“He makes good choices,” said his mother, Amy, of her son, a senior at Eisenhower High School.

His most recent choice is to play Division III football at Thiel College beginning in the fall.

It certainly wasn’t a decision made overnight.

“I considered and had offers to play at Allegheny, Hiram, Geneva, Waynesburg, Westminster and Thiel,” said Jared. “I didn’t pursue some others due to geography. At first, the decision was really difficult. Each school is unique and their academic programs are slightly different. Each football program and coaching staff has their own culture. It was just a matter of figuring out which one met all of my college plans. Ultimately, I chose Thiel due to the relationship the coaches and I built along the recruiting process. Thiel’s vision for the time that I will be part of the program aligns with how I envision my college experience to be. I’m really looking forward to playing there for Coach (Mike) Winslow and his staff.

Photo submitted to Times Observer Eisenhower senior linebacker Jared Beers took his time in deciding and has committed to DIII Thiel College in the fall.

“Thiel has a good reputation for academics,” Beers added. “They also recognized my high school work with a good-sized merit scholarship and will accept my dual-enrollment credits. It’s far enough away, but close enough to home. For football, it was the Thiel coaching staff and their vision that made me want to be part of it.”

It’s an attitude that has become familiar to those who know Beers.

“Anyone who has coached him — from Y leagues and WCYFL to now, or worked with him in school — from preschool to now, has influenced who is he today,” said Amy. “The role that coaches and educators play in a kid’s life can’t be quantified, but I know in Jared’s case, these people made a huge difference. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be headed where he is to tackle college-level academics and athletics.”

It seems like a perfect fit, but Jared is the kind of unsung hero that could fit most places.

“Jared is one of the hardest-working kids that I have had,” said Eisenhower head coach Jim Penley, “but more importantly, he has literally done anything I’ve ever asked of him. I’ve used them in so many different positions, from week to week. Depending on what our opponents do, we would constantly be using him for some of the most difficult jobs. And I feel, as a teammate, he’s always worked exceptionally hard and pushed all those around him to be tougher and more prepared for the task ahead. Because of his overall versatility, willingness to do anything that’s asked of him, and drive to be the very best, he is definitely going to be missed. I always hope young players look at someone like Jared and realize that he’s the perfect kid that a coach wants to work with, not because of his overall skill, but his willingness to do anything that’s going to help the team win.”

Beers was voted a first-team region all-star in 2019 and 2020 on both sides of the ball, as a linebacker on defense and offensive lineman. But he wouldn’t be the first to tell you that.

Born 10 weeks prematurely to Jeff and Amy Beers at 3 pounds, 11 ounces, becoming an offensive lineman is probably both ironic and appropriate given his work ethic.

“Jared has grown to be a quiet leader,” said Amy. “He isn’t overly interested or driven by accolades or attention. He doesn’t self-promote. He has grown over the years to have a quiet confidence that makes Jeff and me incredibly proud. Jeff would often point out to me how Jared would be instrumental in a particular play or score and would sprint to congratulate his teammate afterward. He’s the kid who picks up his teammates after plays. He’s also the kid who picks up his opponents after hitting them really hard. He’s grown to be academically-driven and motivated. We are very proud of him.”

It also makes him easy to root for, and easy to congratulate for his accomplishments.

Jared knew of his commitment to Thiel days prior, but wanted to tell the coaching staff face-to-face.

That’s Jared.

“Who he chooses to bring into his inner circle has also made him who he is,” said Amy. “Our family is small on both sides and we are close. They have played big roles in his upbringing.”

But now he’s all grown up.

“Coach Winslow and some of the coaching staff along with several current players met with him after a leadership competition,” she said. “He committed to the program and we got to watch the exchange. After seeing that happen, it’s become very real. As for how quickly we got here, it is hard to fathom. The days pass slowly, but the years fly by.

“So many emotions,” said Amy. “It’s bittersweet, exciting, and nerve-wracking. Being his parents is incredibly rewarding and he makes us look really good.”

While his parents have been great influences, they are quick to compliment Jared’s work ethic.

“He worked hard and those efforts afforded him to have a lot of options,” said Amy. “We feel confident in Thiel as his choice due to the people we have met in academics and athletics. Obviously we love him and don’t want him to leave home, but we also can’t wait to see what he does.”

On the line, Jared wasn’t in a position to chase stats or personal glory, which he embraced.

“Linebackers may not get a lot of credit, but it was the best and most rewarding position I played,” said Jared. “I have played tight end, defensive end and tackle at the varsity level. I like linebacker the best because it is physical, aggressive and complex. I have to recognize the play and be prepared to react quickly and efficiently as it develops. I enjoy being in the middle of that each play.

“Playing in a lower-profile position suits me because I don’t like a lot of extra attention and am generally pretty quiet,” he added. “Stats don’t overly motivate me. Stopping the ball does.

“The coaching staff at Eisenhower helped me get to the next level by investing time and energy into me and into the program itself,” said Beers. “I will always be appreciative of their support. My teammates also helped because football is a team sport that is reliant on everyone doing their job.”

That attitude helped Ike to an undefeated record in Region 5 and trip to the District 10 1A championship game. That attitude also comes from home in many players.

“My mom and dad, grandparents, and family are truly people to look up to and have supported me throughout,” said Beers. “My dad coached me in WCYFL for a couple years, then turned it over to middle school and high school coaches.

“I spend a lot of time in the weight room in the offseason and study film often,” he said. “I have also had to become more aware of my eating habits, especially in the offseason. Football isn’t a sport that provides a lot of out-of-season opportunities, so I have had to be self-motivated to keep focused. Basically, I took any opportunity to get better and listened to any advice anyone had.

“There aren’t very many college football players from Warren County that I know, so I wasn’t sure at first if I was good enough,” said Beers. “Earning first-team regional all-stars for offensive line and linebacker after my junior year would be the point when I gained confidence in that I could compete at the next level. I also got quality feedback from prospect camps that led me to believe that it was a real possibility.”

The work was paying off.

“At the end of my sophomore year of high school, I really decided to weight train and focus on football,” said Beers. “I started working with a trainer to add muscle mass so that I could be ready for a strong junior and senior year. Coach Penley talked to my family and me about the recruitment process and provided film to send to college coaches. Once one college coach reached out, others followed. I started playing in third grade for WCYFL (Warren County Youth Football League) and liked it immediately. I started really focusing in 10th grade by stepping away from basketball to weight train and participate in football offseason workouts. I played baseball and basketball in addition to football. Each of these sports is different. Football is the most intense, so it is the most fun for me. I have played baseball since tee-ball. Baseball is a lot of fun and I had a great time playing in high school, at travel tournaments and Legion games. I have a lot of fond memories from all the sports that I have played — most of them relate to bus rides and hanging out with my teammates. My favorite memory from high school football, however, will always be our overtime win in the final seconds of the West Middlesex game this year that sent us to the D-10 Championship.”

Dreams do come true, and they start with hard work.

“Sports teach you commitment, work ethic, and how to overcome hardship,” said Beers. “You learn to listen, to be a good teammate and to be coachable. I don’t think I have a specific example of how sports made me who I am today, but I know that I have learned more from losing than I did from winning. I’ll take all of these lessons and try to apply them as I head to Thiel in the fall.

“I knew that I wanted to go to a smaller school,” he said. “I knew that recruiting might be difficult due to COVID and currently rostered players extending their eligibility. It was sometimes tough to get campus visits. College football season being cancelled meant that I couldn’t determine my fit into a school program by seeing them in action; only by reputation and interactions.”

Beers considered everything.

“I did consider not playing,” said Beers. “I am accepted to the Homeland Security program at Slippery Rock and was planning to go there. The opportunity to play at the next level will change my major to criminal justice administration. From there, I will look into federal programs. It’s not a big hardship because I have to attend additional training or programming regardless, but there are only a few schools that have Homeland Security as a major and Thiel isn’t one of them. So, my new goal will be finding the right federal program route after Thiel.

“I feel relief in committing, but I am confident that I made the right choice,” said Beers.