‘A man among boys’: West Aurora’s Pacifique Ndayishimiye is 2024 BeaconNews/CourierNews Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
Nov 14, 2024
With everything he has accomplished over the past four seasons, senior defender Pacifique Ndayishimiye could have displayed prima-donna behavior for West Aurora.
A two-time all-state selection who was the conference MVP in two different conferences the past two seasons, the Blackhawks’ star player doesn’t strive for accolades, however.
Ndayishimiye, who came to the United States from Tanzania when he was 2 months old, wants to leave a far bigger legacy by going to an Division I program and showing what he can do.
“Coming out of West Aurora, people don’t think that we have that kind of talent, but we do,” he said. “I want to show people, this is what we have at West Aurora. I want to further our name.
“The last couple years, younger kids come up and talk to me. I don’t like praise, but it means a lot. I want to go out and show out for them and give them an avenue to do what they want to do.”
That has been the mindset during his career for West Aurora that resonated the most for Ndayishimiye, the 2024 Beacon-News/Courier-News Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
It began with Joseph Dadara, his older brother who has spent his life giving back to the Aurora community. In 2017, he started the Aurora Stars Soccer Club, which Ndayishimiye attended.
“He’s the one that got me into soccer,” said Ndayishimiye, who goes by “Pas,” a shortened version of his first name. “He pushed me into it with his club. He started it at my age. That rubs off on me.
“He doesn’t take praise. His main thing is to give back to the community. I want to replicate that.”
Pacifique Ndayishimiye and David CastroMark Black/The Beacon-NewsWest Aurora’s Pacifique Ndayishimiye (5) tries to dribble past Oswego’s David Castro (14) during a Southwest Prairie Conference game in Aurora on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
The on-field accolades notwithstanding, his character stands out to West Aurora coach Joe Sustersic. The idea of being a coach on the field is popular in sports, but in this case, it’s true.
“When we have conversations, it’s not really like coach talking to player, it’s more like peer talking to peer,” Sustersic said. “For a kid whose family comes from Africa, the 15th child of 16, he could have all the reason not to excel. He’s a role model to all the kids.”
On the field, Ndayishimiye was a force. Gaudy stats eluded Ndayishimiye due to his position as a central defender, but when he was needed, he was a force offensively.
Just ask Oswego East coach Steve Szymanski, who saw Ndayishimiye score two goals to beat the Wolves last season when he moved up to forward.
Pacifique NdayishimiyeH. Rick Bamman/The Beacon-NewsWest Aurora’s Pacifique Ndayishimiye (5) scores against Joliet West goalkeeper Gavin Ringhofer during a Southwest Prairie West game in Aurora on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
“He’s kind of everywhere for them,” Szymanski said. “He was a guy when we played him, you have to know where No. 5 is. He could have scored 20 goals easily. He did everything for them.”
His skills stood out when West Aurora picked up one of the most monumental upsets in recent memory during the sectional semifinals.
Facing Naperville North, ranked as one of the best teams in the country, the Blackhawks won 1-0. Ndayishimiye marked senior forward Noah Radeke, one of the state’s top players.
“We came into that game with a lot of confidence,” Ndayishimiye said. “I feel like there was a whole different energy we brought into that game. We let it all out. We knew we could win.
“We just had to make sure we did our part.”
Pacifique NdayishimiyeJon Cunningham / The Beacon-NewsWest Aurora’s Pacifique Ndayishimiye starts to play the ball as Waubonsie Valley’s Michael Spano (9) defends during a nonconference game in Aurora on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. (Jon Cunningham / The Beacon-News)
The praise Ndayishimiye received after that game, which he doesn’t always like to hear, even made it through to him.
“That’s what I work for — for people to notice,” Ndayishimiye said. “For coaches like that to say what they did about me means a lot. I feel like my coaches put me in those positions.
“They’re giving me the freedom to play how I play.”
Sustersic, meanwhile, will always think of Ndayishimiye as the ultimate warrior. In a program that’s won roughly 480 games in 46 years, he was a part of 66 wins in only four seasons.
“He’s a man among boys,” Sustersic said of Ndayishimiye. “He really is so mature as a soccer player. He’s the coach on the field.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.