Gift No. 10: Phil Galounis, take a bow

Lincoln-Way Central and Chicago Magic standout Phil Galounis is one of the most recruited players in the 2009 class. The midfielder, who is currently looking at Notre Dame, Ohio State and UIC, will play for the under-18 Magic Academy beginning this spring.

But there are some people who don't know that Galounis lost his best friend at the age of 9 in an auto accident. He has since become a spokesman for "Juggling for Safety & Health," which raises awareness of seat belt use through a campaign with the National Safety Council and the FireWorks for Kids Foundation.

While Galounis isn't the only area player successful off the field, there are times when we (me included) fail to realize that.

So Phil - take a bow.