LANGLEY, British Columbia – Before the start of this Friday's men's soccer match against the UBC Okanagan Heat, the Trinity Western Spartans will honour the memory of former Spartan Ben Adam ('02), as Sept. 5 will mark 18 years since Adam's unexpected passing in 2007.
 
"Ben was one of the kindest players I have ever had the pleasure of coaching," said former TWU coach Alan Alderson. "He was kind, gentle, thoughtful, considerate and an absolute pleasure to be around. He had a big smile, and I so enjoyed his unique laugh.
 
"Despite those 'softer' characteristics, he also had a hidden hunger to pursue difficult-to-achieve dreams and goals. He quietly fought incredibly hard to improve his abilities on the soccer field and was relentless in carving out some great coaching opportunities. I loved the passion and persistence he had in pursuing the life of his dreams.
 
"One of my favourite memories that still brings me so much joy, was during our first year at the U SPORTS level. Ben was one of the few players who was able to make the jump from the college league to U SPORTS, and our coaching staff knew he had a secret love for UBC and the Thunderbirds.  We decided that Ben had earned his first Canada West start, and what better time and place than at TWU's first away league game against UBC at Thunderbird Stadium. Seeing Ben stand with the starting line-ups during the anthem and introductions and then playing against the Thunderbirds – it was priceless.
 
"I will forever be thankful and never forget Ben's kindness, his huge heart, his big smile, our post-game visits and discussions, and the memories I have of Ben pursuing the life of his dreams."
 
Former coach Niel Turner added: "Ben Adam can be described with two words: persistence and commitment. I remember Ben came in and was an outside player in the early part of his career. He spent time trying to determine what he needed to do to improve. After training sessions, he'd come and ask many questions and he was committed to learning and becoming better at his craft. I remember that between one season and another, he really wanted to work on his fitness level, and over the summer, he trained so hard, and he came back as the fittest player on our team. We did our fitness testing early on, and Ben led the way. He wanted to be the best and he worked hard to be the best that he could be.
 
"Ben was also committed and persistent in giving back to the game and becoming a coach. He worked hard to study coaches and get a deeper understanding of the game. He finally achieved his goal and became a head coach at a college just before his passing."
 
Ben, a native of Langley, B.C., who came to TWU out of the King's School, was a 6-foot-3 forward who played five seasons with the Spartans from 1997-2002. He was a member of the TWU team that made its debut in the CIS in September of 2001.
 
In the spring of 2002, Ben graduated from TWU with a degree in Human Kinetics.
 
In 2003, Ben returned to the Spartans as an intern coach, where he assisted Head Coach Al Alderson. Ben was a member of the Spartans coaching staff for two seasons from 2003 to 2005. Ben was the head coach of the Keyano College women's soccer team in Fort McMurray, Alta., at the time of his passing.
 
The Spartans kick off their match against the Heat at 7:15 p.m. (PT) on Friday and will play the Thompson Rivers WolfPack on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. (PT). Both matches and the ceremony will be streamed live on www.Canadawest.tv.
 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as in the NAIA in track and field and cross country and as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 33 Canada West team championships.

About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U SPORTS. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.  
 
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