In the age of specialization in high school sports, a three-sport student-athlete is a throwback indeed.
Eastview High School in Apple Valley enjoyed the rarity and good fortune of being blessed with two elite throwback athletes the past three years.
Recent graduates Frank Veldman and Alex Beckman took to heart what it meant to be committed to compete, and succeed, at the top level of high school athletics.
“Seeing students as talented, humble and well-rounded as Alex Beckman and Frank Veldman is a true honor and privilege,” Eastview activities director Matt Percival said. “They’ve been incredible role models on how to continue to pursue excellence in everything they do, even when many of their teammates and competitors have chose to specialize in one sport or activity.
“As impressive as their high school careers have been, I can’t wait to follow them in the future. I know they’ll be quite successful in college and beyond.”
Veldman and Beckman are the Pioneer Press high school athletes of the year for the 2010-11 school year.
VELDMAN: A FOOTBALL JUMPSTART
Veldman was fed up with football after his sophomore year and contemplated leaving the sport to concentrate on basketball. He played wide receiver on the sophomore team, a squad that didn’t throw the ball much. He also punted for the varsity.
“I wasn’t really happy,” he said. “I was ready to step away from it. That’s when I had the ‘Man Talk.’ ”
Along with his father, Steve, he met with his grandfather, Pete, at the family cabin for a weekend of soul searching.
Steve Veldman played football at the University of North Dakota, and Pete Veldman is a longtime activities director, serving 29 of his 34 years at South St. Paul High School in that capacity. He retired in 1993 but remains executive secretary of the state coaches association and the Classic Suburban Conference.
“When I was AD, I had a category of kids that I called the ‘I wish I woulda’s,’ ” said Pete Veldman, who wrestled at Minnesota. “Those were the kids who came into my office five, 10 years later to tell me that they wish they would have done this sport or that sport. I encourage all kids to participate in sports. Steve and I just didn’t want him to leave high school with any regrets. I think he recognized that it would be an empty spot in his life, and he rededicated himself to football.”
Did he ever.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Veldman finished with 179 career tackles, averaged 26.1 yards per reception and 38.6 yards per punt. A finalist for Minnesota’s Mr. Football Award, he was the South Suburban Conference defensive player of the year, and he played in the Minnesota high school all-star game last weekend.
“After that talk, I became a different person, a different player, and had a different mind-set,” Veldman said. “Before that talk, I figured I would go get a job and play a bit more basketball. I wouldn’t have liked that. I’m glad I changed my mind.”
Said Steve Veldman: “We just reminded him of all the good times, the camaraderie, ‘Friday Night Lights,’ and playing in front of a couple of thousand people. You could see the spark come back. When he decided to play again, we were relieved. Frank loves Grandpa and respects the heck out of him.”
Veldman has committed to play football at North Dakota State. He was recruited by the Gophers and had a meeting with new coach Jerry Kill, but Veldman said he and his father left uncertain of whether the Gophers were going to make an offer.
During basketball, Veldman described his role as a “hard-working player who goes for rebounds and does whatever it takes to help the team.”
Eastview advanced to the Section 3AAAA semifinals this past season.
“When I was going to quit football, I was going to throw myself into basketball,” he said. “Now it’s my third favorite. I miss it already, though.”
Veldman, a natural leaper in basketball, said he plans to play intramural basketball at NDSU.
This past spring, he was silver medalist at the Class AA state track and field meet in the high jump, triple jump and long jump.
“I wasn’t totally happy with three second places,” Veldman said. “I feel like I could have won the high jump and the long jump.
“I’m not at all disappointed with how my senior year was. There were a lot of great memories along the way. I have no regrets. I’m ready to move on to the next level.”
He departs with his legacy assured.
“At Eastview, for pure athleticism for a male athlete, who does Frank Veldman remind us of?” Lightning football coach Kelly Sherwin said. “No one. He’s the standard that all three-sport athletes will be measured by. Some would say he could be once in a lifetime.”
BECKMAN: A JUGGLING ACT
Excelling at three varsity sports, taking honors classes and participating in community service projects kept Beckman on the run, and sometimes, feeling pretty stressed.
“I have shed 10,000 tears over the years because of all the commitments,” she said. “If you want to do things at a high level, and if you aren’t willing to put in the time and energy, then you shouldn’t do it. I chose to go for it. It was stressful, but it’s all been worth it.”
Since graduation, Beckman’s life has slowed to a reasonable pace. The Gophers track and field recruit is working out on her own and has attended orientation sessions at the University of Minnesota.
She said her life is a bit “weird” now that she isn’t practicing three sports during the summer months.
“When I look back at my high school career, it was so much more than I expected,” she said. “It was nonstop sports. It was such an awesome experience. My senior season was the best in all of my years of sports.”
In soccer, she was moved to defense, a switch she welcomed because she was paired with her identical twin, Amanda. The Lightning advanced to the Section 3AA semifinals.
“I performed best in that defensive spot,” she said. “I’m really glad I did that. We had a group of girls we called the ‘Great Eight’ on that team. We got close in and out of soccer. Soccer, talent-wise, is probably my third sport, but after my senior season, I didn’t want it to end.”
In basketball, Beckman, a 5-foot-11 slashing guard, became more of an outside scoring threat. She helped the Lightning finish second in the Section 3AAAA tournament by averaging 18.6 points and 2.1 assists per game. The pressure to lead increased in late December when Amanda suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Beckman flirted with the idea of trying two sports in college, basketball and track, but knew doing them well would be another tall challenge. St. Olaf was interested in allowing her to do both.
But in December, word got out that she was going to focus on track and field in college, and inquiries about basketball virtually dried up. After taking officials visit to Wisconsin and Minnesota, the Beckmans signed with the Gophers in early February.
Beckman’s parents, Jon and Wendy, are former Gophers athletes: Jon played baseball, and Wendy was a gymnast.
“Amanda and I did think it would be pretty cool to go to Minnesota, just like Mom and Dad,” Alex said. “My sister and I are best friends, but we aren’t going to room together in college. We’re trying to create our own identities and have our own lives.”
With recruiting worries off her mind, Beckman said she wanted to have fun and make memories during her final high school track season. At the state meet, she was fifth in the 100 meters, ran a leg on Eastview’s third-place 4×100 relay team and was third in the triple jump.
While enjoying her senior season of track, Beckman also had a sense of motivation to prove she was worthy of being a Division I recruit.
“At each meet, especially in the jumping pit, I made sure I gave it everything I had,” said Beckman, Eastview’s Athena Award winner. “I felt a sense of needing to prove myself.”
FRANK VELDMAN FILE
Age: 18
Resides: Eagan
Family: Parents Steve and Michelle; siblings Tony (28), Kayla (23)
Favorite subject: Science
College choice: North Dakota State
College major: Undecided
Legacy: “I want to be remembered as a nice guy, a strong leader and a good athlete.”
VELDMAN: BY THE NUMBERS
Silver medals at the 2011 state track meet
Rebounds per game in basketball
Number of positions played in football last season
Points per game in basketball
Yards per reception in football
ALEX BECKMAN FILE
Age: 18
Resides: Apple Valley
Family: Parents Jon and Wendy; siblings Amanda (18), Danny (15), Molly (12)
Favorite class: AP psychology
College choice: Minnesota
College major: Nursing
Legacy: “I want to be remembered for being a kind person, someone who was always willing to help people out, both in athletics and in academics, and to be remembered as a positive person who had a good influence on the school.”
BECKMAN: BY THE NUMBERS
State championships
All-state awards
Varsity letters earned in three sports
Points per game in basketball
Class rank out of 542 students
