Get to know Grafton football captain, senior Ben Birch
GRAFTON, Wis. — Ben Birch, senior captain of the Grafton Black Hawks football team, comes from a long line of exceedingly athletic Birch brothers. In fact, every one of his four older brothers earned athletic accolades during their time at Grafton High School.
Sam Birch: Captain and goalie of Varsity Black Hawk soccer, named First Team All-Conference
Will Birch: Captain, Varsity Black Hawk baseball, named Second Team All-Conference Outfield, zero strikeout season
Jack Birch: Captain, Varsity Black Hawk football, playing safety, wide receiver, and multiple other positions
Joe Birch: Captain, Varsity Black Hawk football, named First Team All-Conference at Safety, and team Defensive MVP
Ben spent his younger years watching his brothers play a wide variety of sports鈥攊ncluding football, basketball, lacrosse, and rugby. Like most younger brothers, he wanted nothing more than to be just like them. Ben says, “Growing up watching all of my siblings play several sports and watching how good they were really inspired me to be as good as they were.”
Now it’s his turn. After a successful junior year season, Ben was named First Team All-Conference at inside linebacker. This year, the 5’8″ 180-pound linebacker has big goals for his final season in high school football. “My goal is to be named All-State at inside linebacker, as well as get over 100 total tackles,” Birch explains. After high school, he hopes to continue playing either football, lacrosse, or both at the next level.
Despite his evident talent, Ben Birch does face challenges. The biggest one is his size. Ben says, “My biggest challenge in football is the fact that I am significantly undersized in my position. I don’t let this hold me back, though. I always give all my effort in games and practices to be the best I can, and it has put me in a really good spot.”
He isn’t immune to mistakes, either. But like the very best athletes on the field, he knows how to face his mistakes with humility and learn from them to better himself. “There have been times where I have gauged a player’s speed wrong and have gotten beat,” Ben says. “But I adjusted my angle for tackles and read hips, as well as broke down better for the tackles.”
Great players aren’t made in a vacuum. Good coaches play an undeniable role in not only the success of the team, but of the individual athletes as well. So much growth can come from high school athletics, and the coaching staff at Grafton High School take their roles seriously. In fact, one of the best pieces of advice Ben has ever received came from one of the football coaches. Ben remembers, “I was told that being the leader I am will shape the team, and that I need to know that [the other players] look up to me, and I am a mentor to them.”
Birch speaks especially highly of head coach Jim Norris and the role he has played in shaping Grafton’s football program. “Will, Jack, and Joe all went through several years in a row of really bad records and one-win seasons,” explains Ben, speaking about his older brothers’ era of Grafton Black Hawk football. “During Joe’s junior year, a new head coach was hired. Coach Jim Norris, who was an assistant coach at the high school, was appointed to this position, and the football program went up from there.”
Finally and most importantly, Ben names his dad as his biggest supporter. “One person to watch all this happen and was there through it all was our dad…he always told us how proud of us he was and always made sure to tell us how well we did. He rarely missed any of our games and was always open to help the team with anything鈥攍ike stats, chain gang, and team meals.”
Be sure to catch a Grafton football game this month to watch how the season develops for Ben Birch and his team!
Bonus Q&A
What is your favorite thing about football?
Ben Birch: I love the friends you can make with people you meet and play with, and how you will have bonds for life.
What is your pregame ritual?
Birch: I like to sit quietly in my locker or in the locker room clearing my mind and getting in a game-ready mode.
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Birch: I like to hang out with my friends and family when they are in town. I like to work out as well. It helps me clear my mind and escape from everything.
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