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You have been named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Public League. To what do you attribute your success?
I have to give thanks to my teammates because it’s a team effort. There’s nothing I could have done without the rest of my team having my back the entire time. Especially in the playoffs, it was not a one-man job. My fellow seniors definitely contributed heavily to the cause. For example, Sebastian Goldstein (12-1) had some incredible saves in the semifinals. Lucas Jackson (12-2) had a very, very clutch assist in the very final moments of the last game. We played together as a team, and over the course of the season we progressed so much. That final game was a perfect end of the season.
Please share some advice for aspiring student athletes.
Stay true to what you value as a player and as a person. Be yourself on the pitch. What makes you unique is how you ended up getting there in the first place. So work hard and play like you always play. Don’t stress too much about it. Go into it expecting to push yourself and you should be fine.
Photo courtesy of Helena Saven (12-4)
What do you write about?
I like writing in the science field. If I’m going to be a writer, it would be focused on making scientific discovery available to the public. I quite enjoy writing in my own time too, putting stuff on paper whether it’s how I’m doing or a story I've conjured.
Who is your favorite trumpet player?
My favorite trumpet player, and the only one I really know, is Louis Armstrong.
What would you choose as your last meal? [Question courtesy of Isaiah Weekes (12-4)]
I would have to stay true to my number one food which is bacon. Ever since I was little I loved bacon. I’d go for a breakfast: french toast (maybe with whipped cream and powdered sugar), a lot of bacon, and maybe some eggs. Then again, I might want something bougie that I wouldn’t get to eat every day. I like broccoli cheese soup too.
What are your athletic goals for now and college? (Ben will be attending Bard College in the fall.)
For now, I want to be prepared to compete from day one at the college level because [soccer] is a very physical game and I don’t think I’m as prepared as I’d like to be. In college, it would be more focused on the mindset of playing because it’s super fast and you can’t get the ball and then think. You have to know beforehand.
What do you do to de-stress?
Some type of physical activity. For a long time it was running after school with Students’ Run, now it’s probably soccer and volleyball. It takes my mind off of my stressor for at least a little while.
What is your biggest fear?
Probably saying something stupid in my senior spotlight. I’m kidding. Never that. Sometimes I’m quite afraid of public speaking.
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