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06/28/2018 12:00 AMJosh Israel is a year-round tennis player who competes in plenty of national tournaments in order to improve his game. With a good amount of experience under his belt, Josh stormed onto the high-school scene as a freshman and made a rapid rise up the state ranks with the Hand boys’ tennis team this spring.
Josh earned the No. 2 singles position in the Tigers’ lineup, and he couldn’t have asked for a better run as a rookie. Josh finished the year with an overall record of 23-2, advancing to the semifinals of the singles draw at the Class L State Championship, in addition to competing among Connecticut’s elite high-school tennis players by qualifying for the State Open Tournament.
Along the way, Josh helped Hand put together an undefeated season in which it claimed both the SCC and Class L state championships. As a result of his performance, Josh was selected to the All-SCC, All-State, and New Haven Register All-Area teams this year.
“It took a lot of hard work, especially in the offseason. I play all year in tournaments, so I was excited going into this year and seeing how I would do,” says Josh. “I was happy with all my success this year, but I want to improve on it for next year. The other three [state semifinalists] were seniors, so if I keep improving and playing well, I can be more successful.”
One of Josh’s greatest strengths is a quality forehand that often poses problems for his opponents. However, Josh is a true technician on the tennis court who doesn’t like to rely on any one specific skill. Josh learns more and more about his adversary as a match unfolds and formulates the best strategy to come out on top.
“My inside-out forehand worked well. My forehand has some speed on it and, when I hit it to their backhand, they can’t return it because it’s so strong,” Josh says. “I also try to evaluate what’s going on during a match and make mid-match adjustments.”
Josh believes that his experience of playing in big-time tournaments proved hugely beneficial when it came time to join the Tigers. One of the most important things Josh learned from competing on the national stage is how to keep cool when the action heats up.
“What helped my composure in the big matches this year was playing in national tournaments. In those tournaments, I made it deep and won versus ranked opponents,” Josh says. “This year, I knew my opponents and how to win. I just had to execute.”
Tigers’ Head Coach Dawn Fagerquist describes Josh as a gamer between the baselines. She says that Josh is a hard worker and an intense competitor who’s ready to take on any challenge.
“Josh has a good work ethic and good tenacity,” says Fagerquist. “He is a good supporter of his team, and he is always ready to play, whether it’s just a practice or match.”
The 2018 season was a perfect one for the Hand boys’ tennis team. Reflecting on his squad’s success, Josh says the Tigers had a deep roster that featured many great players who all stayed focused on grabbing those brass rings at the end of the campaign.
“We had an extremely talented team. Our singles and doubles players were extraordinary,” says Josh, who thanks his family, teammates, and all of his coaches. “Everyone also got along. There were few issues, so everyone could focus on playing better tennis.”