Social - May 2003

Coach returns to WLHS

Published May 30, 2003

By MIKE POWELL, LTN correspondent

Wes Beam is coming home.

A standout athlete at West Lincoln in the ’60s and the school’s head football coach in the ’80s, Beam is returning to his alma mater in the fall as an assistant football coach.

Beam’s status at West Lincoln will be that of a coach only. He has already announced his retirement from teaching, effective this year. His last job was at East Gaston, but he also had a 13-year stint at East Lincoln and was head football coach and athletic director at West Lincoln from 1981-86.

The addition of Beam gives West Lincoln two ex-head coaches on its football staff. The other is Mike Harrill, who guided East Lincoln football in the early to mid ’90s. Harrill joined the Rebels in 2002 after a brief stint at North Gaston.

“I’m thrilled to have Wes Beam come on board,” West Lincoln head football coach Butch Parker said. “Not only does he have incredible experience, he has a lot of knowledge about the defense we want to run next year.”

Parker said the Rebels will run a 4-3 look in 2003 after using multiple defensive sets last season.

A defensive coordinator during his years at East Lincoln, Beam will work with the defensive backs at West Lincoln and help to develop defensive strategy during the practice week. However, Beam will not be with the team on game nights because of a conflict with his son’s games as a member of the East Gaston football team.

“Four or five days with Wes Beam is better than seven days a week with anybody else,” Parker said. “I have always believed that games are won in practice, anyway.”

Beam is returning to the scene of his glory days as a high school football player. Although most of his rushing records have been broken, Beam ranks as one of the top backs in school history. He went on to play college football at Appalachian State.

In addition, Beam is the last West Lincoln football coach to have a winning record, guiding the Rebels to a 7-3 mark in 1986, his last season at the helm.

Other highlights of Beam’s stint included three straight wins over rival Lincolnton (1984-86) and winning records in two of his final three seasons. The 1984 Rebel team went 6-4.

Prior to taking the head football job, Beam served as an assistant football coach at West Lincoln under Brennan Elliott and Dennis Byrd.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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