Westlake High experiencing 'shock and sadness' over death of football player
Two emotions now permeate the Westlake High football program.
“Shock and sadness,” says senior offensive lineman Seth Geer. “We knew he was headed into the hospital, but we never expected this could happen. It’s just so hard on all of us.”
The Warriors lost a treasured friend and teammate and “all-around great kid,” said Westlake coach Mark Serve with the tragic death of varsity team member Julius Poppinga on Wednesday morning.
The 17-year-old junior had been stricken with severe asthma in recent days, according to sources, and checked into an hospital on Sunday. He subsequently incurred a collapsed lung, and couldn’t recover.
Poppinga, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound defensive end and offensive lineman, played in Westlake’s season opener vs. Taft on Aug. 18 but was unable to participate in practices for the Week 1 game vs. Agoura, Serve said.
Serve visited with Poppinga in the hospital Monday.
“We talked football,” Serve said. “He didn’t want to talk about his health. I joked with him about jumping offsides too many times against Taft. We laughed about that.”
Enjoying a good laugh was typical of Poppinga, said his coach and teammates.
“He was a great kid, a great teammate who was always very funny,” said Serve. “He was fun to be around and he will be missed.”
Geer echoed that sentiment.
“He was well-driven, was always willing to work so hard and always tried so hard at everything,” Geer said. “At the same time, he was always so funny. If it was practice or water breaks, he would be making crazy jokes.”
Serve broke the news to Westlake’s players Wednesday morning.
“I broke it to them with everyone together,” Serve said. “I didn’t want there to be any confusion or misconceptions. I wanted them to understand totally what had happened.”
The coach added: “Kids are resilient. As hard as this is on everyone, I think it helps them to be together and have the chance to talk among themselves.”
Geer said the Warriors welcomed the chance to meet as a team.
“We were all in the locker room and telling our personal stories about Julius. That helped a lot,” Geer said.
Geer said a memorial on campus Wednesday night included included Poppinga’s friends not on the football team.
“Everyone has the same reaction as the football players,” said Geer. “We’re all sad. We’re all shocked.”
Westlake’s home game against Conejo Valley rival Thousand Oaks on Friday night will proceed as scheduled.
Geer said Poppinga’s jersey will be included among the team captains prior to the game. Helmet stickers with Poppinga’s number will be added in the coming weeks.
“His dad let us know that Julius would want us to play the game,” Geer said. “It’s our way to honor him.”
Serve agreed.
“Julius would never not want us to play,” said the coach. “He always put so much effort into playing football. He’d want us to be out there.”
Poppinga’s sister Jasmine, herself a Westlake High graduate, posted a tribute to her brother on Instagram, that read in part:
“Words cannot even begin to describe the immense amount of love, kindness, compassion, humor, athleticism, knowledge, trustworthiness, consideration for others, sincerity, loyalty and friendly characteristics Julius holds. He is the best younger brother I could ever ask for.”
Poppinga's death is the second tragedy at Westlake High in the last six months. Fifteen-year-old student Wesley Welling was killed when a driver struck four students with his car near the school’s campus on April 18.
In August 2022, Carter Stone, a freshman who played on the Agoura High JV football team, died due to complications following shoulder surgery, which was later discovered to be a heart tumor related to an undiagnosed T-cell leukemia.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Westlake feeling 'shock and sadness' over death of football player
