The journey of an athlete rarely follows a straight path. For Jack Beer, that journey has included winning a National Championship with Georgetown, stepping away from the game to prioritize mental health, and making the leap into professional soccer—twice. From signing with New York City FC II to now playing in Spain with Mérida AD, his career has been shaped by perseverance, self-reflection, and an openness about the mental challenges that come with high-level competition.
In this Q&A, Jack shares his experience navigating the ups and downs of professional soccer, the importance of stepping back to move forward, and the mental skills that have helped him stay grounded under pressure.
In your last article for THO, you talked about your collegiate soccer experience and winning a National Championship! Can you walk us through your soccer journey since then?
After winning the National Championship with Georgetown University as a junior at the end of 2019, COVID-19 hit in 2020. The world had stopped, and I thought my soccer career would stop there, too.
During my senior year, I opted out of playing a shortened "covid season," so I graduated and worked a few “normal jobs." However, I found it difficult to find the same enjoyment and fulfillment I had while playing soccer. That was until the end of 2021 when I got a call about trying out for New York City FC II, the "II" representing the newly created B team for Major League Soccer's New York City FC. As a New Yorker, New York City FC is the team I supported as a fan growing up.
It had been two years since I last played a competitive match, but I knew I had to go for it. I resigned from my new job after one week, got my body back into shape, trained hard, attended combines, and earned my spot on the IIs, making the jump to professional soccer.
One day later, I was invited to the MLS team’s pre-season in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Los Angeles, to train for one month. It was my first taste of playing with the players I had always watched on TV. It was an awesome experience.
After that, I returned to play with the IIs for two seasons in 2022 and 2023, serving as co-captain for the 2023 season. I trained with the first team occasionally, but I did not feature for them in a match or sign an MLS contract.
Now the end of 2023, I was ready for a new team and a new experience. However, I had nagging, left-over injuries that prevented me from trying out. It took me six months to fully rehab my injuries, and I was still without a team to play on. Again, I thought that my time playing soccer may be finished. That’s when I got a call from my former youth coach, who is now the owner of a third-division team in Spain - Mérida AD. He invited me for a trial in July of 2024. I had never learned or spoken Spanish, but I had been through this process before. I made sure my body felt right, got on the plane, trained hard, and after one month, I earned my spot on the team. I have been here in Mérida playing (and learning Spanish) ever since. We are halfway through our season which will conclude in June.
In your last blog, you also talked about taking a step back from soccer to focus on your mental health and then returning stronger. How did that experience help you get to where you are now?
I have taken a step back from soccer a couple of times now. Each time, it has given me the space to reflect, identify, and work on the things I can improve mentally. I now have new techniques to manage anxiety. I have taken solo vacations to learn how to enjoy being by myself. I am now more curious than fearful in new situations with new people. I have realized that being a soccer player is not my entire identity. These are just a few things that taking a step back has done for me. Just like having a physical injury, it can be helpful to stop playing, rehab the parts of you that are hurting or weak, and become stronger when you return to play.
How do you deal with/manage the pressure and expectations that come with playing professional soccer? Do you have any practices that you use throughout the season to help your mental health?
My challenge has always been dealing with high pressure and expectations. I've tended to get in my head and overthink. I hired a sports psychologist, Dr. Brett Denkin, to help train my mind. He introduced me to several helpful practices like:
Meditation to calm my thoughts
The Wim Hof breathing technique to interrupt anxiety and change my physiological state
When in doubt, communicate
No hesitation. If you think it, just say it. If you feel it, just do it. No hesitation.
Focusing on the preparation and letting go of the outcome
All of these practices (and more) help me get out of my own head. It takes my focus away from thoughts of nerves/pressure and towards control/action.
As an athlete and mental health advocate, why do you think it is important that athletes are open about their struggles? What do you hope to accomplish by sharing your story?
It is important for all people to feel comfortable expressing themselves and sharing if they are going through something, athlete or not. Otherwise, our well-being, freedom, growth, and support can be limited. When athletes specifically share their struggles, it is an opportunity for others to let them know they are cared about as a person before a player. Sometimes we can make scoring a great goal look easy, but that does not mean that our lives are easy.
I don’t want to hide any part of myself or my journey. Sometimes people only see a great goal I score, an award I am recognized for, or a new contract I sign. Most people don't understand the struggles, failures, or lessons learned along the way, and the ones that keep persisting. I want to share everything, the “good” and the "bad.” There are articles about me being recognized as an All-American, winning a National Championship, and signing professional contracts. There are also articles about me having panic attacks, being depressed, and quitting soccer. To me it’s not good or bad, it’s just real. I don’t fear judgment because it’s the truth - it's my truth. I want to show others that it’s freeing to share theirs too. It reminds everyone who we all are at heart - human beings trying to do our best.
What advice would you give to other athletes who are looking to play at the next level but are anxious about the transition?
Train your mind as much as your body, build a good support system, don't be afraid to ask for help, and stay true to yourself.
Do you have any advice for players who want to look out for their teammates and create a positive team culture that promotes mental health?
Ask your teammates how they are doing, and mean it. Check up on teammates who don't get much playing time or have injuries. Speak to a player if they had a bad practice or seemed down about their performance. Spend time together off the field to create real friendships. They may find that a positive team culture that promotes mental health leads to a winning culture on the field.
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