Joshua Cashion Finds Balance in Motion by Land, Air and Sea

In 2023, Joshua Cashion sat in the cockpit of a single-engine Cessna at Tacoma Narrows Airport. His instructor stepped away, leaving the 17-year-old alone with the controls for the first time. The tree-lined sky stretched wide in front of him. For a moment, even his usually unshakable instructor looked nervous. But Cashion wasn’t. His legs steadied on the pedals. His hands gripped the yoke with confidence. And with the same calm composure he brings to his daily pursuits, he pushed the throttle forward and lifted off on his first solo flight.

From the moment the wheels left the ground, one thing became clear — whether by land, sea or air, Cashion was made to move.

“If I set a goal and it’s within reach, I will do everything I can to achieve it,” he said. “It’s just part of my ’Big goals, big rewards’ mindset.”

Cashion’s success is driven by movement. The Peninsula High School senior’s legs power him in pursuit of school running records and state titles. His hands, whether gripping airplane instruments, gliding over piano keys, or guiding a canoe to a national championship, define his dedication. Together, they shape an athlete, an aviator, and an artist in equal measure.

“My motivation comes from the fact that these things are things I naturally gravitated toward,” he said. “Over time, they became part of my identity; the concept of pushing myself became a big part of who I am.”

Cashion first made a name for himself in the water as a national champion sprint canoeist. He claimed titles in the 200-meter, 500-meter and 1000-meter events, and earned spots on the Sprint U.S. National Team in 2021 and 2022. His athletic journey then shifted to running, fueling his competitive spirit and connection with the Seahawks community.

On land, Cashion is quickly becoming one of the fastest middle-distance runners in Peninsula history and is knocking on the door of longstanding school records. His personal best of 50.93 seconds in the 400-meter race is just a fraction off the 31-year-old school record of 49.8 seconds.

“A half of a second (in the 400-meter race) can be the difference between being in the back of the pack and getting first place,” he said. “So dropping even a little bit of time takes a lot of work. If I want to get there, it’s going to take a big effort, but I’m definitely up for the challenge. I mean, I’m so close … I might as well go for it.”

Cashion’s 1:58.9 mark in the 800-meter race is closing in on the 1:55.06 record set in 2001. He’s already shaved nearly 16 seconds off his time in less than two years. Cashion, who ran at the state meet last year in both events, is currently ranked sixth all-time in school history for his 400-meter time and seventh for the 800-meter.

“Over time, Joshua has become increasingly focused and serious about doing all the little things that it takes to be successful in this sport,” said PHS Track and Field Head Coach Tyler Nugent, adding that Cashion didn’t start running track until his sophomore year. “It’s been fun to watch his development.”

He’ll also likely compete this track season in the 200-meter and 1,600-meter races, as well as some team medleys. Last fall, he captained the boys cross country team to the state meet for the first time in five years, where the team finished 18th. His leadership and talent earned him a spot on the All-Puget Sound League honorable mention team, and his teammates voted him to win the Kinship Award, given to a Seahawks runner who mentors younger runners.

Navigating the skies requires a precision that mirrors his approach on the track: adjustments in pace, angle and execution. Flying runs in his blood. His great-grandfather was a World War II pilot, his grandpa was a private pilot, and his dad, Jeff, is an Air Force veteran and an Alaska Airlines pilot.

“I thought it was the coolest thing to see my dad flying, waving from the cockpit,” he said.

“I already had the drive, but knowing that I’d be continuing that lineage made it even more meaningful.”

From an early age, Cashion knew aviation was his calling. That ambition took off when he completed his first solo flight two years ago. His parents, Jeff and Elana, and younger sister, Anna, watched proudly as he completed three laps around the airport, executed two touch-and-go landings, and finished with a final full-stop landing. Despite the significance, he downplayed the experience, likening it to a new driver taking a car out for the first time in an empty parking lot.

But as much as he thrives with his hands on the controls in the cockpit, Cashion finds a different kind of rhythm when his fingers meet the piano keys. Music offers him an emotional counterbalance to his high-intensity lifestyle. First teaching himself piano by ear, Cashion found inspiration in the storytelling power of video game soundtracks, like Minecraft, before honing his skills through formal training.

“If I had been pressured into learning really hard stuff early on, I probably wouldn’t have pursued it as much,” said Cashion. “Keeping it simple was key to my motivation. When I realized that putting in just a little effort each day for a couple of weeks led to real progress, I was amazed. That feeling kept me going.”

Today, he’s preparing for competitions with demanding classical pieces, like Chopin’s Ballades and a Mozart sonata, proving that he’s driven to challenge himself.

“Running and flying are very external. You’re focused on executing,” he explained. “Piano is internal — it’s how I process everything. It’s more about the feelings. It’s been a great outlet for me.”

Though different, Cashion doesn’t see running a race, flying a plane, or playing a piece of music as separate paths but rather a single journey defined by the discipline he brings to each of his pursuits. His focus remains the same: master the craft, embrace the challenge, and push beyond what he thought was possible.

“I think I just like the technical side of things — the precision in music, the mechanics of flying, and the strategy in running. Because they’re so different, they help me feel more balanced in my daily life.”

Cashion is now preparing for the next challenge in life: his first cross-country solo flight. And from the cockpit, he sees that college is on the horizon, and the world of both running and aviation is wide open before him. Whatever he chooses — whether to fly higher or run faster, or a combination of both — one thing is certain: his drive, passion, and commitment will continue to move him forward.

For Cashion, movement is more than physical, it’s a constant reminder that his pursuit of excellence never ends.