Issue link: https://publications.tfs.ca/i/1491681
A thlete, coach, entrepreneur — these all describe Ben Cardarelli, and all are interconnected through his passion for sport and the values he lives by. Actively involved in sports growing up, Ben participated in hockey, skiing, swimming, soccer, lacrosse and basketball. During his final years at TFS, Ben coached hockey and served as the Athletics Prefect in Level V, a role he particularly enjoyed. Inspired in part by his IB economics class, Ben chose to study business at Babson College in Massachusetts for its emphasis on entrepreneurship education. While Babson was an academic choice, the opportunity to play NCAA-level hockey was a bonus for this student-athlete. The lessons Ben learned through sport are less about winning and more about teamwork, self-motivation, discipline and trust – in oneself and one's team. They have served him well, and today Ben is the co-founder and CEO of BALLPRK, a social media platform launched in 2016 that helps to connect athletes to one another. Now 15,000 users strong and growing every year, the primary focus of the platform is mentorship, guidance and mental health. For Ben, running a company is about doing something worthwhile, and giving athletes a forum for connection and discussion around career transitioning after sport is an important part of BALLPRK. Often approached to consult for other startups, Ben likes to get behind ideas that resonate with his own interests and passions. Winning the S.W. Karrys Family Scholarship meant a lot to Ben. It motivated him, and he felt there was a responsibility that came with it to carry on the spirit of the award, and the values of character and intellectual curiosity it represents. Currently residing in Shanghai, China, with his wife, Ben looks back over his accomplishments since TFS and says he values the Karrys Scholarship even more today. "I would never have had the confidence to start my own sports mentorship business if it weren't for the award." " The scholarship changed my life, empowering me to believe in myself. I am thankful to the Karrys family for supporting my studies at Babson and inspiring me to dream big and to pursue my most ambitious goals with leadership, humility, resilience and heart." BENJAMIN CARDARELLI '11 Co-founder and CEO, BALLPRK B.Bus., Babson College Shanghai, China The S.W. Karrys Family Scholarship Impact Report 19