Beebe brings experienced staff to football academy
During his 9-year career as a wide receiver in the National Football League, Don Beebe experienced many more highs than lows.
Just making his way to the NFL was an against-the-odds accomplishment for the former Kaneland High School standout who first attended Aurora University with the intention of playing basketball.
After playing at Chadron State University, then an NAIA Division II school which had previously sent only one of its players to the NFL (Dub Miller in the 1930s), Beebe went on to run a blazing 4.21-second time in the 40-yard dash at a pre-draft combine.
Only one other player was faster than Beebe at the combine - Deion Sanders.
Beebe went on to spend 2/3 of his career appearing in a record 6 Super Bowls - 4 with Buffalo and the last 2 with the Green Bay Packers.
When his playing career ended after the 1997 season, Beebe began offering the House of Speed camps to local boys and girls looking to improve their footwork and lower their sprint times.
A little more than 10 years later, Beebe, who coached Aurora Christian to a second-place finish in last month's Class 4A state playoffs, is trying a new approach in an attempt to enhance the overall skill level of up-and-coming youth football players.
Last week, he welcomed a group of fifth graders through high school students to Don Beebe's first Elite Football Academy.
"Ever since we began our House of Speed camps, we've been fighting the image of it being just a football thing," said Beebe. "We've trained some great football players like Nate Peterson, Boone Thorgesen, Nick Nasti, Brent Harner and Jody Henningson, but we've also trained so many club teams and athletes in other sports.
"This is something I've wanted to do for a long time. When I took over (as head coach) at Aurora Christian (in 2004), I wanted to wait until our field (construction) was done before getting back to the football thing. Football is my expertise."
Offering instruction twice weekly for three months (23 total sessions through Feb. 26) at the Aurora Vaughan Athletic Center (2121 W. Indian Trail, Aurora), the Academy's focus is solely with football players.
"It's unique - there isn't anything like this out there," said Beebe. "Basically, it's a year-round football camp."
With an enrollment limited to the first 60-70 players, the Academy is not for everyone.
"This is not a just-for-fun camp," said Beebe. "It's an intense football academy. We want to have players take their skills to another level. That is what it is designed to do.
"We've closed enrollment off to the first 10 quarterbacks, 10 running backs, 15 receivers, 10 linemen, 10 defensive backs and 10 linebackers because we have limited space per instructor.
"I didn't want to have 20-30 quarterbacks because that's too many and they wouldn't receive the needed instruction."
Beebe's list of camp trainers (instructors) includes former Naperville Central defensive back D.J. Johnson, who went on to play at the University of Iowa and spent two seasons with the New York Jets, Kaneland grad Harner, Brandon Sullivan (defensive tackle for Concordia University of St. Paul, 2002-06), Chris Earl (wide receiver for Western Illinois, 1985-88), Randall Rosen (wide receiver at Wheaton College, 1999-2003), Chris Risch (tight end at Blackburn College, 2000-03), John Jura (quarterback at Loras College) and Matt Brown (Division II scholarship athlete).
"All of our instructors have NFL or NCAA experience," said Beebe, who also will conduct spring (March-May) and summer (May-July) sessions. "I feel that is very important."
In addition to improving football techniques and eye-hand control, adding explosive power and quickness to the ball, athletes will also learn the proper mental approach to the game.
"At any level, your mental approach is everything," said Beebe. "Through repetition, you gain more confidence.
"An excellent example of that is (Aurora Christian) David Zielke. As a junior, he was scared to death. But through hard work and belief in his ability, he became one of the better wideouts in the area this season."
All Academy athletes will receive a camp T-shirt, 50 percent discount off regular House of Speed sessions, and membership for online stats-tracker (MySpeed).
"My main goal is just to build the character of kids," said Beebe.
His NFL playing days may be behind him, but football remains one of Beebe's biggest passions.
"I love giving back," he said, "because that's my calling."
For information on Don Beebe's Elite Football Academy, call (630) 466-0082 or visit www.houseofspeed.com.
csb4k@hotmail.com