Darren Beers, 1994, Ice Hockey

 

Darren Beers, a 1994 graduate, was an outstanding three season athlete in ice hockey, soccer and baseball at Brewer High School.  His athletic prowess, team first attitude, and leadership skills were unparalleled, winning many conference and state awards.  During his senior season, he was chosen as captain on each of the three teams.

In baseball, Beers was a strong, all-around player with a beautiful swing.  In his career he pitched, as well as played the outfield and first base.  He helped lead the Witches to the Eastern Maine Finals as a sophomore.  According to his coach, Rich Kimball, “Darren had a great attitude, a sense of humor and coachability that made him a joy to work with.”

A three-year varsity starter, Beers was an integral part of a fine Brewer soccer team which finished at the top of the Heal Points and made two consecutive trips to the Eastern Maine Class A Regional Finals.  His physical size and athletic abilities fit well with his role as a defensive midfielder. He was a fine ball-winner and an exceptional header of the ball. “Darren was a focused, hard worker in practice, a very coachable teammate and a positive leader,” stated Coach Michael Jeffrey.

Beers not only was a gifted baseball and soccer player, he excelled on the hockey rink.  Beers’ dedication and contribution to the hockey program set a high standard for those who followed.  His many awards included:  Outstanding Hockey Freshman in 1991; Forward Eastern Maine Hockey All-Stars and All-Eastern Maine Class B Second Team in 1992 and All-Eastern Maine Class B First Team in 1993 and 1994.  During his four-year varsity career, he averaged over 20 goals and 20 assists each season, culminating in his senior year, scoring 28 goals, with 21 assists.  He was a driving force behind Brewer’s first title in the program’s history, beating Winslow 3-0 to be crowned Eastern Maine Class B Champions in 1994.  Beers’ high school ice hockey coach, Bill Schwarz, spoke to both the tangible and intangible nature of Beers as a hockey player, “Darren was the ultimate team player.  He was a dedicated student and athlete who always put team goals above any individual goals he might have had.  He worked hard in all three zones on the ice, not just the offensive end.  His leadership was beyond reproach.  He was a joy to coach.”

According to Beers, his father and grandmother were both instrumental in his life as a hockey player.  His father was a baseball player at Brewer High School and Beers grew up admiring a framed picture of his father’s team that highlighted the team's record and how much his father helped the team to be successful.  His grandmother drove him all over New England and Canada to play hockey so he could get the experience he needed to improve and expand his skills.  She taught Beers to always put the team first, to be positive and humble no matter the circumstances.

Beers pursued his goals upon graduation from Brewer High School with a distinguished academic and hockey career at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont.  He scored 47 points in 99 games, missing only five games during his career as a defenseman.  Beers was an assistant captain his senior year and a key contributor as the Saint Michael's College Ice Knights won the 1999 NCAA Division II Ice Hockey Championship, the first National Championship in the school’s 95-year history.  During his 1998-1999 senior season, he earned NCAA Division II All-America first team status, as well as New England Hockey Writers Association All-New England team and was named to the All-ECAC Northeast first team.  Beers will become a member of the Saint Michael’s College Athletic Hall of Fame on September 28, 2019.

Darren Beer’s off the ice contributions at Saint Michael’s were equally as memorable.  In both 1998 and 1999, he was a participant in the NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference as a member of the National Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, as well as a NCAA Northeast-10 Representative.  During his junior year, he was a panelist for the Town Meeting at Saint Michael’s College: “A Discussion on One America in the 21st Century: The President’s Initiative on Race”.

Beers graduated from Saint Michael’s College in 1999 with a degree in biology.  He attended a free agent hockey camp in Buffalo, New York, signing a contract with a team in Macon, Georgia, part of The Central Hockey League; however, a subsequent injury cut short his professional career.

As of 2019, Darren Beers is completing his 18th year as a police officer in South Burlington, Vermont, where he continues to play hockey for The Vermont Law Enforcement Hockey Club and The PA State Troopers, teams that play games in order to raise money for charities.  Beers loves riding his motorcycle, going to the gym and watching movies.

 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INDUCTION AND ACCEPTANCE SPEECH OF DARREN BEERS

 

                               Darren Beers and his presenter Jerry Goss