Name: Jack Beer
Byram Hills soccer player Jack Beer is the Con Edison Athlete of the Week.
School: Byram Hills High School
Class: Senior
Sport: Boys soccer
Athletic accomplishments: Beer had 11 goals and seven assists as of Thursday. He’s the co-captain of the soccer team and the co-captain of his club team, NY Soccer Club. He scored three goals in a win against Pelham last week. He was a Journal News player of the week in September. Beer was a member of Team Snap, which is a high school all-star team. Last year he was named all-state by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Beer was named League co-MVP, all-section and all-league by the N.Y. State Soccer Association. Beer’s gotten some international experience through NY Soccer Club, including being a member of the practice squad for the Argentina national team for Copa America. He’s played with the Netherlands squad at Heemskerk Club.
Academic accomplishments: Beer has a 3.867 GPA. He earned a full scholarship to play soccer at Division I Georgetown. He wants to study business. Beer scored a 30 on the ACTs. He’s targeting a Regents-level diploma. He’s a pianist and a stand-up bass player and mentors young kids in music. After school, Beer’s a peer tutor in math. He’s a member of the Great Activities Board, which is akin to the Student Senate. Beer is a member of the chess club. Outside of school, he’s a member of NY Soccer club. In the summer, he helped the underclassmen train. Beer’s worked with the Dorot Westchester, which is a social services organization designed to combat social isolation within the elderly community. He’s helped the boys soccer team at the Cottage School and helped at-risk teens teaching sports and recreation. Beer is a referee for local soccer clubs, raised money for Breast Cancer Awareness and helped the Byram Hills Sports Hall of Fame raise money for the new Sylvia Rogers Scholarship fund.
Getting to know Jack Beer
The Journal News: How’s your season going?
Jack Beer: It’s going well. I was injured for the first three games so I was happy to get back with the guys and get an assist in my first game back. I have 11 goals and seven assists; I think it’s been a good season so far.
TJN: What happened to you?
JB: I tore my quad and sprained my PCL so I was out for like three weeks.
TJN: Was it hard to watch your teammates when you wanted to be out there?
JB: It was brutal watching my teammates have fun without me but I knew my time would come.
TJN: When you were a little boy, what drew you to the sport of soccer?
JB: I was 5 when I started to play the sport, but I think it was the 2006 World Cup actually that drew a lot of interest from me watching it on TV. I think it was then when I started looking up to the people scoring all the goals. I thought that’s what I really want to do.
TJN: For someone who admired the World Cup scorers, how cool was it to get that international experience playing in these tournaments?
JB: It’s awesome going around the world living my dream, honestly. It gave me a new perspective on not only my soccer game but on the world in general — how everyone interacts with one another on and off the field. That was really cool.
TJN: When you were that 5-year-old first starting out in soccer, did you ever think you’d be at the point you’re at in the sport?
JB: I knew really I loved the game a lot but I didn’t know where it could take me. Even as a little boy, it’s crazy to think that I’d be playing at 13-14 years old with Chelsea’s Academy; it’s ridiculous. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to go on and play at Georgetown and be where I am today. It’s a dream come true, honestly. I think if you are serious about a dream, you have to start early and commit to it.
TJN: Why did you choose Georgetown?
JB: It’s a beautiful school and a great one too. I think Coach (Brian) Wiese made a big difference on me. He reached out to me. I wanted a school that showed a lot of interest in me personally. I think he did that.
TJN: Then there’s the student part of the student-athlete. Do you know what you want to major in?
JB: I like math a lot so I think business would be a good fit. So I applied to the business school. I’m pretty analytical, not only with math but with life in general. I think management would be a good major for me so I’m going to look into that.
TJN: Do you enjoy having an outlet like music as a way to decompress from the stress of the day-to-day life?
JB: I think it gives me an outlet away from soccer. I started playing piano when I was really young. I enjoyed listening to music in my free time, specifically piano, not pop music. I love listening to piano music. I took up the bass in middle school. I’ve been playing ever since and I love playing it.
TJN: What’s your favorite piece to play?
JB: We did “Star Wars” pretty recently and I really enjoyed that.
TJN: What’s your favorite community service work you’ve done?
JB: It’s a combination of mentoring in soccer and music. With music, I love helping kids and making them feel more comfortable and improve with whatever they’re doing, not only in music but in life. I always looked up to kids like that when I was younger and I’m glad I can be one of those mentors today. With soccer, I’ve given back as a referee at little kids’ games. We got to the Pleasantville Cottage School every year to play with those kids. I love playing with the Cottage School kids.
The Con Edison Athlete of the Week recognizes students in Westchester and Putnam schools who excel athletically. Academic achievements, leadership, citizenship, and school and community activities are also factors. The winner is selected each week by a panel of athletic directors and coaches who review ballots submitted by each athlete’s athletic director or coach.
Debbie Schechter
Twitter: @LoHud_Debbie
