“Juanpablo Benitez is an outstanding football player, but an even greater person,” is what the Wolfpack football team Coach Cisco had to say about number 61. Benitez is a senior on the Wolfpack Varsity football team who plays as a lineman. 

Benitez has played on the football team for the past three years, with this season being his last. He has not only played on the football team but has also been a part of the Wolfpack Wrestling and Track & Field teams. He has managed to balance his double life of being an athlete and a student. He has kept high standards for himself and is always working hard both on and off the field. 

The reason behind his optimistic mindset is his love and passion for football. “After my brother graduated High School, I knew I was in love with the sport,” Benitez said. When he was just in elementary school, he would always watch his brother and his teammates practice while he worked on his homework. The team included Benitez and treated him as a brother, and this made him appreciate the sport even more. Even now, he carries this influence into every practice and game.

His teammates depend on him and he is well aware of that. He has learned that being a good player means putting his body on the line not just for himself, but for the people fighting right next to him. “A lineman’s work goes unnoticed, but when they mess up is when they are most noticed,” Benitez said. Although he has been able to keep a positive attitude throughout many losses, it isn’t as easy as it seems. The best way to recover is “…coming back mentally and physically ready to work harder.” Benitez has a great idea of what he wants and will stop at nothing to be “the best on the field.”