Rob Balloon Memorial Scholarship

The Rob Balloon Memorial Scholarship is a $1000 per year award in memory of a remarkable young soccer player who died unexpectedly in April 2008.

His loss is immeasurable and it is through the generous gifts of family and friends that this scholarship is possible. The scholarship will be awarded each year to a player who represents the joy, passion and talent that Rob showed for the game of soccer.

It is the family's hope that other young people will be inspired by his life and will follow his lead of success.

Rob Balloon was a gifted young man. He was born January 22, 1980 in Winter Park, but spent most of his life in Gainesville playing soccer with his brothers and friends. Like many youngsters, Dad was his first coach and biggest fan and soccer became a family passion.

Rob dominated as a goalkeeper playing varsity all 4 years at Eastside High School, eventually becoming an all state Goalkeeper. He continues to hold the record for career shutouts (37) for Gainesville area high schools.

In 1998 Rob graduated from one of the first IB classes at Eastside earning the prestigious IB diploma and was recruited to play varsity soccer at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Unfortunately a severe knee injury prematurely ended his soccer career and he returned to Gainesville to pursue his degree at UF. After college, Rob worked as a mortgage broker in Jacksonville, then progressed to other jobs including Merrill Lynch, eventually returning to Gainesville to his last position as VP of NBC Securities where he served as financial advisor for Millennium Bank.

One of his favorite volunteer activities was to help with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and he received an award for his efforts in 2005.

Rob is survived by his parents Don and Susan Balloon and brothers Scott and Tony and their families as well as grandparents and many more family and friends.

He will be missed. Contributions to the Rob Balloon Memorial Scholarhip fund can be made by sending a check to GSA c/o the RBMF.