Without any prior experience in the sport, Andover Football Co-Captain Ben Carbeau ’21 began his football career on the JV team as a Junior. Carbeau is the team’s starting linebacker and has also played defensive end throughout his time at Andover. According to Carbeau, he believes that the best part of playing football at Andover is being part of a close-knit group that values competitiveness on the field.
“I think one of my favorite parts is just the team aspect and the family that [has been] built. I also love the competitive side of it and the way our program plays,” said Carbeau.
According to Head Coach Trey Brown ’12, Carbeau is always striving to improve his game and sets a strong example on the field for his teammates.
“Ben’s best qualities as a captain and leader would have to be his will to get better and expect the most from everyone. He seems to never get complacent with where he is at or where the team is at. He has this growth mindset that [allows] him to put in a lot of time and effort to know his job as best as he can and know others’ assignments as well. Ben’s desire to be the best linebacker and captain he can be is quite inspirational, and the team seems to feed into it as well. I can go on and on about his hunger and athleticism, but it is really rare to come across a young man who picked up football just four years ago and is now the captain,” said Brown.
According to Co-Captain Troy Pollock ’21 and teammate Baron Abrishami ’21, Carbeau is a vocal leader, encouraging the team both on and off the field.
“Ben cares so much about his teammates and that energy is infectious. He’s a great speaker; he knows how to rally the team together with electrifying speeches. He’s a fierce competitor and always puts his body on the line for the team,” said Pollock.
Abrishami added, “Ben has always been there for me on and off the field. [He] also pushes me to be the best version of myself in the classroom, weight room, practices, and [on] gamedays. When Ben speaks, people listen, and that is why he is a great leader.”
Despite the challenges that this unique term presents, Carbeau strives to strengthen the team dynamic, helping ensure that future Andover Football teams are in a position to succeed.
“This year is going to be very different for us. It wasn’t anything that any of us could have expected, but I think more than anything we need to continue to develop a football culture. We worked hard at doing that last winter and last spring, but if we could carry that momentum that will hopefully get more kids invested in the program and hopefully set the program up for success down the line,” said Carbeau.
