Volunteer Spotlight: Josh Baker
By Caitlin Enright
This April, we’re honoring the people behind the mission — the relationships, character, and mentorship that bring Goal 13 to life every single day. Few people understand that impact more personally than Josh Baker.
For Josh, being part of Goal 13 isn’t just involvement — it’s deeply connected to someone who shaped him.
Josh and Holden arrived at High Point University at the same time, two transfers stepping into a new environment together. What started as teammates quickly became something closer to family. Holden lived in the spare room of the soccer house, and when a senior graduated, he moved in with Josh. From that point on, they shared not just a team, but a home, a rhythm, and a friendship built on honesty and loyalty.
When Josh talks about Holden, the first word he uses is loyal. Loyal as a teammate, loyal as a friend, loyal as a son and brother. That loyalty showed up in the big moments — like inviting Josh to his sister’s beach wedding — but also in the everyday ones: the conversations, the accountability, the way Holden always told the truth even when it wasn’t easy.
“Holden was committed to everything he did,” Josh shared. “Soccer, friendship, being there for his mom and sister — he always gave 100%.”
That commitment shaped Josh’s own understanding of leadership. Holden didn’t sugarcoat things. He believed in being honest, direct, and real — not to criticize, but to help people grow. That kind of leadership left a mark on Josh, influencing the way he now shows up for others.
When Josh thinks about what makes someone a great mentor, he comes back to the qualities Holden lived every day: being personable, listening well, guiding people with honesty, and building trust through genuine relationships. “A mentee has to trust you,” he said. “And that comes from the relationship you build.”
That belief is exactly why mentorship matters so much for student‑athletes today. Many young players dream of going pro, but they don’t always know the steps to get there. Sometimes, Josh explained, it’s one piece of advice — one moment of guidance — that changes everything. Helping kids become well‑rounded, confident communicators is just as important as helping them grow as athletes.
That’s what made Josh want to stay involved with Goal 13. For him, it’s about honoring Holden by helping kids who are in the same position Holden once was — talented, driven, and just needing the right opportunity at the right time.
Holden (left) with Josh (right).
One moment stands out to Josh from his time mentoring. During the first week, his mentee barely spoke — quiet, reserved, unsure. But by week three, everything shifted. The conversations deepened. The walls came down. And Josh saw the impact of consistency and trust. Hearing his mentee later reference Josh’s advice — in games and in life — is something he still carries with him.
“There are a lot of kids who just need the right opportunity and the right guidance,” Josh said. “Being able to help them — that’s what Holden would have wanted.”
Holden’s legacy lives on in countless ways: in the success stories, in the first‑generation scholarship recipients, in every young athlete who finds belief in themselves because someone showed up for them. And it lives on through people like Josh — people who knew Holden, loved him, and now carry forward the values he embodied.
For Josh, being part of this mission has been meaningful in ways that are hard to put into words. It’s purpose. It’s service. It’s honoring a friend by helping others become the best version of themselves.
His advice for young athletes and mentors is simple, but powerful — the same standard Holden lived by:
“Give 110% all the time. Be fully committed to what you’re doing. And always do the right thing.”
Through relationships, honesty, and mentorship, Holden’s impact continues — not just remembered, but lived — in every athlete who finds guidance, every mentor who shows up, and every moment where character becomes action.