Ryan Beeler

Ryan Beeler graduated from Taylorville High School in 2003 and lettered three years each in football, basketball and baseball.

As a quarterback and defensive back on the football team he helped lead the Tornadoes to three play-off seasons, advancing to the second round each year. During his career at THS, as starting quarterback, he gained 2,616 yards (6th in school history), passed for 1,772 yards, rushed for 662 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. On defense he recorded 90 tackles and 10 interceptions, 7 of which he grabbed his senior year for a single season school record.

He was selected to the Central State 8 All-Conference Team in 2001 and 2002, the Illinois High School football Coaches Association All- State Team in 2002, and played in the Illinois Coaches Association All-Star game following his senior season.

Ryan was a two year starter on the Tornadoes’ basketball team. In 2002, his junior year, the Tornadoes won the IHSA Regional, only the second since 1984. As a senior, Ryan was the only returning starter and led the team in scoring with 284 points. He was selected as an Honorable Mention member of the Central State 8 All-Conference team and was chosen team captain and MVP in 2003.

A shortstop on the baseball team, Beeler was a starter for three years. His senior year, the Tornadoes finished with a 16-14 -1 record, the best Tornadoes finish in fourteen years. Beeler was given the “Charlie Hustle” award his senior year.

Beeler received a scholarship to play football at Southern Illinois University where as a three year letter winner playing wide receiver for the Salukis. He played in all but one game during his three year career as the Salukis were Gateway Conference Champions all three years, 2004, 2005 and 2006. He averaged eight receptions a season and scored a 67 yard touchdown against Southeast Missouri State in 2005. Beeler was an Honorable Mention Gateway All Academic Selection in both 2006 and 2007.

Following graduation, Ryan Beeler became a police officer for the city of Nashville, Tennessee from 2009 to 2013. In 2013, he chose to become a high school science teacher through the “Teach for America” program. Today, he teaches science classes at Spring Woods High School in Houston, Texas.