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My goal is to play soccer in college while pursuing a bachelor's degree in physical therapy.
I have been an avid soccer player since my first park district game at the age of four.
I joined my first travel team, Dundee-United (now part of the Huntley Heat United), at the age of seven. I played forward/center midfield and was the team's leading scorer. Two years later, I joined the Tornadoes Soccer Club located in South Elgin, Illinois, where I started all games in the center midfield position. I played an attacking center midfield position and was among the team leaders in scoring. Our club team was among the top for our age bracket during the years I played for them. In middle school and going into high school, I was a four-sport athlete, participating in baseball, basketball, soccer and track; I played one year of travel baseball, one year of lacrosse and was a field goal kicker for the sophomore football team at Dundee-Crown High School. After my freshman year, I dedicated myself to the sport I loved best, soccer.
My freshman year of high school, I started at center midfield for the JV team, and was promoted to varsity halfway through the season.
I played starting center midfield in my sophomore year of high school. My team was the IHSA Regional Finalist for my sophomore year.
At the suggestion of my high school coaches, and college coaches I met through training and camps, I joined the Sockers FC Chicago in 2011. I made the NISL/NPL team my first year. I started the season playing center back and ended the season as the starting midfielder.
Most recently, December 14-16, 2012, I played for the Sockers' U18 Academy team at the Shattuck St. Mary's Showcase Tournament in Minnesota.
In the summer of 2012, I was selected to play for the Illinois ODP state team (1995 boys). In the state regionals, I played center back/midfield in the first game and started at midfield in the remaining three games.
As a junior in high school, I started at center midfield and one of the team captains. Our team finished the season with a school record of 17-3-1 and ranked among the Top 20 (#14) for our region. I scored six goals and had 12 assists.
I have played most field positions the past 13 years (and willing to play anywhere), but believe I make the greatest contribution to my teams at center midfield or right back. Because of my size (6'2", 160 lbs.), I am a physical player in the middle of the field, pride myself on making good passes to the forwards, and play smart with the ball.
As for my personal life, I am the second oldest of four children and live in the village of Sleepy Hollow. My older brother is a sophomore at the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana. When not playing soccer, I work part-time refereeing Dundee Township Park District soccer games, busing tables on weekends at the Anvil Club, a private restaurant in East Dundee, and working full-time in the summer at Steffan-Strahm Construction. My parents are both college graduates. My father is the executive vice president/general manager of the Daily Herald Media Group, which publishes the Daily Herald, the third largest daily newspaper in the state of Illinois.
You can reach me at ben.stone1@aol.com.