St. John's Receiver Makes Good Things Happen On & Off The Field

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- When Will Gillach takes the field, good things usually happen. He's one of St. John's' leading receivers.

But the Lindstrom, Minnesota native is leading even more so off the field, where he's making even more good things happen.

"The mentors that I got in contact with my freshman year, through mostly the football team, really pushed me to find myself in that realm," Gillach said.

This season, Gillach was named to the AFCA Good Works Team, one of only 22 players from across the country and across all levels of college football, making it one of the game's most prestigious off-the-field honors.

"My parents have always instilled a sense of community service and volunteerism," Gillach said. "But to be recognized on that kind of level for it, it's definitely humbling."

He's definitely earned it. In March, Gillach traveled to Nicaragua on a medical mission trip, where he served more than 300 patients in impoverished communities, helping doctors diagnose and treat medical conditions.

He's raised money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital and packed meals for Kids Against Hunger.

And he also serves as a mentor for children that have experienced domestic violence, at Anna Marie's Alliance-Domestic Abuse Shelter in St. Cloud.

"Every time I go there I see different people's circumstances," Gillach said. "It really affects me in terms of how I see the world and how I see other people. And it kind of continuously reminds me that I'm very, very fortunate in my life, and other people aren't as fortunate. And so I think it reminds me to give back, and strive to make a difference in other people's lives that might need a little help."

The kind of thing we can all cheer for.