David Peplinski
- Compelling Rise & Fall From Professional Athlete to alcohol and drug addiction
- Making Peace With Imperfection
When David Peplinski was just a young child, he knew what he wanted to do – play professional soccer. For many years, it appeared that this would, indeed, be his future. At age 14 he was playing with the U.S. Youth National Team. As a star at Marquette University High School in Germantown, WI, he
read the restWhen David Peplinski was just a young child, he knew what he wanted to do – play professional soccer. For many years, it appeared that this would, indeed, be his future. At age 14 he was playing with the U.S. Youth National Team.
As a star at Marquette University High School in Germantown, WI, he started, played in and won four consecutive state soccer titles and was named Wisconsin State Player of the Year in 2002. Going into college, he was named one of the Top 50 Recruits by ESPN and received the Gatorade Player of the Year Award and received a $35,000 annual scholarship to play at St. Louis University.
But Peplinski had a dirty secret that eventually cost him his soccer career and very nearly his life.
David Peplinski was addicted to alcohol and drugs.
The problems began with alcohol at age 13, and by the time he went to college he was starting his day with alcohol and often drugs as well. Eventually he suffered several overdoses on hallucinogenic drugs and was nearly killed during a drug deal gone bad.
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