Senior Statement: Josiah Schlabach

Josiah is an intense competitor who also likes to have a lot of fun. In that way, I see him as a perfect fit on our team. He will get into any goofy game that I bring to practice, trying to compete for the win. He brings intensity too in the way he spins the tennis ball, both his heavy topspin and trademark backspin shot. This season too, he has proved really adept at the net. He’s a great competitor who really gives every point his all.

And it shows in the number of matches that he’s played that he has taken right down to the wire. Josiah is the king of close matches. Over his career he’s had 17 sets decided one or two games. That’s about half of the matches he’s played! And this year has been emblematic of that. Josiah competes so hard, he never believes he is out of it, often fighting back to force these close matches.

It’s these same personal characteristics that Josiah brings to our tennis team. He wants all the right things. He wants to work hard, he wants to pick the right shots, and he wants to compete at his highest level. Because of this desire, he pushes himself in competition and often plays his best in match competition. This desire is a true example and motivator to others. He is passionate in his pursuit of his best in a competition. But I also love the other sides of Josiah. He laughs often, sometimes for reasons that I can’t figure out, sometimes so much that he can’t stop. He loves to have fun, often challenging others to our favorite tennis games of Middle-Middle and Two Ball. And he is deeply loyal to his teammates, defending them and looking out for them.

And that is a fruit of God’s Spirit that I see in Josiah, his faithfulness. He takes his passion and his good desires and he directs them toward his faith, passionately holding on to belief in God. He takes his passion and competitiveness and stays faithful to the team and pushes us toward our goals. He continues to be a part of whatever is going on, because he is loyal to us. I am so thankful that we’ve got to know his good heart and see his desire to do things right.

Verse: Psalm 37:3-4

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.