A former Georrgetown soccer star is the subject of the latest installment of PBS’s Well Beings series, which debuted Thursday on YouTube.
Out of the Dark: Jack Beer is a short documentary that follows Beer, who stepped away from the sport after battling mental health challenges as a college scholarship athlete. Beer was a heralded prep and junior player in his native Westchester County. New York, and for one year at Georgetown in 2017 before stepping away – but his story took a powerful turn, as he returned in 2019 to help the Hoyas to a national title, his time at Georgetown the beginning of a run of what is, as of this year, nine straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Beer has since gone on to a pro career that included stops with minor-league affiliates of both the USL and MLS, as well as overseas in Spain.
"As athletes, it's always a battle on the field, but often, the more important battle is inside our own heads," Beer told 106.7 The Fan. "In sharing my story and serving as an ambassador for Athletes for Hope, my hope is that other athletes learn from it that it's ok to ask for help."
Produced in collaboration with leading nonprofit Athletes for Hope, the episode draws on the organization’s athlete insights and mental health resources, which includes advisors Stephen Curry, Olympians Katie Ledecky and Nathan Chen, and retired WNBA star Elena Delle Donne. Athletes for Hope’s AFH Wellbeing program brings together athletes of all levels to break stigma and build a culture of mental wellness in sports and beyond.