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“It's easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you're a
     winner, when you're number one. What you've got to have is faith and
     discipline when you're not yet a winner.”
                               -- Vince Lombardi

         Josh Ahrendt is the heart of the program.  Josh arrived at GVSU
   from WMU in 2000.  He had not played much in high school and was not
   expecting to be a great contributor to the GVSU program.  Little did
   anyone know the full impact Josh would make on the Grand Valley Water
   Polo program.
         When coach Skavnak looked at him the first day he showed up for
   practice, he remembered him as the guy who used to sit on the bench at
   Grandville High School.  After 2 days of practice, a crisis on the
   original team forced Josh to become the 1st goalie for GVSU to play in a
   competitive match against eventual 2000 State Champion Rockford High
   School.  The team was crushed, and Josh experienced a hailstorm of
   goals.  Not once did he get down about the performance, and he continued
   to have a fine first and only season in goal.  His 52% save percentage in
   2000 was, as he liked to point out, 2% better than what Coach Skavnak
   had asked of him.  He also had an impressive 12-8 record considering how
   poor, talent-wise, the team was in 2000.  After the arrival of his
   brother in ‘01, Josh switched to the field and showed that he was a
   versatile performer, playing wherever required and always making the
   smart pass and smart play.  His determination to improve made him an
   example in practice of what every player should be doing.  Never a
   standout that other teams would notice, he was satisfied in the
   knowledge that his teammates and coaches knew his quality.
         Josh was an ultimate team player on a team full of team players.
   He knew his role and performed it admirably and was never guilty of
   trying to be a hero.  “Josh’s main strength is his uncompromising belief
   in himself.  He knew he was not the most talented, but he believed that
   hard work and sacrifice would be rewarded. He is a real example that
   attitude, faith, and hard work can result in something great,” said his
   first college coach.  He was recognized as an All-Conference player in
   2003 and was a captain of the team every year he played from 2000 to
   2003.  Josh stepped up to fill the Head Coach’s role in ‘04 and led the
   team to a 2nd straight 5th place finish at Nationals and then fulfilled
   the original dream of the founding members by leading GVSU to the
   Collegiate Club National Championship in 2005 while being named National
   Collegiate Club Coach of the Year!  Just 6 short years after being one
   of the first guys to buy into Matt Skavnak’s outlandish goal of being
   National Champions. Josh had accomplished what even Skavnak had thought
   was an unattainable goal when he said it in 2000.  “Josh was probably
   the first person to truly believe that GVSU could be National Champions,
   even before me, and I was the one who set the goal!  That says more
   about Josh’s determination and commitment than anything else could” said
   Skavnak.
         Outside the pool Josh also contributed when needed and made every
   fundraiser and every meeting.  Josh has helped the team out in every
   aspect and continues to show the drive, determination, and commitment of
   a champion on a day-to-day basis for GVSU.   Josh showed that in order
   to be truly great at GVSU, it takes more than effort in the pool.  Josh
   started with more humble origins than several of the other players who
   now play or have played at GVSU, but stands as an equal with them now.
   “Without Josh, does anyone at GVSU really think we would have
   accomplished so much, so fast?”  Josh is a winner, plain and simple.