it happen.” As she stands now, Poncher’s drive has already given her experiences that many only dream about.

She’s been streamed live on the Times Square Nasdaq screen in New York, she’s been to China multiple times and she’s covered some of America’s most watched events—the NFL Draft and the Super Bowl. When talking to Poncher, it’s easy to see why this has all been possible. She radiates a calm, poignant energy and speaks with clarity that makes her words effortlessly listenable, while carrying the kind of confident aura that prompts one to talk.

“I approach [interviewing] with a good attitude,” Poncher said with a wide-beaming grin and a laugh. “I don’t know if it’s because I smile a lot, or because I’m a girl, but people feel comfortable talking to me.”

This comfort is driving her to success. Although Poncher already has a bank full of accomplishments in her relatively brief career, her thirst for more has yet to be quenched.

Her next goal: she wants to host a show that dives deeper into the background of professional athletes. A program that will allow fans to connect with players on a more personal level, so as to show the struggles,

experiences and triumphs that everyone, including professional athletes, goes through.

If Poncher has made anything evident, it’s that no goal is too high—and she’s not going to let anything get in her way. “No one’s going to tell me that I don’t work hard,” Poncher said emphatically. “No one’s going to tell me that I’m not passionate about [broadcasting]. If you love what you do and you work hard, there’s no telling what’s going to happen.”

The talented journalist Poncher, warming up on her boxing. Opposite she’s sitting relax before an interview.

W A R M I N G U P !

Crystina Poncher/NFL/Instagram

Crystina Poncher/NFL/Instagram

Poncher, ringside at the 2014 Pac Bradley pre-show on PPV.

RING SIDE

Crystina Poncher/NFL/Instagram