Mobile, Alabama, is mourning the death of Benjamin “Ben” Walker Conken, a 2024 graduate of Cottage Hill Christian Academy and University of West Florida football player who died on August 17 at the age of 20 following a battle with cancer. His death has left his family, former classmates, coaches, teammates, and the wider community grieving the loss of a young man remembered for his athletic ability, strong character, faith, and determination.
Ben grew up closely connected to the Cottage Hill community. He began attending Cottage Hill Christian Academy in pre-kindergarten and remained there through his high school graduation in 2024. During those years, he participated in football, baseball, and basketball and became known for his competitive spirit and dedication to athletics.
His accomplishments were recognized by his classmates during his senior year, when he was voted “most athletic.” Although he participated in several sports, football held a particularly important place in his life. His commitment to the game eventually led to an opportunity to continue playing at the collegiate level.
Ben earned a football scholarship to the University of West Florida, where he played defensive outside linebacker for the Argonauts. His transition from high school athlete to college football player reflected years of discipline, hard work, and commitment to improving his skills.
Those who coached Ben have emphasized that his influence reached far beyond what he accomplished on the field. Cottage Hill head football coach Carvel Jones described him as a hardworking young man with strong character and a personality that could immediately brighten a room.
Jones said Ben remained closely connected to the football program throughout his journey and continued to encourage and support the team even while facing cancer. His ability to maintain a positive attitude during such a difficult period left a lasting impression on his coaches and teammates.
According to Jones, Ben continued smiling despite the challenges of his illness. His coaches are now considering ways to honor his memory during the upcoming football season, ensuring that his connection to the program continues even after his death.
Cottage Hill Christian Academy’s head of school also spoke about the community’s grief, while offering comfort in Ben’s faith. School leaders said they were heartbroken by his death but found reassurance in knowing that faith remained an important part of his life.
UWF Athletics likewise remembered Ben as a valued member of the Argonaut football family. The program said his connection to UWF would endure and described him as an Argonaut for life, reflecting the bond formed between a player and the university community.
Ben’s life outside athletics was equally important to the people who knew him. According to his obituary, he developed a strong love of the outdoors from an early age, spending mornings hunting and fishing with his father and grandfather beginning when he was about five years old.
Those experiences helped shape qualities that followed him into other areas of his life. He reportedly hunted elk in Wyoming and fished off the coast of Costa Rica, building memories with family while developing the patience, focus, and discipline that also became evident in sports.
Ben also found ways to help younger people. At Camp Smile, he served as a mentor to younger campers and sought to lead by example. Those who knew him said he was more interested in quietly helping others than receiving recognition for his efforts.
His family remembered him as someone who believed in consistent, deliberate effort. Whether he was practicing marksmanship, working on football fundamentals, spending time outdoors, or strengthening his faith, he understood that meaningful achievements were built through small decisions repeated every day.
That approach also shaped the way he responded to setbacks. Family and friends described him as resilient, someone who continued moving forward when circumstances became difficult. His ability to maintain that determination while battling cancer became one of the defining aspects of the final period of his life.
For the Cottage Hill and UWF communities, Ben’s death represents the loss of a young athlete who had already made a significant impression in a relatively short life. His coaches remember his work ethic, teammates remember his presence, and family members remember the values he carried with him through both success and adversity.
Ben is survived by his parents, Christopher and Christine Conken, his siblings, Will and Molly, and his grandparents. His family has asked that, instead of sending flowers, those wishing to honor his memory consider making donations to Pilots for Christ, Camp Smile, or The Bridge Program at the University of South Alabama.
Visitation and funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, August 22, at Cottage Hill Baptist Church in Mobile. The services will give family, friends, teammates, classmates, coaches, and members of the community an opportunity to gather, remember Ben, and support one another.
As Mobile continues to mourn, Ben Conken is being remembered for much more than his accomplishments as a football player. He leaves behind a legacy built on faith, family, discipline, service, and resilience, as well as the lasting impact he had on the people who shared his life.
At only 20 years old, Ben’s life was cut short, but the memories created through his family, his school, his faith, his athletic career, and his service to others will continue. For the people who knew him best, his example of perseverance and quiet strength will remain an enduring part of his legacy.
