KC Current Podcast: Ben Aken

Dani Welniak is joined by Kansas City Current Vice President, Community Relations Ben Aken to discuss the importance of having a strong community presence as a professional sports organization. Ben also shares insight into some of the Current's generational community projects — like the no-cost, no-barrier soccer league at the 9th & Van Brunt Athletic Complex — as well as initiatives like Sideline the Stigma, mini-pitches and the Lauren Holiday Impact Award.

Transcript

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Dani Welniak 0:00

All right, welcome into episode five of the KC Current Podcast. This one is coming on the heels of Izzy Rodriguez and early start in the Lauren Holiday Impact Award. So we only found it perfectly fitting to bring in Vice President of Community Relations, Ben Aken. Ben, thanks for joining us.

Ben Aken 0:17

Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be on the pod.

Dani Welniak 0:20

Yeah. Ben and I have a great time out in the community and doing stuff, including like player appearances. And I this is going to be really fun, I think, because uh our community relations team like very much punches above its weight class. And you are a small but mighty team that gets out into the community and just makes Kansas City a better place. And for that, I am so grateful. Um I know the community is really grateful. So we'll dive into some of those stories maybe that you've heard about the impact that you guys are making. But you guys have pillars and you have like a mission statement that you guys come in to work with every day or go out into the community with. Can you kind of talk us through and introduce us to some of those?

Ben Aken 1:01

Definitely. Well, first, uh, we have a great team.

Dani Welniak 1:04

Yeah.

Ben Aken 1:05

So um I'm honored to work with. There's a group of four of us. So uh Depreese Taylor, Avery Tulliver, and um Sophia Pope. And the we everyone is so passionate about um their um not only their like interests, um, but they bring a lot to the table, like bring a lot of who they are, which I think really helps us um as an organization. So I think overall, I just like appreciate who they are as people.

Dani Welniak 1:30

Yeah.

Ben Aken 1:30

So um none of the things that um, you know, I've been able to accomplish or our team's been able to accomplish um hasn't been um in court without coordination from others. So we really appreciate that.

Dani Welniak 1:40

And they're so phenomenal because they all have like something that they're really good or they're really passionate about, and you guys just divide and conquer so perfectly that I I personally think it's a a tribute to your leadership skills, but I also think like what a beautiful testament to how your entire team very much reflects like the overall picture of what the Kansas City Current and what society should be.

Ben Aken 1:59

It is, yeah. We really try try to do that, but thank you for saying that. So yeah, they are a great group.

Dani Welniak 2:04

Yeah.

Ben Aken 2:04

So a great group. So um, we do have three areas that we've we've really tried to center in a lot of our community outreach efforts.

Dani Welniak 2:10

Yeah.

Ben Aken 2:11

And this has evolved, you know. I just celebrated my fifth um anniversary with the club.

Dani Welniak 2:15

Snaps Let's go, Ben. OG. Okay.

Ben Aken 2:18

Oh yeah, it's been great. It's been great. But um, as the teams evolved, you know, some of our areas of focus have evolved as well. But um our first kind of main focus that always has is just really increasing the access to sport. So just really uh having an opportunity for more kids to play sports. So hopefully it's soccer, but you know, it doesn't always have to be just get out there, be doing something. Um, and then second, we're really focused on um Steam efforts. So um, you know, I was surprised a little bit coming into the organization. Um then our players, um, about 45% or so have STEAM degrees.

Dani Welniak 2:59

Yeah.

Ben Aken 2:59

So, you know, there's there's we have engineers on our team, we have some art majors. Um, a couple of years ago, we had a play on our team that um forego a vet school in order to play soccer. So, you know, we've had um we have these like really talented women playing for our team and they are very smart and they are interested in science and other things. So I think it's important to showcase and um be involved in projects that um really reflect that. And so those are their Steam programs. So everything's from renovating like Steam Labs to supporting a robotics program um to doing all sorts of little things like that. But um, and then so that's our second pillar.

Dani Welniak 3:38

Okay.

Ben Aken 3:38

Sorry, I won't go on too much of a tangent. And then our third, um our third pillar is um entrepreneurship. So um, you know, we look at Chris and Angie Long, um entrepreneurs.

Dani Welniak 3:50

Yeah.

Ben Aken 3:51

Um, we look at uh Britney and Patrick Mahomes. Um, yes, great football player, but also uh an extreme entrepreneur, and the city is better for it. And so it's important for us at whether that's through CBKC Stadium, you know, the vendors and the different like food options that we have at the stadium, a lot of entrepreneurs out there, uh, minority-owned businesses are there. We try to work with them throughout the year. And then throughout a lot of our programs, we want to make sure that um, you know, we're highlighting different businesses, that we're making sure that we're, you know, if we're ordering lunch for the staff, let's um, you know, instead of just ordering like from the big, big organization, let's order from the smaller shop, you know, where can we make little in little little impacts um to benefit um people here in Kansas City.

Dani Welniak 4:40

It's just incredible the impact that you guys are making and that we're seeing. And I know like I'm I'm rocking my uh my new Ted Lasso KC Current shirt. Yeah, and to steal a quote from the new season, uh, it's "life is so much more than football." And I think we really see that with what you guys do, and we also see that in women's sports in particular. And so I'm going to lead into that with my Current Kick for you. If you can describe Ben Aken in your own words, how would you describe yourself?

Ben Aken 5:10

Well, I've always been a 6'3 guy. So I am tall. Um, I realize that. And I realize sometimes I stand out walking into a room, but I would much rather be the person behind somebody like talking. So this is kind of a big deal, even coming on the pod podcast today.

Dani Welniak 5:30

You're owning it. I love it. Let's go.

Ben Aken 5:31

I know. So um, so I am definitely not um, I was like that kid that played sports and probably wasn't aggressive enough to uh to go too far because I was even though I was tall, I wasn't like the best basketball player, or I was too tall and not coordinate enough to play soccer too long. Um, but I also have received a lot of benefit from it, you know, and learned so much and had the opportunity to play and played a lot more casually than competitively, I guess.

Dani Welniak 5:55

Okay. Give yourself some more credit though.

Ben Aken 5:57

I suppose, I suppose. Um, but really just um I try to lead with my heart and try to look for people um and look for ways to elevate people around me. So um I like I said, I'd much rather um write the talking points or uh design the program than have someone else go out there and get the credit for it. But um, so I would say that's a little bit of a description about me is that uh uh the the guy behind the camera that's every once in a while has to jump in front of the camera as well.

Dani Welniak 6:25

I love that. You are without question one of the most unselfish humans that I have ever interacted with. And I know that the KC Current is so much better because of you. Um and I'm very blessed to not only like work with you and be next to you, but also be able to call myself your friend. Um and what most people don't know is like I love our setup at the Kansas City Current at our training facility. Uh, because where we sit, where Ben and I sit, we're literally like the two faces that you see first when you walk into our second level. And I it just always brightens my day because like when I'm about to take my right-hand turn to where I sit, I always see Ben's face to the left, just smiling and welcoming and like, I'm so excited to see you. And I'm like, Yes, I we need that kind of vibe. Like the world needs more of Ben Akens because it is just such a joy, and you just you fill that whole space with light. So thank you.

Ben Aken 7:17

Well, bouncing right off of you. You you fill my cup as well. And um, it's a lot uh easier to approach the day with a positive attitude than a negative one. So.

Dani Welniak 7:24

Amen. More snaps to that. Let's do it. All the positive vibes. Um, but I want to explore in this second segment how you got to that place, your journey, a little bit more about your story. Um, so let's start off with how how did you find a passion for community relations? How did you get into it?

Ben Aken 7:44

Yeah, you know, I um I've always loved sports, whether playing or watching. It's been a big part of um our life. Um, you know, I joked that my first job in sports was working a concession stand for high school baseball games.

Dani Welniak 7:59

Okay.

Ben Aken 7:59

So I was probably 10 or 11 years old, and um both my parents were teachers. And like most teachers, they end up taking like other jobs to kind of help feed their family, I guess. And uh my dad was a coach, basketball coach for years, but uh for a period of time, he also like helped run the um the baseball stadium in town.

Dani Welniak 8:19

Okay.

Ben Aken 8:19

And part of that included um running the concession stand.

Dani Welniak 8:22

Yeah.

Ben Aken 8:22

So I was put to work, and um, so that was always kind of from the beginning, I kind of saw like there was things beyond the field. So that really set me up early. Um I went to University of Nebraska. I grew up in Papillion, Nebraska, right outside of Omaha.

Dani Welniak 8:38

Yeah.

Ben Aken 8:38

Um, loved it. Um, third generation uh member of a graduate of Papillion La Vista, Go Monarchs. Um and then went to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

Dani Welniak 8:50

Okay.

Ben Aken 8:50

Um while there, I I took an internship with the athletic department. So uh was working in their marketing department. So um my first job as a sophomore in college was to how to encourage more um college students to attend swimming and diving events. Um, you know, Nebraska is known for the rabid fan base for football and volleyball.

Dani Welniak 9:14

Very much so, yes.

Ben Aken 9:15

Not at the time, anyway, not as much for swimming and diving. So um, but it was a great challenge. You know, how do we get more students to go and attend these events that weren't necessarily receiving the uh the attention? So um that first year we um I had an event and we had um 30 students show up for these free t-shirts that I had like secured from Nike. And the coach like was so excited that there was like we had increased the number of fans at the swimming diving event. And I was like, oh wow, I I can have an impact on the game by something I can do when I'm not out there actually performing athletically. So that really kind of like meant something to me that like there's a way to participate and how I can be part of this.

Dani Welniak 10:03

Yeah.

Ben Aken 10:04

So um several years working on different sports, worked my way up, I was ended up working for the women's volleyball team um in their marketing department. So they're in their marketing area, and we are encouraging more um people to come out to those games, which is like amazing. And I love uh women's volleyball, and that was a lot of fun to be part of as well.

Dani Welniak 10:22

That's so cool.

Ben Aken 10:23

So yeah, so it's cool. So like that's that's neat. That's Husker volleyball, and that's its own thing. But um anyway, did another internship. So I did the one internship, did an internship for um moved to Chicago working at Sears Roebuck in there. Um, so this is dating myself, but I went to a lot of NASCAR events and worked in their sponsorship department, went to NASCAR events, um, WNBA games, and at the time the Backstreet Boys Tour. And yes, it was amazing. But um, just having an opportunity to see a different side of the business, it was the sponsorship business at the time.

Dani Welniak 10:57

Yeah.

Ben Aken 10:58

Um, so that's that's internship number two.

Dani Welniak 11:00

Okay.

Ben Aken 11:01

Went back to school, graduated, moved to Kansas City for an internship number three with the Kansas City Royals, um, and their Community Relations department. A whole new field I didn't know existed.

Dani Welniak 11:13

Yeah.

Ben Aken 11:14

Um, so spent that first year traveling around with Slugger, their mascot.

Dani Welniak 11:18

Um I bet that was entertaining.

Ben Aken 11:20

Oh, it was it was awesome. It was awesome. So we uh we did a school program um where Slugger can't talk, but um I could talk, and I would we would go and perform for elementary school kids. But it was a great way to um improve my speaking skills, get get to know Kansas City, um, really fall in love with the city, different parts of the city. Um and then um yeah, so that that internship that it was a season-long internship turned into a full-time job, and I was actually there for 20 years um before um having the opportunity to come over to the Current so.

Dani Welniak 11:54

Yeah.

Ben Aken 11:54

Yeah. But I say that like I like to tell students about that that I had three internships and working in sports, you need those internships.

Dani Welniak 12:03

Right.

Ben Aken 12:04

And by the time I was doing that third one at the Royals, I was like, another one, like I'm just ready for a full-time job. But now looking back and knowing what it takes, like you have to take those risks and you have to sometimes do those kind of tough jobs. And I waited tables at night at a steakhouse, and you know, you just do some things to make sure it all um pan out, but I wouldn't change it because, like, especially what what I'm fortunate enough to be a part of now with the Kansas City Current, um, that path, I wouldn't have been able to do it without like going through some of those steps. So um, yeah, I'm just so excited about it.

Dani Welniak 12:39

Would you have even guessed? Like, it sounds like your start came in women's sports. Would you have even guessed, like maybe five, 10 years ago, that you would be in this position with the Current and with a global brand?

Ben Aken 12:51

No way.

Dani Welniak 12:52

Yeah.

Ben Aken 12:52

No way. Like, um, it's so amazing and I love it. And I could see the passion. And I know that um even prior to the Current, seeing like my mom who schedules her days around um when Nebraska or Nebraska volleyball is in session about games to watch on uh Nebraska Public Radio or television to um watch those volleyball games, and you still see the passion of those fans for those those teams.

Dani Welniak 13:19

Yeah.

Ben Aken 13:19

Um, so I love seeing it now and like, you know, the full house at CPKC Stadium and um just that opportunity, that excitement that happens um that we're surrounded with all the time.

Dani Welniak 13:31

Yeah.

Ben Aken 13:31

Um, it's so awesome and so well deserved.

Dani Welniak 13:34

So you talk about the grind, and I love that you've like really leaned into like, okay, next generation, like be ready for this, because sports, regardless, is a grind. And also finding like your journey and your path, which I think a lot of people, and especially like the younger generations, are like, okay, this is what I'm going to school for. This is what I'm going to accomplish, like that is my goal, my dream. But a lot of times you get thrown some curveballs for, you know, a lack of a better analogy. Um, but like some of those curveballs taught you to be the leader you are today, right?

Ben Aken 14:07

Oh, totally.

Dani Welniak 14:08

Yeah.

Ben Aken 14:09

Totally. Yeah. You know, I think about um, you know, I have this quote that I I come back to a lot. Um, and it's that "yesterday's dreams are today's to-do list." So, you know, none of it's easy, you know. You don't, it's very cool to dream about what's possible. And um, you know, we want to do these projects and we want to build these mini pitches, which I'll talk about, or um start this league. Um, and that's great. And it's great to like dream, but when it comes down to it, then you're like going through the steps to make it happen.

Dani Welniak 14:46

Yeah.

Ben Aken 14:47

And it's helpful when you're like in the grind of trying to like push something out and bring things together, and you're you're hitting walls and you thought something was gonna work out, then you're told that you can't do that. So you have to like pivot. Um, you just have to remember that like there's a lar there's a larger reason for all this, and that's you know, the dreams that you had yesterday. So.

Dani Welniak 15:07

Yeah. Oh, that's so good. I hope everybody gets to take that away. Like, write it down if you're jotting notes on the KC Current Podcast. You heard that quote Ben Aken. Um people volunteer their time all the time. That's what they do in their free time. Um, but you know, that's literally your job. So, do you have free time? What do you do with um opportunities to potentially fill your cup? Because when you're constantly giving to people and you're comfortable being the person behind the scenes, what helps Ben Aken, you know, stay on track? Do you do anything in Kansas City? Like, what do you what do you do?

Ben Aken 15:41

Um, I do, yes. I um I um my I love dogs. So I I have I currently have one dog, uh Gertie. She's 15.

Dani Welniak 15:52

Yeah.

Ben Aken 15:52

Um Gertie's amazing, you know, she's been through all sorts of all sorts of challenges in her 15 years. But um I really like having dogs and I've had other dogs in the past, and um, I think that that's been really um helpful for me to go home and to like have my dogs and you know, like think about them and make sure their needs are getting met. And much like kids, I have um several uh nieces and nephews that um, you know, they don't really care, like the issues of the the tough email we got during the day or you know, the the different things that happened. So um I think having those outside things, whether it's kids, dogs, or um yoga, which is a new project for me.

Dani Welniak 16:37

Okay.

Ben Aken 16:38

Um getting involved in yoga um are really important just to kind of like uh take your your head out of your game a little bit and um kind of like bring you back to reality. So for me, it's it's my dog's, yoga, and hearing what my nieces and nephew are up to.

Dani Welniak 16:53

It's so perfect because those are the things that really ground you. And I think, especially in your role, like you're dealing with so much on a daily basis, you're moving around so much, you're interacting with so many different personalities and people. Um, you mentioned yoga. Hopefully, we can get some yoga out here. We're currently in the KC Current broadcast studios, or KC Current Studios rather, which is, you know, right by our little turf area, which we hopefully will have some yoga out on the turf in Current Landing before long, um, which is a community asset. So let's shift gears a little bit, talk about what's going on within the Current, what you're in charge of, and the impact, firsthand impact that you guys are making. So when we say CPKC Stadium, when we say the KC Current, when we say Current Landing is a community asset, what does that mean to you guys? What does that mean to your team?

Ben Aken 17:40

Um, that has been the goal from the beginning is to making sure, is to make sure that um CPKC Stadium, the surrounding area, is a community asset. Um, you know, the stadium for what it represents and what it was, you know, first purpose-built stadium for a women's professional sports team.

Dani Welniak 17:57

Yeah.

Ben Aken 17:58

Um this stadium provides a way for fans um to be seen, to be included, um, that isn't that they're not necessarily getting other places. So I think about um the types of fans that come to the to our games um and how excited they are to be there and the friendships that are formed um by cheering for the Current. So I see that as an asset. Um, I think about the um hundreds of tickets that we've set aside specifically. I say we, I say that the we as the Current have set aside specifically for nonprofit organizations um to utilize to bring kids, seniors, you know, otherwise or people that wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to come. Um, you know, in some for a certain program, our tickets for youth program, we have an opportunity to provide food and um merchandise as well as tickets, and they get a meet a player and have all these like special um experiences and memories. Um, I think that's a big part of being a community asset. And then um really just the the different ways that this stadium um is used in the community. So we've hosted different nonprofit groups that have had the opportunity to um host events here. Um we partnered with United Way earlier this season for an amazing breakfast.

Dani Welniak 19:25

Yeah.

Ben Aken 19:25

Um, you know, over a thousand people showed up to to learn from um some senior women leaders and be inspired how they can make change in their communities. Um, you know, much all of it just goes so beyond soccer. Um, but the soccer's amazing too.

Dani Welniak 19:42

You know, we have a little fun here and there.

Ben Aken 19:44

We do, we do.

Dani Welniak 19:47

Um, okay, I'm going to kind of rattle through some things that you guys are doing right now. And you can interject, so we can kind of like navigate this accordingly. But most recently, you guys had a huge announcement. Um, but also you're in the middle of this league, the 9th & Van Brunt No Barrier Soccer League. So incredible. It has created ripples in Kansas City, but also nationally. Um, mini pitches that are being built throughout the city for opportunities for the youth in KC to have places to play, safe places. And then mental health is a hot topic right now. So Sideline the Stigma and partnering with Blue KC has been such a powerful project for you guys. Um, I don't know, I don't know where you start. Like, when do you sleep, Ben? When do you sleep?

Ben Aken 20:31

Well, again, back to the great team. We have a great team that is really uh putting this all together. But um, yeah, it's really an honor. And we are just charged with um, I think personally, like we just want to make sure that um we do as much as we can with what's presented in front of us. So I don't want to miss opportunities. Um, so we want to make sure and do as much as we can. And really, there's no better example of that than the than the league that's happening um at 9th & Van Brunt.

Dani Welniak 21:00

Yeah.

Ben Aken 21:01

I encourage listeners, if they haven't, check out the soccer fields at 9th & Van Brunt.

Dani Welniak 21:05

It's so fun.

Ben Aken 21:06

They are um the Parks and Recs Kansas City Parks and Recs Department um over the last couple of years renovated these fields, which are gorgeous. So um several artificial uh soccer fields. Um, you know, if you go there in a random day, even this is pre-league, you will see um different communities. So you have like uh Spanish being spoken in one part of the area, and there's those kids are playing soccer. Um, you have several um several people from different African countries playing soccer in another corner. Um, you have just kids hanging out that um, you know, I recently met a uh a 10 year old that um was just he just hangs out there and I said, Oh, you must live in the neighborhood, right? And he's like, No, I live about a mile and a half away, but I come here because I love soccer and this is the only place where I can play soccer. And he was just waiting for a pickup game to happen. So that 9th & Van Brent League, we're exactly where we need to be and where we need to be hold hosting that league. But we have 120 kids playing, working with every um area nonprofit groups. Um every Saturday morning they're out there playing. Um we've, you know, we've tried to overcome a lot of the barriers that we've heard about that have kept those kids from playing. So we get new um Nike or kits, new cleats, um soccer ball, uh, shin guards. Um, we're paying the coaches, which a lot of times um in youth sports, you know, there's a volunteer coaches, but those are are really positions that we need to um uh support those coaches that take the time to do that. So they are getting paid. We're we started a referee program.

Dani Welniak 22:44

Okay.

Ben Aken 22:44

So opportunity for kids, um teenagers to go through referee training. So providing their first jobs, um, being able to referee back at the fields that they play on. Um, so working with CVS, U.S. Soccer Uh Foundation, um, United Way, several other partners to bring that together has been really special.

Dani Welniak 23:07

And I think that's one thing I don't think a lot of people recognize is that, okay, from the comms side, we make an announcement. You guys have put together and put in months, sometimes years of work to make something come to fruition, but it's not, it doesn't end there. You guys are consistently creating programs and continuing to follow through with these programs for hopefully, you know, years to come. So it's amazing to see that like it is not just this one moment, it is a whole thing that you guys are putting together from start to finish that may not even have a finish or that you guys hope doesn't have a finish.

Ben Aken 23:42

Right. And continuing to evolve, you know.

Dani Welniak 23:44

Yeah.

Ben Aken 23:45

Um, we talked about our mini pitch program, another area we're really proud of. Um, we've we've so far at the end of we're about to make another announcement for a new one, which is amazing, but we'll have six mini pitches in Kansas City um um since the organization started and um have some plans hopefully to to make some more. And those are small um soccer fields that really are intentionally small. Um, they're placed where people congregate. So we do some at parks. Um, our most uh last couple ones have been at schools.

Dani Welniak 24:15

Yeah.

Ben Aken 24:16

Um, but they provide lighting, work with Muscow Lighting to provide lighting for the neighborhood. So um we've heard from our from Banneker Elementary, is which uh is in Kansas City, Kansas. We installed there um one a couple of years ago. We've heard from those teachers that kids are playing at recess and PE, which we kind of expected after school. But what surprised me is they said on weekends um they'll drive by and kids are out there playing into the night. And it's because of the lighting.

Dani Welniak 24:45

Yeah.

Ben Aken 24:46

And so the neighborhood has really appreciated that mini pitch because it provides extra lighting. People feel safer because of it. And um, just like families are able to drop their kids off and be able to play there and they'll play pickup games. Um, maybe those kids aren't um involved in like a whole league and all that that involves, but you can just similar to like you you talk about um showing up to play pickup basketball.

Dani Welniak 25:09

Yeah.

Ben Aken 25:09

You can play pickup soccer uh right on one of the mini pitches.

Dani Welniak 25:12

And people don't don't realize that it's something as simple as just like lights, as lights going into that um and being able to feel comfortable. But I mean, you talk so passionately about all of these initiatives. Do you have one that is your favorite or one that you've you know been a part of?

Ben Aken 25:27

Um I think really looking back is um, you know, one that I'm most proud of is probably our Olivia Bloomfield legacy seat.

Dani Welniak 25:36

Yeah.

Ben Aken 25:36

So Olivia Bloomfield, for those that don't know, um, was one of um the organization's earliest fans. Um so that first season when we were KC NWSL, um, we were playing our games at uh on a baseball field. So uh Legends Field. And they, to their credit, they that organ, the the group that put it together in Legends would put together this field that looked more like a baseball field than a soccer field or a soccer pitch, but it happened. But the fans that were there, including one, Olivia Bloomfield, she was so passionate. So she was at all our games. Olivia's confined to a wheelchair. Olivia in her young life um advocated for a playground at her school that she could um interact with because when she was at that originally at that school, being in a wheelchair, she couldn't play in the playground. Yeah and she didn't seem think that was fair. Rightfully so, she um rallied and helped build a new playground and then um built another several um in different areas of of Kansas City. Olivia tragically um passed away suddenly. Um but hearing about Olivia and like all the advocacy work she did so early, um the Chris and Angie Long decided to do uh build the Olivia Bloomfield seat. Um so it's our our one pink seat in CPKC Stadium, where we honor a member of the community that works for um inclusion, advocacy, um, accessibility um in some other area of of town or some area of um some in a different community, and then we honor them each of our games. So Olivia's legacy lives on. Um, but it's so powerful to kind of meet those people that are being honored and think about Olivia um every game day.

Dani Welniak 27:24

And it's just such a notable piece of the stadium, too, that you wherever you're at in the stadium, you see it, and it very much reflects the values of what you guys are trying to do and the bigger picture, the legacy that you will leave on the KC Current and what the Current will leave on the Kansas City community. So as we go into our final couple of segments and questions, um, looking back, when you look back on your time here, um we'll start with Ben.

Ben Aken 27:52

Okay.

Dani Welniak 27:52

What is the legacy that you hope to leave on Kansas City?

Ben Aken 28:00

Um I hope that I have had some small part in making people feel included. So I just want to make sure that um, you know, that's a big part of welcoming people into our Current family, um, whether that's as a fan, um, a community member for a community project, um, or fellow coworkers. You know, I want everyone to be included. And so I I think that is one of our um can be the best legacy that you have is like how you make people feel, how you make them feel included. And I hope that that um is what people think about me.

Dani Welniak 28:40

Well, I know that's what people think about you now. Now you still have, you know, some more impact that you want to make and uh hopefully a long way to go. But um when you leave a legacy as the Kansas City Current, um, what is that legacy on the community that you hope you and your team are leaving to?

Ben Aken 28:57

You know, we have such a responsibility, um, you know, and I feel that pressure, um, that we have been get to come along um an ownership group that is so interested in making an impact and seeing change, being the change makers, which we talk about. Um, and so I hope that we as an organization, um, yes, we've done a lot. And, you know, all the amazing things through the stadium, through this beautiful broadcast studio that we recently opened, um, and the voices and the stories that will be told here. Um, I just hope that we continue to push the door open, um, bring a lot of people along the way with us and continue um to open doors for others.

Dani Welniak 29:51

Okay, well, we have a new name for our lightning round because I've decided that it should be the storm round because we are Heartland Red, Storm Blue, and of course, Iconic Teal. So the storm round, here we go. Are you mentally ready for this?

Ben Aken 30:05

Let's do it.

Dani Welniak 30:06

Okay, we're gonna rattle through them. Okay, top place to eat in Kansas City.

Ben Aken 30:10

Um I there's a place called Shelly's um in South Kansas City. That's a Mexican place that is just it's just great. It's great on a Friday night.

Dani Welniak 30:19

Okay, great. Yeah, uh, you mentioned your pets. What are your pets' favorite things to do?

Ben Aken 30:22

Um, Gertie is the best um TV watcher. You know, she'll snuggle right next to you and you just chill out on the couch and she does it really well.

Dani Welniak 30:31

I like that too. Not gonna lie. Uh, last time you took a vacation, and where did you go?

Ben Aken 30:36

Um I went to Texas for my niece's wedding, and um, it was amazing.

Dani Welniak 30:42

Okay, that's uh that's a good that's a good vacation. Weddings are always fun, in my opinion. You know, hot take, hot take. Um, what's the strangest or maybe best advice that you've ever received?

Ben Aken 30:52

Hmm. Um I think I you can either make excuses or you can make progress.

Dani Welniak 31:01

Oh, that's good. Oh, that resonates. Okay. Um flipping that, do you have a top pet peeve? Ben Aken is like the nicest human in the entire world. So for anybody listening right now, like I don't think this man has a pet peeve because he's so calm, cool, and collected and loves everyone. But do you do you have a pet peeve? Does that exist for you?

Ben Aken 31:21

Um maybe since we're in a little bit of work mode, like not showing uh or being unprepared for meetings that you know are happening.

Dani Welniak 31:29

That's valid.

Ben Aken 31:30

So yeah. Um, but I know that I can take the blame for that myself. Um, I think of an earlier tip earlier meeting to that it probably wasn't as prepared as I should have been. So um maybe that's on myself. Maybe it's my own pet peeve not showing up.

Dani Welniak 31:42

See, look, this is the primary point is that he will flip it around and like just be like, you know what? It's okay though. It might be a pet peeve, but I'm okay. We'll figure it out together. Um, do you have a favorite karaoke song or go-to song?

Ben Aken 31:56

Hmm. You know, I am not a huge karaoke -ier. Um, but I think you can't go wrong with anything by Frank Sinatra.

Dani Welniak 32:03

Oh. Truth. Truth. Uh, last one. If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

Ben Aken 32:12

More sleep. Is that a thing? I think so. Can we do that?

Dani Welniak 32:16

Especially in sports. I feel like that would be a super, super power. Just like, okay, I can blank out my brain and I can just get some solid sleep.

Ben Aken 32:23

Awesome.

Dani Welniak 32:23

Yeah. Okay. That's a good one. Ben, seriously, thank you so much for taking the time. We greatly appreciate it. You are amazing. Just keep it up and keep inspiring Kansas City. It's such a blessing to have you here at the Current.

Ben Aken 32:33

Thank you, Dani.

Dani Welniak 32:35

Appreciate you. Okay. Well, we'll see you guys next week, right here on the KC Current Podcast. Be inspired, Kansas City.