Ben Kracht didn’t spend his childhood imagining big city life or far-off careers. For him, the dream lived right in Centralia. It was wrapped in the colors, sounds, and sweat of Trout Gym, wearing an Orphans jersey, playing alongside his friends. “That was it,” Ben says, “my NBA Finals. Playing for Centralia High School was everything.”

A 2008 graduate, Ben is quick to call his high school years foundational. Not just for what he did, but for how he was formed. He played basketball all four years, ran cross country, even gave soccer a shot. But he’s the first to admit he wasn’t the star. “I wasn’t a standout, but I was on the team. And being part of something bigger than yourself—something with history and meaning—that mattered.”

The camaraderie of those years still echoes in his life today. “My best friends, even now, are the guys I rode the bench with,” he says. “We laughed. We worked. We built something. And we’ve stuck together.”

What makes Ben’s journey so compelling isn’t that it followed a carefully designed path—it’s that it didn’t. He started out studying to become a history teacher and basketball coach. He enrolled at Kaskaskia College, then transferred to SIU Edwardsville. But a shoulder injury, surgery, and the need to make ends meet led to a temporary job in retail sales at a Verizon store. That detour became a launchpad.

With one arm in a sling, he discovered he could sell. “I realized I could talk to people. I understood them. And I liked solving problems.” From a part-time sales role, he climbed quickly—store manager, then district support in cities like Detroit and Evansville, eventually settling in Indianapolis. Today, he serves as Manager of Business Insights and Analytics for Round Room, one of the largest Verizon retailers in the country.

“It wasn’t the plan,” Ben says, “but it’s worked out. I’ve had opportunities I never saw coming, and I’ve tried to meet them with humility and hustle.”

Still, no matter how far his career takes him, Centralia remains home. He speaks warmly of his roots—his family, the community, and the lessons that took root in places like Trout Gym and Mr. Bennett’s basketball practices. “Coach Bennett was the first guy outside my family who really modeled strength, presence, and how to carry yourself. I watched him more than I played for him. And I learned a lot.”

Ben also finds inspiration in classmates who stayed and made an impact locally. “One of my best friends is on the school board now, raising his family in Centralia. That’s legacy stuff. And I admire it.”

Though he now leads corporate teams, builds compensation strategies, and analyzes workforce dynamics, Ben’s identity is still shaped by his hometown experience. His voice carries pride when he talks about his upcoming return to Centralia—especially for the holiday tournament, which he rarely misses. “There’s nothing like walking back into Trout. The smell of popcorn, the sound of the crowd—it’s deep in my bones.”

With his first child on the way, Ben looks forward to sharing that legacy. He imagines bringing his son or daughter to Centralia one day, letting them feel the echoes of the place that helped shape who he became. “There’s a lot of flash in the world now. But there’s something lasting about a community like Centralia. It gives you something solid to stand on.”

Ben’s story isn’t about perfect planning. It’s about recognizing your moment, embracing unexpected turns, and having the courage to bet on yourself. And if there’s one thing Centralia High School taught him, it’s that the most important kind of success isn’t about spotlight or status—it’s about showing up, working hard, and staying rooted in what matters.