The road for receiver Ben King from his home in Archdale, N.C. to Appalachian State, to Guilford College, to his eventual spot in the U.S. Army’s Basic Training is one of twists and turns.
It starts at Trinity High School where King was a standout on the gridiron and won a state championship in basketball. King’s efforts in football earned him a spot on Division I Football Championship Subdivision powerhouse Appalachian State’s roster. After redshirting his first year at State, and dealing with debilitating injuries the other two, King transferred to Guilford in August of 2010.
King came to Guilford for two simple reasons. “I came to Guilford because it was close to home and I wanted to play football,” said King.
King’s transfer to Guilford did not lead the Quakers to any wins in 2010 as Guilford went 0-10, but in 2011 King helped the Quakers to two wins including a victory over cross-town rival Greensboro College. He was named Guilford’s game MVP after catching 10 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
King garnered First Team All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) honors in 2011 and Second-Team All-ODAC the previous year. He was named Third Team All-South region in 2011. He also led the Quakers in all receiving categories in 2010 and 2011 and set a new record for receiving yards in a single game with 251 yards in 2010.
“I think Ben’s success came because he had a lot of talent,” said head football coach Chris Rusiewicz. “He has great speed, quickness, ability to break away on a burst, and his desire to catch the football. When the ball’s up in the air he’s determined to go get it. For a lot of great receivers that (want to) makes all the difference.”
King left a team that won three Division I FCS National Titles from 2005-07 to join the Quakers. “It was hard for me to go from winning to losing, but that’s part of life. You have to deal with losing, but I learned from it and I feel like it made me a better person overall,” said King.
After the 2010 former head coach Kevin Keisel was let go. The coaching staff got a complete overhaul for what would be King’s final season and there were new players at quarterback, running back, and receiver. The result was a young and enthusiastic group, but one that still could not compete with the top teams in the ODAC. Factor in Add injuries to starting quarterback Zac Halbert and starting center Faris El-Ali and the Quakers were in for another challenging season.
“I would definitely have loved to win more games, if that had meant not experiencing so much personal success but winning more games I would have traded that in a heartbeat,” said King.
Despite the struggles on the field, King still enjoyed his time at Guilford. “I really had a bond with my teammates from last year. This year I was kind of the old guy on the team, but last year was really special,” said King.
King’s athletic pursuits are not completely done at Guilford as he will compete with Guilford’s track and field team this spring. He hopes the running will prepare him for his next challenge, the U.S. Army.
After graduating in May King plans on going through basic training in the Army, followed by Officer's Candidate School. He wants to complete his time in the military, travel, and use his training to enter the field of federal law enforcement, which has always been a field of interest for him. If that does not work out King will try o use the business management degree he earned at Guilford.
King says he’ll miss Guilford, but treasures of the past two years. “I will definitely remember being on and off the field with my teammates, having a good time and competing.”
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