For Assistant Coach Benjamin Gyuricza, coaching soccer at Concordia University Wisconsin is more than a job; it’s a calling born from deep personal setbacks and a burning desire to make a difference.
By Elliott Cook (’27)
Now in his sixth year as a full-time assistant on the Falcons men’s soccer team, Benjamin Gyuricza is known among his players as a thoughtful, demanding, and fiercely loyal mentor. Gyuricza’s journey to the sidelines, however, was far from smooth. His story is one of a coach so motivated—not only by a love for soccer—but by a determination to ensure that none of his players experience the isolation and disappointment he felt as a young player.
Today, Gyuricza exemplifies a unique blend of tactical knowledge, heartfelt loyalty, and unyielding drive to Concordia, and it all stems from his own battle with injury and the feeling of being overlooked as an athlete.
Injury and lack of support as a young athlete
Gyuricza’s journey as a player was tragically shaped by injuries that forced him off of his desired path. In his early high school days, he showed promise as a lightning-fast striker with offers from Division I colleges. But everything changed with a groin injury that left him sidelined for six months. This set off a chain of events that would redefine his goals, and eventually push him toward coaching. Reflecting on his injury, Gyuricza recalls the frustration and helplessness he felt during recovery. “I injured my left groin, it was a partial tear, but it put me out for six months and really set me back. My rehab was atrocious, I couldn’t really afford fancy recovery stuff … I didn’t really know what to do,” he said. Without adequate resources, he struggled to heal properly. Lacking guidance, he compensated by overusing his other leg, leading to another groin injury during his freshman year of college ball here at CUW. This setback forced him to confront a reality he hadn’t anticipated: his days as a promising striker were over. “I came back discouraged as a player … I felt like I had no guidance. It felt like I had no personal touch to help me when I really really needed it.”
Gyuricza had to adapt, shifting from striker to defender and pushing through the discouragement to continue playing. Although he finished his college career, he did so with mixed feelings of having been “forgotten,” but also being given opportunities in big games by his college coach. Inspired by this, it was this sense of being overlooked combined with the feeling of finally being acknowledged that led him to coaching, where he could provide the support and mentorship he felt he had lacked at many times in his playing career.
Inspirations and early influences in coaching
As a young athlete, Gyuricza drew inspiration from coaches who did manage to leave an impact on him, especially John Ulrich, his middle school basketball coach. Ulrich, he says, was the first person who introduced him to high-level coaching, who showed him how disciplined training and strategic planning could make a difference. He was “the most influential guy that was around me … the first guy that taught me principles and style of play,” Gyuricza recalls. Ulrich’s influence sparked a fascination in Gyuricza for coaching that continued to grow over the years, leading him to study legendary soccer figures like Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola.
He just gets the game. He’s so incredibly smart when it comes to breaking down games by each specific player, learning their tendencies and tailoring practices to them.
Sam Butterfield, Senior, CUW men’s soccer team
“YouTube came out, and I would be up at night watching college coaching sessions from basketball and soccer,” he recalls. Absorbing everything he could, he became what he calls an “obsessive” student of the game. Late-night sessions spent watching games, reading coaches’ autobiographies, and examining tactics built the foundation for his future coaching style. “I was a good player … a cocky player who got an injury that felt like God keeping me in check,” he reflects.
It was a humbling process, but it deepened his understanding of what it takes to become an exceptional coach, and it made him determined to be the mentor he never had.
Coaching philosophy: Loyalty and personal connection
For Gyuricza, coaching at Concordia is a mission as much as it is a job. He turned down a recent DIII coaching offer to stay with the university that had supported him through his injury and given him a chance. This, he says, comes from when Ex-CUW MSOC Coach Tom Saleska (1993-2016) offered him a job, and showed him loyalty and trust in his time as the head coach. “I have such a determination to make Concordia better than it’s ever been because of that,” he says.
His loyalty runs deep. His commitment is rooted in the recognition that he knows what it’s like to feel overlooked. “My personal connection to players comes from that … knowing what it feels like to be forgotten.” This profound empathy fuels the effort he puts into every practice, every game, and every conversation with his players.
Gyuricza’s coaching style is unique. He says that he coaches with a “chip on [his] shoulder,” an attitude he wears proudly and one that resonates with his players. Pushed by his own past as a player, he believes that pushing his players today is a way to show his belief in them. It’s his way of showing that he cares through all of the time and energy he invests in engaging with players on an individual level to push them to be better. “My drive comes from the lack of success as a player; I can’t let that be the story as a coach,” he says.
Achievements and coaching accomplishments
Gyuricza’s efforts at Concordia are making a difference, especially through his commitment to recruiting and developing a diverse group of players. He beams with pride when he talks about helping athletes from minority backgrounds achieve milestones, including being the first in their families to earn college degrees. “I’m proud of bringing in a group of minority players who got the first degrees in their family,” he says. His influence is more than technical; it’s deeply personal, helping young men from various backgrounds reach their potential.
He truly gave me a chance to further my education and play at a collegiate level. Coach Ben was not only close to me, but he was also close with my family. He made me feel good about myself. He also made me feel like I was part of his family. Coach Ben is a very hard coach. He is not someone you should mess around with, but at the end of the day he cared for you as one of his own and he only wanted the best for you. I will forever be grateful to Coach Ben for giving me the opportunity to play for him and the opportunity to play for him in college as well. He’s a wonderful person and I think he is the best coach I’ve had and all of my soccer career.
Carlos Valdivia, Senior, CUW men’s soccer team
Through his work with CUW and Bavarian United, Gyuricza has honed his coaching skills, proving himself against high-level teams and seasoned professionals. In 2019, he was awarded Wisconsin’s Coach of the Year. He aims show that Wisconsin has youth soccer talent worth watching. “Coaching at Columbus Crew stadium and putting on an educated and quality Wisconsin team, the first like it to come out of Wisconsin,” he says, makes him proud.
Experiences like these have added to his growth as a coach, pushing him closer to his goal of creating a winning culture at Concordia.
Impact on players and legacy
Gyuricza hopes his players will remember him not only as a coach but as someone who cared about their lives beyond the soccer field. “The best thing in the world is when they come back and wanna give you a hug,” he says, smiling at the thought. His goal is for his players to see his number years from now and remember him as someone who genuinely invested in their success. He reflects on a former player who, after attending another university, once told him, that he is “the most influential—best coach I’ve ever had, hands down.” These connections mean everything to Gyuricza, which shows that his empathy and care for his players go beyond any tactical strategy.
Coach Ben is a great guy to be around, he brings energy and spirit to the team. And he isn’t afraid to tell someone the brutal truth for their own benefit. He is a good leader and one of the best coaches I’ve ever had.
Nolan Hessenthaler, Sophomore, CUW Men’s soccer team
For Gyuricza, failures are opportunities to teach his players resilience. He believes strongly in showing his players how to “turn your biggest failures into something successful.” Having known firsthand the pain of being let down, he teaches his players to keep pushing, to work hard, and to recognize the value of taking incremental steps forward. “I 100% believe I was let down as a kid … The personal attention and guidance I needed from coaches and teachers was just not there, and it let me down.” This, he says, is why he works as hard as he does to make his teams feel seen.
A personal mission beyond coaching
Gyuricza’s drive is deeply personal. It’s rooted in his love for his family and a desire to make them proud. His parents, who sacrificed for him, and his wife, his “biggest supporter ever,” are his sources of strength and motivation. “To this day, my dad watches all the games. My mom’s my biggest fan,” he shares. The fear of not “making it” and becoming complacent haunts him, propelling him to keep improving and striving for more, not just for his teams but for himself and his loved ones.
Coach Ben Gyuricza’s story is one of true resilience, undying loyalty, and positive transformation. From an athlete sidelined by injury to a coach inspired by setbacks, he has turned personal disappointments into an incredibly successful coaching philosophy centered on care and connection. His players see in him a mentor who is deeply invested in their lives, a coach who refuses to let them feel forgotten. Gyuricza embodies his own advice: turning failures into successes through relentless work and dedication.
As he reflects on his journey, he sounds thankful as he wonders aloud: “If I had an incredible playing career, would I really have grinded and turned into this guy with work ethic and drive to get better?” For Ben Gyuricza, the answer is clear: he wouldn’t change a thing.
Elliott Cook is pursuing pursuing his bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Law and Politics. He plans to graduate in 2027 and attend law school after obtaining his undergraduate degree. He is also a member of the CUW men’s soccer team.
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