Tennis Rackets Saved by Votipka's Spiritual Journey

   Life as a tennis racket early in Turner Votipka’s career was a dangerous pastime. “I went through two a year, at least, in high school,” the Guilford College senior said. He had even broken two rackets in one match before.

“I would let rage overcome me.”

Now a graduating senior, Votipka is Guilford College’s number-one tennis player and much has changed since his racket-breaking days. He is a team captain and received the school’s prestigious Nereus C. English Athletic Leadership Award. His junior year proved a transformation had taken place as he had three rackets at one time. “It was cool. I’ve never had three rackets at once before,” said Votipka.

What changed? Votipka had a spiritual blossoming.

Votipka grew up in a traditional Baptist setting near Rocky Mount, North Carolina. His mom worked for the church. “But my understanding of church growing up was that God loved me…but I needed to do good things to live that life out.” Votipka says he did whatever he was told because he believed that was his ticket to heaven.

Votipka decided to join a Bible study his freshman year at Guilford. “He came to the Bible studies we had, but it seemed like he came because he felt compelled. Trying to have a serious conversation with him was like pulling teeth,” said Mike Gatton ‘12, who helped lead the studies as a campus minister for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Eventually Votipka opened up and was exposed to the radical idea of God’s unconditional love. With this revelation, the seed was planted for a metamorphosis in Votipka’s belief system. He calls it a “holy crap” moment.

After his freshman year, Votipka went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for Summer Beach Project, organized by the campus ministry organization Campus Outreach. For eight weeks Votipka participated in ministry, held a full-time job and did community service. “They pound in knowledge about the Bible,” he said. But this was not the biblical understanding he grew up learning at home, but the radical notion of God’s complete and unmerited love.
Votipka points to a passage from the book of Isaiah as an instance of God’s unconditional love.

“But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’ Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” (Is. 49:14-16)

Votipka previously believed the verse meant God held believers in His hands only so long as they retained His favor through good deeds. “But once you’re saved…we will sin, but God will bring us back,” Votipka said of his new understanding. After the summer in Myrtle Beach, Votipka realized he may be living a good life, but not the right life.

Following Beach Project, Votipka increased his involvement in Christian-oriented activities over the next few years. Every winter Votipka attended a Campus Outreach New Year’s Conference where he heard various pastors and fellowshipped with students from across the region. “This was where things really started going,” said Votipka. Gatton agreed, noting by Votipka’s third year the transformation was evident.

“There are a lot of guys who are like ‘poof,’ my whole eyes are open,” Votipka said. “But things started revealing themselves more and more to me.” Votipka did not experience an instant change, but gradually shed old beliefs to form a new ideology.

Erik Meiler '16 (l), Turner Votipka '15 (r)

Head coach Dave McCain calls Votipka a ‘grinder.’ His game is not flashy, but relentless, predicated on keeping the ball in play and forcing opponents to make mistakes. “His work ethic transfers to the other players,” said McCain. That’s partly why Votipka is the team captain.

Votipka is a leader in other ways as well and received one of 2015 Guilford’s Nereus C. English Athletic Leadership Awards, the school’s top athletics honor. It is not only his work ethic that transfers, but his religious ethic as well. He began a Bible study on campus and embraced church life as a member of Friendly Hills Church in nearby Jamestown. Now Votipka helps organize church events like a lock-in for youth and is president of Guilford’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. “He has definitely grown in his maturity and has realized the unique opportunity he has to impact others in this time and season of life,” says Dave Walters, a fellow church member and Guilford’s sports information director.

“I’m no longer doing things so I get a benefit,” said Votipka, “but I’m doing them for God and getting joy and happiness from it.” As a leader and student-athlete this mindset is crucial. Gatton says Votipka isn’t a preacher, per se, but leads by example.

“You have to learn to love the people you’re leading and do whatever for them,” said Votipka. “Whether that’s yelling at them to get straight or sacrificing your time to go out of your way to do something.” McCain says the biggest change he has witnessed in Votipka is his growing leadership skills.

“Every [tennis] match is not an end, but a journey. Something to enjoy,” said Votipka.

The same ultimatum applies to spiritual matters as well. He says he worshipped tennis at one time in his life, but he’s found more fun and purpose following God, which is good news for tennis rackets everywhere.

-by Jacob Kapp '15