Boys Senior Athlete of the Year: Family provided blueprint for Elijah Hadler's success

Even when judged against the lofty athletic and academic standards established by his five older siblings, recent Highland graduate Elijah Hadler still stands out. The youngest of Gary and Elizabeth Hadler's six children, 18-year-old Elijah won three Gazette MVP awards in tennis after having his freshman season canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic, was a four-time All-Gazette pick and two-time MVP in cross country and also earned All-Gazette honors in track and field as a senior, when he competed at the state tournament level in all three sports. For all that and much more, the 6-foot, 165-pound Elijah was an easy choice as Gazette Senior Male Athlete of the Year. "Best athlete in the family?" brother Joshua asked rhetorically. "Hmmmm, he probably would deserve that title." As good of an athlete as Elijah is, he's an even better student and person. He not only compiled a 4.7 grade-point average at Highland and scored a 1,465 on the SAT, which places him in the top 1% nationally, he competed with a maturity, integrity and classiness that was apparent even to opposing athletes and coaches. "He's an amazing person," sister Nicole said. "It's important that people know that he's so much more than his athletic accomplishments. It's amazing to see how great of a role model he's become." Ask Elijah about that and he'll quickly point out it started with his parents. Gary, a mechanical engineer who played baseball and basketball at a rural high school in Illinois, and Elizabeth, a pastor, former college math teacher and assistant tennis coach at the University of Findlay who excelled in sports at a rural high school in Iowa, met when they were students at what is now called Missouri University of Science and Technology. "My parents want me to win, but they keep it in perspective," Elijah said. "At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter who won or lost because it really doesn't impact the rest of your life. It's something I had to learn, and without them I don't know if I would have done that." Before Elijah, siblings Danielle (Chambers), Nicole, Joshua, Isaac and Emily learned the same lessons. All were All-Gazette tennis players at Highland, with Joshua also lettering in soccer and Nicole in cross country. "Sportsmanship always came before the result of the competition with our parents, no matter what sport it was," Emily said. "They realized high school sports were temporary, but how you treated someone would carry into your adult life long after you were done competing." All exceptional students as well, today the Hadler children are scattered across the country and enjoying successful careers. Now empty nesters, Gary and Elizabeth are preparing to sell their home in Granger Township and move to Findlay, where Emily is still playing tennis while attending physical therapy school. That means that when the 2023-24 school year begins in August, it will be the first time a Hadler has not been playing varsity sports at Highland since 2006-07. "Being the youngest was fun," said Elijah, who was 6 when oldest sibling Danielle graduated from Highland. "There are a lot of days when I wish everyone was still at home, because I can't remember a lot from when all six of us were in the house. But it's great to have so many people to look up to, talk to and think about what my future could look like." MEET THE HADLERS Currently, Elijah is traveling around the country visiting his siblings, who are in places like Alaska, South Dakota and California. The trip will culminate later this summer when many family members gather in Illinois for a reunion. "Growing up, Elijah was always at all the older siblings' sporting events, no matter what it was," Emily said. "He loved to be there, mainly because he loved all their teammates and the attention he got from them." It's hard to believe now, but for a brief time Danielle was an only child. A 2011 Highland grad, she attended Kentucky Wesleyan and now lives in Columbus with husband Jacob Chambers and their son Nolan. Danielle works as a pediatric psychologist in the oncology department of Nationwide Children's Hospital. "Danielle is one of the nicest and most genuine people I know," Elijah said. "Her being the oldest is perfect. If I'm ever in a mood, talking to her immediately gets me out of it. She's just such a joy to be around." When Danielle was a high school freshman playing varsity tennis for the Hornets, her baby brother was barely out of diapers, but by the time she graduated she already could tell Elijah might end up being the best of the Hadler bunch. "He has always been so passionate and competitive and loyal and determined," she said. "He has always been able to do just about anything he sets his mind to. I will go an extra mile, but Elijah will go an extra 10." Nicole, who graduated from Highland in 2013, went on to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, where she holds the rank of lieutenant, and completed medical school in Michigan. She is now living in San Diego and is halfway through a four-year residency program in psychiatry. "Nicole is one of the best role models for me because of how focused she is in whatever she does," Elijah said. "She also was an inspiration for me to start running and be confident I could excel." Nicole, in turn, credits her baby brother not only for sitting through way more sibling sporting events than any other Hadler child had to endure, but for his innate ability to strategize during any competition. "His competitiveness and drive to win and do thing well were very apparent," she said. "He just had a high IQ when it came to sports and games and strategy and stats and numbers. The smarts were there, as well as that drive. He was constantly doing sports. "We used to play mini tennis, where you had to stay within the service line, when he was little. He was 4 or 5 and I was a teenager. I'd have to let him win, because otherwise he would get really mad. If I would try to make it close or take the lead for excitement purposes, he would get so angry." Joshua, a 2015 Highland grad, lives in Aberdeen, S.D., with wife Jeannie and works as an engineer for 3M, the same company that employs Gary. "He is the most like me in terms of academics and our personality," Elijah said. "It's always been nice to have someone I look up to and model myself after. He prospers in whatever he does." The exception is when Joshua plays Elijah in tennis. "The last time I beat him was 2017, maybe," Joshua said. "When he was 12 his tennis game really took off. When he decided to run track, he really took off with that as well." Isaac, a 2017 Highland grad, works as an accountant in Alaska. He lives in Wasilla, which has a population of slightly more than 9,000 and is located just outside Anchorage. "Isaac has the most distinct personality of the kids," Elijah said. "He is very blunt and has a very dry sense of humor. After he moved, I really missed being able to talk to him. He definitely takes you away from all the stresses of life." Isaac notes that even at a young age, Elijah was able to hold his own in many competitions against his older siblings. "He's super persistent," Isaac said. "When you think of a younger brother, you think he's always losing to the older siblings, but that wasn't the case. Whether it be a board game, shooting hoops or tennis, he's going to figure out a way to gain an advantage." Emily, a three-time Gazette MVP in tennis prior to graduating from Highland in 2020, completed her undergraduate degree at Findlay in three years and is beginning a three-year program in physical therapy. "Emily is the one I'm closest to since we're the closest in age," Elijah said. "She's not as talkative as I am, but getting to talk to her one-on-one, she's one of the most kindhearted people I know." Emily, probably the most accomplished tennis player of the Hadler children outside of Elijah, is not surprised in the least by her youngest brother's success. "I was just looking at old videos of the six of us playing basketball in the living room on a Little Tikes hoop," she said. "Elijah is a player, and of course he had to be the ref, too. He's calling all these fouls and he knows what checking the ball is. From the start, he's always been a sports guy." SPECIAL ATHLETE Elijah is planning on majoring in chemical engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind., where he will run Division III cross country in the fall and play tennis in the spring while also participating in track when his schedule allows. History suggests he'll enjoy a lot of success. In tennis, Elijah was not only a three-time Gazette MVP, he qualified for the D-I state tournament three times and is the lone Highland player, male or female, to win a singles match at state. He finished with a career record of 79-14 in three seasons. As a senior, the right-hander compiled a 26-6 record, won this third straight Suburban League American Conference MVP award and captured singles crowns at the Springside Sectional and Springside District. "He has always been playing with older kids and often winning," Danielle said. "He has so much insight into the game. It is well beyond his years." Added Nicole: "Danielle probably started playing tennis in fifth grade, and the same with me. Even though he was a baby, he started when we started, in a sense. He was going to all our events growing up and watching and gaining that knowledge about points and strategy." Elijah also qualified for the D-I state cross country meet three times. He ran a school-record and Medina County-best 15:31.85 at the Milt Place Invitational, was the SL American champion in 15:59, the Lorain County Community College District winner in 16:07 and Boardman Regional runner-up in 15:54.6. At his final state meet, with siblings having flown in from all over the country, Elijah was in 64th place after the first mile. He finished ninth in 15:43 to lead the Hornets to a 12th-place team finish. In track, Elijah qualified for state for the first time as a senior, finishing 17th in the 3,200 meters in 9:36.29, a lofty accomplishment considering his tennis obligations sometimes limited his training opportunities. "In cross country, this year I learned how to be confident the entire race, knowing I could close the gap pretty easily if I needed to," he said. "In tennis I had a game plan going in, but I was OK with throwing it away and starting a new one if it wasn't working." Going forward, the plan is to earn a degree at Rose-Hulman while continuing to push himself in tennis, cross country and track. That is, after all, the Hadler way. "My five siblings pushed me just by being there," Elijah said. "I wouldn't be where I am without them or my parents — in sports, academics, everything. "I will remember all the support and how much fun it was to have so many of them at the state tournaments and all the memories that were made because of that. Whether it was a good result or not, all those moments are going to live forever in my head. Being able to reflect on those memories brings a lot of joy — and the hope more are to come." Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com. Follow him @RickNoland on Twitter.