As a student he played for Dana’s newly established club team. Now as Dana’s intercollegiate team’s coach, he’s on track to making Dana a Great Plains Athletic Conference contender.

“ If I didn’t love where I graduated from, I wouldn’t have come back,” Beam said. Following his graduation from Dana in 1994, Beam worked his way up from a high school junior varsity coach to head coach of a Nebraska high school state championship team.

Beam said he came back to Dana because he believes that a small school with passion can produce great teams and that Dana provides its students with the best in education.

“ We’re playing NAIA soccer,” he said. “The majority of the players are not going to go on to the pros. They’re here to get an education and that’s what we provide. Ask any alum and they’ll tell you what a great school Dana is.”

Beam said he believes being a member of Dana’s soccer team adds to the great foundation laid by an education at Dana.

“ When you are out in the job market you’ll see what being a member of a team does for you. Interviewers will look at you and say, ‘He’s confident. He can be a leader if asked. He can take positive or negative criticism and work to better himself.’ ”

He’s served as a reference for graduating players and said he will always continue to do so.

“ I’m at Dana for the long haul.”