Josiah Esselstrom '17 Recruiting Profile

Hi, my name is Josiah Esselstrom.  I am an incoming junior at La Jolla Country Day.  I was homeschooled until 9th grade and have made a good transition to a traditional high academic school.  I enjoyed homeschooling because it allowed me to complete my studies in the early afternoon and have plenty of time to play sports.  My parents are full-time urban missionaries so growing up I have lived in diverse neighborhoods and have utilized local recreation teams, YMCA and Little League.  I have always had to wait for open doors for more specialized training and travel teams because our family didn’t have the resources to provide them. The door to play with the Wildcats came when I was shooting with my dad at the local recreation center.  Many more doors have opened for me especially since I have been given the opportunity to attend La Jolla Country Day. 

My goal in athletics is to have a good attitude and to be the hardest working player on the court or the field in order to make my team better and honor God.  I am a quick learner so I enjoy getting better through instruction and training then put the practice into perfecting.  I don’t like to fail, but I am learning that mistakes are teachers in life.  Because I am not the tallest guy on the court, I know I have to work hard and have the fundamentals down.   I believe good defense creates opportunities on the offensive side, and while I like to score, I equally enjoy making a good pass to a teammate and making my team better.   I have been a two-sport athlete playing basketball and baseball since the age of nine.  Much of what, I have learned on the court and the field translates to the classroom and everyday life.   While balancing two sports, academics, family, and church is a challenge, it has helped me learn to manage time and be more disciplined.  In my free time, I love hanging with my friends.