Jack Beer named Gatorade New York Boys Player of the Year

CHICAGO (Via Gatorade) — In its 32nd year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, today announced Jack Beer of Byram Hills High School as its 2016-17 Gatorade New York Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Beer is the second Gatorade New York Boys Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Byram Hills High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Beer as New York’s best high school boys soccer player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced in June, Beer joins an elite alumni association of past state soccer award-winners, including Alexi Lalas (1987-88, Cranbrook HS, Mich.), Steve Cherundolo (1996-97, Mt. Carmel HS, Calif.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Heather O’Reilly (2001-02, 2002-03, East Brunswick HS, N.J.), Matt Besler (2004-04, Blue Valley West HS, Kans.), Jack Harrison (2013-14, Berkshire HS, Mass.), Mallory Pugh (2014-15, Mountain Vista HS, Colo.).

The 5-foot-9, 160-pound senior midfielder and forward scored 18 goals and passed for 11 assists this past season, leading the Bobcats (14-2-3) to the sectional semifinals. An All-American selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Beer is a twotime All-State honoree. He was also named the Section 1 Player of the Year and the Journal News Westchester County Player of the
Year.

A peer tutor in his school, Beer has delivered meals to the elderly and volunteered locally on behalf of youth soccer programs. “Jack Beer is a special player,” said Terence Huvane, head coach of Pelham Memorial High School. “He’s intelligent, he sees the field so well and he has pinpoint accuracy with his passes, but he can score as well as set up his teammates.”

Beer has maintained a 3.87 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on scholarship at Georgetown University this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Beer joins recent Gatorade New York Boys Soccer Players of the Year Matt Vowinkel (2015-16, Chaminade High School), T.J. Butzke (2014-15, St. Anthony’s High School), Dylan Klein (2013-14, Carle Place High School), Jeff Medina (2012-13, Brentwood High School), Dakota Edwards (2011-12, Sayville High School), Timothy Parker (2010–11, Hicksville High School), Alex Bramall (2009-10, Newburgh Free Academy), Brian Rogers (2008–09, Bronxville High School), Will Ogden (2007-08, Byram Hills High School), and Wilber Bonilla (2006-07, Brentwood High School) among the state’s list of former award winners.

As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Jack will be able to select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program. Every Gatorade Player of the Year state winner receives a $1,000 grant to donate and will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected organization deserves additional support. 12 spotlight grants – one for each sport – will be announced throughout the year.