Ben Gibeau '21 Recruiting Profile

The game of soccer has taught me a lot about myself.  It has taught me to work hard and be courageous even when the odds are stacked against me.  It has taught me to dig deep, fight through the pain, and never give up.  It has also taught me to be a great team player to achieve success.  These lessons really didn't sink in entirely until my sophomore year in high school.  I was always a strong player that was often asked to play up and a stand out on my team.  However at the beginning of my sophomore year the strongest man I know, my Dad, had a heart attack.   I watched my Dad dig deep and be courageous every day while he was rehabbing.  During that time, I felt really down and discouraged.  That fall soccer season I had to find something inside myself that I didn't think was in me.  I told myself every night before bed that I must have the courage to keep going  and to work hard for myself, the team, and my Dad.  I made a list of goals for my soccer season which included winning conference, winning sectionals, and to beat our school rivals at Whitefish Bay High School. Whitefish Bay had been the second ranked team in the nation the previous year.  Through consistent effort and levelheaded focus I helped my team win conference and get to the sectional final against Whitefish Bay.  Before the game I remembered my Dad telling me to have courage and to be aggressive.  His words of advice and his model of courage really guided me during the game. We ended up beating our rivals in a penalty shootout where I saved two penalties! After the game, I looked up at my Dad in the stands and pointed to him, knowing that I had become a better teammate, soccer player, and person. 

I have always loved soccer.  From the time I started playing when I was six up until now.  My love for the game has only grown with each passing year.  Soccer has something to teach each time you step on the pitch and I appreciate the chances I get to play the game and be a student of the game.   In fact it seems the more I work and push myself with courage and commitment, the more my love for the game grows.