Some people cross your path for a moment, others for a season—but all of them leave something behind. Ben King is one of those people who has been part of my story from the very beginning, leaving an influence that I still carry with me today.
I remember the games we used to play when we were younger—sometimes it was sports, sometimes video games, sometimes just something we made up on the spot. But no matter what we were playing, Ben had this quiet yet steady way of expecting more out of Jon and me. If we got too good at hitting, he’d make us bat left-handed. If we started getting comfortable, he’d throw faster pitches. He wasn’t just playing; he was pushing us, teaching us, shaping us into people who didn’t settle for “good enough.” He even helped coach our teams, teaching us the rules of the game while also showing us how to compete with fairness and confidence.
Because of him, Jon and I both stepped into refereeing—baseball umpiring, flag football, basketball. It all started with PG, and it’s something we’ve all continued ever since. Looking back, I realize that was more than just a job or a hobby. It was Ben planting a seed: showing us the value of authority, fairness, and responsibility.
But his influence didn’t stop with sports. Ben is incredibly smart and has a way of nudging others into growth—even if it starts out small. He was the one who got our family into Robinhood (probably just for the free stock at first), but that single move sparked my own journey of learning about finance and how to manage money better. And as the Vineyard Recreation Coordinator, I’ve seen how he carries that same mindset forward—teaching referees not just the mechanics of the game, but how to be confident in their calls, how to carry authority, and how to see the potential within themselves. He pushes people because he sees what they’re capable of, often before they see it themselves.
Ben also dreams big. He loves sports not just for the game itself, but because it’s a place where improvement never ends. He’s talked about wanting to become a college coach one day, and I admire that. He doesn’t shrink his dreams to fit what’s comfortable; he stretches himself toward the things he knows he can achieve. Honestly, I think a lot of my own big dreaming comes from him.
Life has a way of moving people in and out of our stories, but that doesn’t erase the chapters they helped write. Ben will always be someone I respect for his example of hard work, his ability to see potential in others, and his determination to keep aiming higher.
No matter where our lives go, I’ll always be grateful for what Ben brought into mine: the push to do better, the courage to dream bigger, and the reminder that growth often starts with someone who believes you can.
