Four months between signing her letter of intent and preparing for life as a Tabor College student made for a quick turnaround for Ja’Neysha “J” Hendricks.
She sifted through her plans for academics, housing, and basketball, and while it was fast-paced, she began to see how God was setting her stage as a student-athlete.
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As a freshman, Hendricks recalled listening to Ryan Lee, Tabor campus pastor, as he explained what it would look like to lead a bible study.
The idea was captivating, and after meeting with Lee afterward, she began to pray about starting a bible study with her teammates.
Leading as a freshman added a unique twist, but one her head coach knew she could handle.
“One of the most amazing attributes of ‘J’ is that she is very real,” Shawn Reed said. “I have seen her share her testimony, and it is powerful. Not many people would be comfortable sharing their struggles, but she is not afraid, to be honest.”
Just one year later, she is Tabor’s starting point guard, but even more meaningful is how she facilitates her teammates off the court in God’s word.
“I just can’t help but praise God,” Hendricks said. “I’ve seen my teammates grow over the last two years and enjoy it. I started it late this year, and they’d keep coming up to me and asking me when I was going to start a bible study. It made me so excited that they wanted it back and to spend time together.”
Those relationships were particularly meaningful at the start of her sophomore year. With midterms approaching, Hendricks was informed that one of her uncles had passed away. Trying to sort out how she could be at home and be on campus, she was given a simple message from Reed.
“He told me I needed to go home and be with my family,” Hendricks said. “Some other people tell me stories about ‘No, you need to be back here by a certain time the day of or after the funeral.’ Coach Reed is patient and pushed me to be home and to come back when I was ready.”
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The former Topeka High Trojan was a force in high school, helping her alma mater play in two state championship games in three years. That success has continued at Tabor.
After reaching varsity at the end of her freshman season, Hendricks was one of three players to start all 28 games in 2022-23. She led the Bluejays with 2.4 assists per game and 67 for the season.
Tabor took fourth in the KCAC, finishing 18-10 overall and 16-7 in league play. With five losses by six points or less, Hendricks said the team is ready to bounce back next year.
“In those close games, we’d have two quarters that are good and two that were not,” Hendricks said. “Sometimes we take the loss, understanding we played well. Now, it’s trying to stay consistent in what we do well.”