WNY football community mourns coach's death

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Western New York football community is mourning the loss of a coach remembered not just for his passion on the field, but for the love he poured into the lives around him.

New York State Police identified 52-year-old Jason Beckman as the owner of a Jeep that drove into the Niagara River Monday morning. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shock is still fresh for many who knew him.

“Somebody I knew had posted rest in peace Coach Beckman and at first it didn’t really hit me,” said Chuck Tilley, a former coach of Beckman’s. “I’m still in disbelief. I still don’t believe that it actually happened.”

Beckman was the varsity football coach at Amherst Central High School, but his involvement in football began long before. In the 90s, Beckman was a quarterback at Canisius College and immediately caught the attention of his former coach, Chuck Tilley.

“He was very likable with his teammates,” said Tilley. “He wasn’t the biggest kid, the fastest kid, but he was a real gritty kind of kid.”

His impact on young lives was felt by many, especially off the field.

“He made good connections with the kids,” said Tilley. “He would often talk to them about things outside of football to try and strengthen his relationships with them. He was just a real good positive influence.”

Glen Graham, an assistant football coach at Cleveland Hill High School, said the football community is tight-knit and this loss is hitting everyone hard.

“The thing that is so devastating about this is that Jason was just a stand-up guy,” said Graham. “Every interaction that I ever had with him was first class. He was a really professional individual. You could tell he cared about the kids he was coaching.”

Graham said he saw Beckman at a football scrimmage just 48 hours before his passing. It’s a memory he said he will hold onto for a lifetime.

“He came in with his team, he coached them hard,” said Graham. “We shook hands after, wished each other luck. I saw him smiling on the way out. That’s the Jason I want to remember. He will be sorely missed.”