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JOSH KRATZ Athlete, North Penn High School, 2005 10 Varsity Letters: 4 Water Polo, 4 Swimming, 2 Baseball 2004 WATER POLO STATE CHAMPIONS, Team Captain 2004 PIAA “MR. WATER POLO”, MVP of State Tournament 2004 1ST Team All-American, 1st Team All-State 2002 & 2003 All-American & 1st Team All-State 2005 Swimming Runner-Up State Champions, Team Captain 2005 1st Team All-State 200 Free Relay & 400 Free Relay 2004 & 2003 SWIM TEAM STATE CHAMPIONS 2005 Baseball: District 1 Champions, Team Captain 2004 & 2005 1st Team SOL & Carpenter Cup Team Selection John Hopkins Univ., Water Polo 4 Varsity Letters, Team Captain 2008 CWPA Scholar Athlete, 3-Time Academic All-American 2008 DIV III National Player of The Year & Eastern Championship MVP John Hopkins University, BA, 2008; Drexel University, MS, 2014 2013, 2015 & 2018 NCAA Water Polo Championship Referee 2017 & 2018 International Referee for USAWP INDUCTED 2018 |
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North Penn High School, 2005 |
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As a student at North Penn High School, Josh spent just about every morning or afternoon either in the pool or on the baseball field. Athletics were a critical part of his high school career as he achieved 10 varsity letters and was named top athlete his junior and senior years.
In the pool, Josh was a member of the 2002 and 2003 swimming State Championship teams. He had his best year as senior when achieved 1st Team All-State honors in the 200 and 400 Freestyle Relays as the team that year finished runner-up at State Championships. While having a solid swimming career, Josh really excelled in water polo. As a sophomore, he was named 1st Team All-State and 3rd Team All-American as the team finished runner-up at State Championships. In his junior year, he was named 1st Team All-State and 2nd Team All-American. Finally, as a senior and captain, the team was able to capture the first water polo State Championship since 1996 and Josh was named PIAA State MVP, 1st Team All-State and 1st Team All-American.
Out of the pool, Josh was a key member of the 2004 and 2005 baseball teams. As a team captain, he led the 2005 squad to a District One Championship. In both seasons he was named 1st Team All-Suburban One League and was selected to the Suburban One Carpenter Cup teams.
Upon graduation in 2005, Josh continued his water polo career at Johns Hopkins University where he excelled in the pool and in the classroom. A three-year starter, Josh’s best season came as a senior when he was named the Division III National Player of Year. Josh also received several academic recognitions being named a three-time Academic All-American, as well as, the 2008 CWPA Scholar Athlete of the Year. Josh graduated with a B.A. in Public Health and a minor in Entrepreneurship & Management in 2009. He also received a M.S in Clinical Research, Organization and Management from Drexel University in 2014.
After his collegiate career came to an end, Josh wanted to remain involved in the sport of water polo so he picked up a whistle and began officiating high school games. He quickly began to receive collegiate assignment and moved up the ranks. In 2013 he officiated his first of three NCAA Championships and in 2017 he was named to the list of international referees for the United States. Most recently he called the 2018 Junior Pan American Championships.
Josh currently works as a Senior Manager in Business Operation at Covance, a global contract research organization and drug development services company. He lives in Ambler with his wife Kate who is a Physician Assistant in the Interventional Radiology department at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Josh and Kate are expecting their first child, a daughter, in August.
Josh would like to thank the North Penn Alumni Athletic Association for this honor. He would also like to say a special thank you to his parents, Charyl and Lester Suzuki and Ken and Janet Kratz, brother, Brett, and sisters, Katie and Julie, for their unwavering support over the years.