Mayfield High School senior Ben Gloyd likes the brotherhood that playing football can provide, and how athletes get to “create a lot of memories” with some of their best friends.
“It’s definitely taught me time management from the aspect of having to get your schoolwork and having to balance practice schedules, game schedules, team meetings and all that, and it’s also taught me a lot about building character and everything like that,” he said.
“In football, you’re going to face a lot of adversity and constantly throughout games, practices, everything, and so like, in those moments when you face adversity — you can either lay down, you know what I mean — or just get back up and keep pushing, keep fighting harder. Win or lose, if you keep pushing, that’s going to make you a better person.”
Gloyd, 17, was a receiver and an outside linebacker for the Mayfield Cardinals varsity team, having started playing at a young age with flag football. He singled out playing in state championship games as a freshman and sophomore as “huge memories,” and fondly recalled scoring his first varsity touchdown against Paducah Tilghman High School when he was a sophomore.
Gloyd said he didn’t know yet where he will attend college, but he wants to play football and he’s looking for the best fit for him. He said he will probably major in business, and wants to be a business owner in the future.
“I’d like to run and operate my own gym one day,” he said.
Gloyd, son of Amy and Doug Gloyd, of Mayfield, is the Paducah Bank Teen of the Week.
Every Tuesday, The Sun publishes an article on a senior who was chosen for Teen of the Week recognition, but it didn’t publish one on Dec. 14, because of its ongoing coverage of the Dec. 10 tornado that went through western Kentucky. Around the end of the school year, a selection committee names one of these students as Teen of the Year, which carries a $5,000 scholarship. Another student will receive the Inspiration Award and a $1,000 scholarship.
At Mayfield, Gloyd has earned a weighted GPA above 4.2. He also attended the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program this past summer at Centre College. Gloyd participates in different clubs, activities and sports, including Future Business Leaders of America, Beta Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, student government, youth leadership, varsity baseball and varsity football.
While he wants to play college football, Gloyd has also learned lessons from playing baseball. He’s a middle infielder for the team, and pitches some. He singled out the “mental” part of the game as what he likes best about it.
“Baseball has honestly taught me to be a calm person and to stay positive because, I mean, there’s times when you go up to bat and you’re 0 for your last 20, and you can’t buy a hit, but you still got to go up there, and bat and face your challenges, and stay positive, so finally you can break out of a slump,” he said.
He also shared his thoughts about graduating.
“It’s definitely bittersweet, but I think I’m prepared and I’m more than ready to go to college, just because I feel like I’m prepared, and that’s just the next step in my journey,” he said.
By: Kelly Farrell