Juan Urresti is a student at ASU's Cronkite School of Journalism assigned to cover Valley Christian by AZPreps365.com

After defeating addictions and bad decisions early in his life, Ben Jones has become an inspiration for his Valley Christian soccer team. 

“I have a pretty extensive past when it comes to my life,” Jones said. “I use it as a motivator of where you can go if you do the same.” 

Early in his life, Jones made bad choices. 

“I was super into drugs and alcohol in my senior year at high school, went to college and went to rehab for eight months,” Jones said. 

His experience overcoming these addictions rises above any lesson he can teach his team in training. 

“Coming out of that was dramatic,” Jones said. “So, I tell them, don’t do what I did and use it as a lesson.” 

Those intimate lessons Jones shares in the locker room are changing the route of the sport at Valley Christian.

“The relationship with him is a lot different to what I hear from high school coaches to students,” senior Tony Gomez said. “I can go to coach for anything, how I feel personally with school, with life, my relationship with God or soccer in general, really anything.” 

Before Jones arrived, the soccer program was struggling. 

“I have been around Valley Christian for quite a long time, because both my older sisters played [soccer] here and I know the soccer program has not been very good, actually pretty awful,” Gomez said. “Coach Ben completely changed around the entire soccer program.” 

Last year made the playoffs. Now in its second opportunity in a row things look different. 

“We can really trust him on a personal level and his coaching style,” Gomez said. “We have  a pretty good chance of making it all the way this year.” 

The Trojans are in the playoffs ranked No. 3 seed in their division. 

“This is the first time in a long time Valley Christian has had such a successful season,” Jones said. “I’m so proud of the boys they have put in a lot of work, it’s shown in the rankings all their hard work has paid off.”

Soccer brought light and a road back to Jones’ roots. He remembers those days when he attended Valley Christian as a student and played soccer in his senior year.

“It feels good, it’s kind of cool I’ve come full circle, from being a student here to now working and coaching here,” Jones said. “Being able to see students where they’re at, relate it to when I was here and be able to share my experiences in life, my knowledge not just with soccer but with life, it’s just really cool the way it has gotten full circle there.” 

Jones is taking his second opportunity in life like his last, with soccer as a tool to inspire new generations to take the right path. Especially with the seniors on his team. 

“I have Tony and three other seniors in my team and I like to tell them this is it, this is your last opportunity to get things done, if you want a championship in soccer this is when you have to do it, I use that as a motivator” Jones said. “This is how it was when I was a senior and I have a lot of regrets from that, so don’t be like that, take these moments and give everything you have.”