Photo courtesy of Warrior Athletics.
This is the smile of a long-time athlete for California State University, Stanislaus. Soccer team midfielder Gabriel Benavides just concluded the fourth year of his college career, but it didn’t just start here.
Benavides began playing at the age of four in his home town of Salem, OR. Playing for South Salem High School, the team claimed victory for the Oregon 6A High School State Championship.  When traveling for tournaments, he was able to compete in California and decided to use his passion as a means of studying out of state. During his senior year of high school, he was able to try out for a spot as a CSU Stanislaus Warrior.
Now a senior, Benavides is close to completing his degree in International Business as well as concluding this competitive soccer chapter in his life.  Benavides said his best memory with the team was winning the California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament in 2012.
“Every win is also a special feeling,” Benavides said, “It’s a lot of work, time and energy that goes into playing here at Stan.”
Benavides shared that his season as a senior gave him a different role among his teammates than before.  “It was special to be one of the older players. It was my role, and the role of other upperclassmen, to make sure everyone was doing well on and off the pitch.” Benavides said “It was also special to know every time we played a team, it would be the last time we would have a chance to play that team.”
Though Benavides says this is likely the highest level of soccer he will play, the game has brought him more than just blood, sweat and tears.  “Being an athlete taught me a lot of lessons that I will carry with me throughout my career and as a person,” Benavides said, “also a lot of friendships that will last a long time.”