Putnam County football assistant coach Beau Beasley is a busy individual. When he’s not coaching, he is teaching weight training at Putnam County Middle School, administering to the youth at his church, or being a devoted father and husband.
Beasley puts 100 percent effort into whatever he does, and it shows at home, in the classroom, and in the lives of the players and students he is around. He said the common factor remains his faith in God.
“Man, it’s pretty [amazing] to look back at everything the Lord has done and orchestrated in my life, bringing me to this moment here in Putnam. Everything I’ve done from the choices I have made, going to a college, marrying [my wife], and then moving here,” Beasley said. “It’s all come together. It makes absolutely no sense for me to be a youth pastor on top of being a football coach and a new daddy in a community that I am still fairly new to … but I love every minute of it.”
Now entering his third year with the Putnam County School System as a teacher and a coach, Beasley also is close to completing his first year as the Lake Country Baptist Church youth minister.
Growing up in McDonough, Ga., Beasley attended Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy, where he also played football. He helped the Chargers win a state championship during his senior year in 2012.
Beasley loved football and wanted to continue playing at the next level, but only had one offer to Point University, a private evangelical Christian college in West Point, so he decided to attend.
“I just knew that I wanted to continue to play ball. I wasn’t a bad football player, but because of my size, I had only played offensive line and it was hard to find a school to take a bet on me,” Beasley said. “Point was the only school to offer me a football scholarship and it wasn’t even a big one … but I just chose Point because it was the only school to take a bet on me. They said they could transition me into a blocking tight end and fullback, so I went there. The neat thing about Point is that it’s non-denominational, so when you step onto campus, it’s a requirement to minor in Biblical Studies.”
Beasley majored in Middle Grades Education at Point and although it wasn’t his first choice, he found a way to make it work in the long run.
Beasley also didn’t intend to become a youth pastor, but his Biblical classes in both high school and college made him stronger in his faith. The pair ended up going hand-in-hand with each other.
“As I preach to my congregation or coach my players, I constantly find myself looking back to some of those classes. It’s a good thing that the Lord led me with there when I was only going to play football,” Beasley said. “Jesus had much greater plans for me than football.
It’s so cool to look back at those certain things, but when I initially went there, I didn’t think much about my faith or how much it would enrich me. I was just going out there to play some ball.”
Former Putnam County football head coach Shaun Pope thinks highly of Beasley. He brought him on to the War Eagles’ staff two years ago, and they developed a close relationship with each other.
“Coach Beasley is a man of God first and foremost, a great role model for kids,” Pope said. “The work he’s done in the weight room at the middle school has made a huge impact on the athletic programs at the middle and high school, especially in football. I could definitely tell a difference in the kids once he took over that program. Coach Beasley has been a huge asset to Putnam County.”
Beasley taught in Butts County and coached at Jackson High School before moving to Putnam County. His wife, Blake, grew up camping at Lake Sinclair and wanted to own her own home on its shores.
That dream became a reality for Beasley and his wife after they got married. He was still working in Jackson at the time, but shortly after the move, a position became available on Pope’s staff.
So, Beasley jumped at the opportunity and got the job teaching at Putnam County Middle School.
“I saw where Coach Pope had tweeted about an open position on his staff, so I slid in his DMs [direct messages]. I messaged him and said I was interested and had just moved to the area,” he said. “One thing led to another, and he signed me onto his staff two years ago. It’s been a great opportunity and amazing to work with the people in this county and school system. I just love it.”
Pope retired in January, but Beasley remained on the staff when new head coach Joel Harvin was hired. Beasley decided to stay in Putnam because he enjoyed coaching the kids in the area.
“They’re good kids. When I made the transition to Putnam, I could tell a difference,” Beasley said. “Just how these kids carry themselves. During the day, they’re still children and we have to remind ourselves that even though they may look or be as big as us, they’re still kids. I’ve heard this quote: ‘Kids don’t care how much you know; they want to know how much you care.’ I’ve taken that to heart. I think all these kids just want to build relationships and know you care about them.”
Heading into this season, Beasley believes the War Eagles are set up for success under Harvin’s direction. Beasley has seen the returning players at Putnam County buy into the new style of coaching.
He also is excited to see how the kids he started teaching at Putnam County Middle School two years ago transition from being eighth graders to helping out the varsity squad as 10th graders.
“I’m just thankful to be in a community that supports and loves these kids,” Beasley said. “We all have the same mindset and want them to get outside of Putnam County to experience other things.”