There’s an old saying that ‘God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers.’ While not a verse you can find in the Bible, which happens to be the best-selling book of all-time, it’s still a biblical principle that is evident throughout scripture.

Loren Mazarky has been handed a tough battle of her own – tearing her ACL during basketball in the midst of her senior year. While it was a crushing blow to her and her family, Mazarky is lightyears ahead of most people, and recognizes that all platforms are given by God. That includes this one.

LOREN’S BACKGROUND IN SPORTS

Mazarky is a multi-sport athlete at Rabun County. She has played basketball, soccer, and softball for the Lady Wildcats all through high school (adding softball as a sophomore). She even anticipated competing in track and field this spring along with soccer. While she won’t be participating, she’ll still be attending games and meets to support and help Rabun County. That kind of leadership is hard to find.

Of all the sports she’s played, Mazarky has poured so much into each that she claims it’s impossible to pick a favorite, as each is special in their own way. She provides the reasons why.

SOCCER – “I’ve been playing since I was four,” says Loren. “Rabun soccer is basically in my blood. Both of my parents played here, and my mom was on the very first women’s soccer team Rabun ever had. Getting to be part of the same program she helped start is really special to me. My dad played here too, and he was a keeper- just like me- so sharing that position means a lot. My parents were my first coaches, so soccer has always been full of memories with them. My dad later coached the middle and high school boys teams, so he’s been a huge part of my journey at Rabun and still is. Even now, as an assistant coach at Western Carolina University, he never misses my games if he can help it. He’s a keeper coach, so we talk strategy all the time. He gives me honest feedback on how to improve – not just as my dad, but as a coach, and that’s something I really value. One of my favorite memories playing for Rabun was during my sophomore year. I was named to the 1A D1 All-Region Second Team and had over 100 saves that season in only nine games. I’ll never forget that Sweet 16 against Atlanta International. I think I had close to forty saves in that game alone. Coach Holcombe said I had twenty saves in the first half. It was absolutely one of the hardest games I have ever played, but also one of the best for me.”

BASKETBALL – “I’ve been playing basketball since I was four also, starting with my first Lady Cat Camp with Coach [DeeDee] Dillard. I’ve only missed one camp since then, and it’s been really special to go from camper to camp coach. I started at the rec department at five and began playing travel ball in 5th grade, continuing through the summer after my sophomore year. What makes Rabun girls basketball so special is the legacy—’once a Lady Cat, always a Lady Cat.’ We’ve all grown up watching this program and most of us grew up in it. Our community builds that Wildcat pride from the time we’re little, and it sticks. I’ve loved every teammate I’ve played with, but this year has been especially meaningful. The upperclassmen are the girls I grew up competing with at every level—rec, travel, middle school, and high school. The underclassmen are the ones we’ve cheered for and coached at camp. We’re just as invested in them as they are in us. People say our chemistry on the floor is fun to watch, and I think that comes from loving the game and each other. We’ve shared wins and losses, stood in the gap for one another, and supported each other through it all. We’re more than a team—we’re a family. The hardest part of this year is knowing this group of upperclassmen, after a lifetime of playing together, won’t ever take the floor all at once again.”

SOFTBALL – “I started playing softball just three seasons ago and had never played before that. At the end of my freshman year, some friends encouraged me to try out, and with my parents’ support and Coach [Wes] Satterfield giving me a chance, I went for it and instantly loved it. I played JV my sophomore year, then gave up travel basketball that summer to focus fully on travel softball because I knew I had a short window to grow. I worked nonstop—lessons, backyard reps with my dad, going to the rec any chance I had—and by the next season, I made varsity and eventually earned a starting spot in the outfield. The following year, we got a new coach, Jessica Evans. She poured into our team at each practice and helped take my game to the next level. I continued playing travel ball, joining a new team my junior summer that quickly became family. Senior year, I moved to the infield at second base as a starting infielder, and Coach Evans and Coach Makenna kept pushing and believing in me. At the end of the season, I was named Wildcat Infield Player of the Year and was named 1A D1 Region 8 All-Region Honorable Mention, and I am incredibly proud of those achievements. Softball is special to me because of the challenge- learning a brand-new sport and chasing big goals on a short timeline. After only three years, I met the goals I had set for myself and one I was not sure would be possible, but it happened. I received an NAIA athletic offer from Wesleyan College. While I chose not to accept it because the school does not offer the undergraduate program I need for my future graduate plans, I’m incredibly grateful to Coach Ryan for believing in me and giving me that opportunity.”

ATHLETICS & FAITH – HAND-IN-HAND

Needless to say, Loren has made sports a huge part of her life, though they are not her identity. She has gleaned so much from athletics.

“They’ve played a significant role in developing my work ethic and independence. I have learned the value of discipline, teamwork, leadership, and accountability. Sports have taught me how to manage time, push past physical and mental limits, and continue to rise after failure. These lessons extend far beyond competition; they influence how I approach academics, relationships, and my future goals.”

There’s a lot any athletes can learn about themselves with sports – as Loren outlines well. But when those skills are combined with faith and virtues, it means even more.

“Resilience is something you develop as an athlete,” adds Loren. “I had to learn how to stand firm when challenges come up, and how to fight through setbacks with determination, and how to trust God’s purpose even when the path forward feels uncertain. My faith is the foundation of who I am. I read a post from Lorrine Headrick that said, ‘Yes, you are an athlete, but a disciple first. Every rep. Every game. Every moment. An opportunity to build the kingdom. Your sport is your platform—but it is not the only one. God gave you talents to build His Kingdom on and off the field. So armor up and let every rep point back to Him.’ That reminder fuels my purpose. Regardless of whether I ever play another sport, my goal is to let every rep, every challenge, and every ‘no’ point back to Him, knowing His plan is bigger than any game or outcome.”

Whether Loren ever plays at the next level in any sport, her outlook and demeanor are already next level. That is maturity and wisdom beyond her years.

THE INJURY

After a solid softball season and a smooth transition into basketball season, Loren was playing a vital role on the Lady Cats’ season, which is still alive as of the time of this post in the Elite 8. During a regular season game, everything changed and altered her senior year.

“We were playing Elbert in a region game, and I was having a pretty great game. I had had a fast break down the floor and went up for the layup. Ansley Harris was defending me, and when I went up, the ball came loose. I went to save it, and my weight went to the outside of my right foot, and my knee went the other way. It just gave way, and I went down. I felt it pop. My mind immediately went to my ACL and the fear that came along with it. Ansley had nothing to do with my injury, but I have to say she was so kind in checking in on me since it happened. She came to see me at the end of the game, reached out through social media to check on me, and then, after our region tournament game against them, she came up and checked in on me once again. I had had my surgery the day before, so it meant a lot. Her reaction speaks a lot to her character and the kind of player she is.”

SAGE ADVICE TO OTHERS

No one understands Loren’s injury or why it had to happen to her. It’s natural to ask those questions or to wonder why God chooses not prevent some things.

“Proverbs 3:5-6 says, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths,’ and that is what I plan to keep doing. I have worked harder than I ever imagined, and while it has not always been easy, I have come to realize that my journey- the setbacks, the lessons, and the perseverance—has shaped me into the athlete, student, and person I am today. I have learned to turn disappointment into motivation, using each challenge as fuel to set new goals and rise stronger. Every rejection has shaped not just the athlete I am, but the person I am becoming—someone who refuses to let setbacks dictate their future.”

Still early in the process, Loren’s outlook is superb, and no doubt she is weaving this situation into her ongoing testimony. That means also being able to help others going through the same thing – either prior, now, or in the future.

“I would tell someone who faces a similar situation as me, in the midst of your storm, keep your eyes on Jesus. It’s not easy, but let God lead you. One of my favorite stories in the Bible is Matthew 14:22-36, when Jesus calls Peter to step out of the boat in the midst of the storm and walk to him. At first, Peter keeps his eyes on Jesus, and he is able to step out of the boat and stand on the water, but once Peter starts getting distracted by the wind and the storm, he starts to sink. However, Jesus never lets him sink. He stretched out his hand and pulled Peter from the water. During all of this, that story has been a constant reminder that even in this storm that I am in, when my injury feels like the wind that frightened Peter, I know that Jesus is never going to let me sink, and when I feel myself getting distracted quickly, I feel God’s hand just as quickly pulling me back up.”

THE ACCOLADES

Loren has been synonymous with Rabun County athletics for her entire life. She has lettered in soccer each year and twice in basketball and softball. She earned a letter in football four times as well (Sports Medicine).

Her accolades include 2nd Team All-Region in soccer (2024), All-Region HM in softball (2025), and earning such team honors as Defensive POY (soccer, 2024), Grit Award (soccer, 2025), and Infield Defensive Award (softball, 2025).

She has been a multi- BLITZ Player of the Week nominee and was the BLITZ Rabun County Frontrunner for Player of the Year for soccer in 2026. She’s been a part of a special Sweet 16 soccer run in 2024 and a Final 4 and now two Elite 8s in basketball.

No matter what lies ahead for Loren, her future is certainly a bright one. She’s stronger for what she’s endured, and she now has a chance to be a shining light to help others through their adversity.