Get to Know Joshua Graetz

Q&A with Our Director, Joshua Graetz

Head Men’s & Women’s Tennis Coach at MSU Denver

Do you have any nicknames?

No

Do you have any unusual talents or absurd things that you love?

Pretty handy at Ping Pong.
Love all sports from around the world!

If you can eat only one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Fried Rice

What is the latest show, series, podcast or book that you binged on?

Ozarks season 3.

What is the one or more things that you take with you or do every day before you greet the team at practice? This can be something tangible or non-tangible.

Attitude. Have to come ready to go everyday!

What purchase of $100 or less has positively influenced your life in the past 6 months or recent memory?

“Extreme Ownership” Book written by Jocko Willink and Leif babin.
Important principles learned

Do you have a quote, phrase or motto that you use on a daily basis or during tough times? or maybe something you think of often or live your life by.

“Us not Me Mentality” phrase I use with my players all the time

What advice would you give a smart, driven 14 year old athlete about to enter high school and what advice should they ignore on the other hand?

I would tell that player to ignore the “noise” around you and focus on what you want to achieve. Important to have intrinsic motivation and not get taken down the wrong path.

In the last 5 years, do you have a specific season, match, or tournament that changed your life? What advice or realizations, do you have for people in the coaching field who are trying to achieve their team’s potential?

This season has changed my life. Having to tell my players that there season had just ended due to CoronaVirus was one of the toughest things I have ever done. Really put life into perspective in that moment and that there is more to life than just sports.
The best advice I can give is stay true to yourself. It’s so easy in society to conform to others opinions or what you should be doing. Be yourself!

Is there a moment from your youth that set you up for career in coaching?

I’ve always loved sports. Playing them, Watching them. It seemed like coaching sports would be the most obvious choice and something I knew I would be passionate in.

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