Bears’ Beekman addresses BYC athletes
By MIKE ZUMMO, The Leader-Herald
Published on Friday, July 13, 2007
BROADALBIN — Academics and flexibility.
Those were the two main points Chicago Bears’ rookie and Amsterdam native Josh Beekman stressed to the children at the Broadalbin Youth Commission
Thursday during an hour-long presentation.
“It’s a good experience to come back home and talk to some of the kids and pass along the knowledge that I have accumulated that made me successful,”
Beekman said.
Beekman spoke for about 15 minutes, imparting the knowledge he has accumulated so far in his life, stressing the importance of succeeding in school and
keeping their bodies limber and in shape before opening the floor to questions.
Beekman was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round by the Chicago Bears in April’s NFL Draft and officially signed a four-year deal with the team
May 29. Since then, the Amsterdam High School and Boston College standout offensive lineman has been to Bears’ minicamps and the NFL’s recent Rookie
Symposium.
“I had a couple of minicamps and a rookie camp,” Beekman said. “I’ve been trying to learn their offense and learn how they want me to lift and how to become
a better player.”
And how to be a better person as the NFL has been stressing character in the wake of recent ugly off-field incidents.
“We were instructed on how to be a professional,” Beekman said. “How to act and how to conduct ourselves as men.”
Beekman flew out to Chicago soon after getting drafted April 29 and wrapping up some collegiate business at Boston College.
He spent his time at minicamp learning from the Bears’ veteran offensive linemen, two of which, guard Ruben Brown and center Olin Kruetz have combined for
15 pro bowl appearances.
“He shows you little tricks that you picked up in college that you need for the league now,” Beekman said. “Because the college level is as good as it is, it’s
nothing like the NFL. I’m thankful that I have men like Mr. Kreutz in front of me.”
Beekman relayed a story from minicamp where Kreutz was angry at himself during a film session for a mistake he made. Things like that, Beekman said, go a
long way to keeping a player from growing complacent.
“That’s something I picked up from BC,” Beekman said. “How to always want to improve and never be satisfied. Just seing his intensity and how he carries
himself. in the meeting room, he’s mad at himself if he knows he’s made a mistake. That’s the focus I need to have and even more intense.”
As a new player in the NFL, Beekman knows that he still has a lot more he can learn from Kreutz as well as the Bears offensive line coordinator Harry
Hiestand and he’s learning new weight room techniques from the Bears’ strength and conditioning coordinator Rusty Jones.
“My o-line coach is making me a stronger player using his techniques,” Beekman said. “What I need to do is absorb all the information that they’re trying to
give me.”
By MIKE ZUMMO, The Leader-Herald
Published on Friday, July 13, 2007
BROADALBIN — Academics and flexibility.
Those were the two main points Chicago Bears’ rookie and Amsterdam native Josh Beekman stressed to the children at the Broadalbin Youth Commission
Thursday during an hour-long presentation.
“It’s a good experience to come back home and talk to some of the kids and pass along the knowledge that I have accumulated that made me successful,”
Beekman said.
Beekman spoke for about 15 minutes, imparting the knowledge he has accumulated so far in his life, stressing the importance of succeeding in school and
keeping their bodies limber and in shape before opening the floor to questions.
Beekman was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round by the Chicago Bears in April’s NFL Draft and officially signed a four-year deal with the team
May 29. Since then, the Amsterdam High School and Boston College standout offensive lineman has been to Bears’ minicamps and the NFL’s recent Rookie
Symposium.
“I had a couple of minicamps and a rookie camp,” Beekman said. “I’ve been trying to learn their offense and learn how they want me to lift and how to become
a better player.”
And how to be a better person as the NFL has been stressing character in the wake of recent ugly off-field incidents.
“We were instructed on how to be a professional,” Beekman said. “How to act and how to conduct ourselves as men.”
Beekman flew out to Chicago soon after getting drafted April 29 and wrapping up some collegiate business at Boston College.
He spent his time at minicamp learning from the Bears’ veteran offensive linemen, two of which, guard Ruben Brown and center Olin Kruetz have combined for
15 pro bowl appearances.
“He shows you little tricks that you picked up in college that you need for the league now,” Beekman said. “Because the college level is as good as it is, it’s
nothing like the NFL. I’m thankful that I have men like Mr. Kreutz in front of me.”
Beekman relayed a story from minicamp where Kreutz was angry at himself during a film session for a mistake he made. Things like that, Beekman said, go a
long way to keeping a player from growing complacent.
“That’s something I picked up from BC,” Beekman said. “How to always want to improve and never be satisfied. Just seing his intensity and how he carries
himself. in the meeting room, he’s mad at himself if he knows he’s made a mistake. That’s the focus I need to have and even more intense.”
As a new player in the NFL, Beekman knows that he still has a lot more he can learn from Kreutz as well as the Bears offensive line coordinator Harry
Hiestand and he’s learning new weight room techniques from the Bears’ strength and conditioning coordinator Rusty Jones.
“My o-line coach is making me a stronger player using his techniques,” Beekman said. “What I need to do is absorb all the information that they’re trying to
give me.”
