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It's full steam ahead for Beebe movie

One could see it coming, Don Beebe's resignation as Aurora Christian head football coach, as his son, Chad, aged and went on to play football for Northern Illinois University.

Last Nov. 2 in DeKalb Chad caught his first college touchdown pass, an 81-yarder. Don learned about it via cellphone on the sidelines at IC Catholic during a playoff game. Don vowed he would never again miss such an opportunity.

When in December Beebe resigned as Eagles head coach and stated his reason - he was compelled to spread his faith through film productions - well, it was hard to see that coming.

It is a reality. While the former NFL receiver serves as offensive coordinator for Aurora Christian head coach David Beebe, his brother, a lesser involvement that allows Don to see his son play, progress is being made in his partnership with faith-based Desert Wind Studios, based in Arizona.

Desert Wind co-chairman Steven Camp has targeted principal photography to start shooting in Aurora May 14, 2015, for a feature film based on Beebe's early life. Camp said several partners have been enlisted as investors with further opportunities for not only this film but also a subsequent production Camp sees either as a sequel film or a television miniseries.

"We realized that there were two parts to this story," said Camp, a 1987 West Aurora graduate whose younger sister, Donna, graduated from Aurora Christian in 1989.

"We're actually now engaged officially with Aurora Christian for the rights to tell the second half of Don's life, which obviously has revolved around the Aurora Christian Eagles football team," Camp said from his local office in Oswego.

He said the first film's nine-week preproduction phase includes a shooting wrap on June 26 followed by four months of postproduction. The current screenplay, which is in its fourth revision, stands at 105 pages, and Camp foresees a film of about 1 hour, 45 minutes. He said co-screenwriter and script revisions writer Joshua Mills has worked "very, very closely" with Don Beebe and his wife, Diana.

"The film starts with Don at age 7 committing his life to Christ and asking God to help him do something special in sports," Camp said. "The first half of Don's life will carry through his entire journey back and forth from Western Illinois to Chadron State and all the way through him being drafted by Marv Levy and the Buffalo Bills at the age of 24."

Camp believes it will be a boon for Aurora. He said more than 150 crew members will be in the city for three to four months straight, including a cast of up to 72 different speaking roles.

Camp said this would be a "replication" of when Desert Wind shot the film, "Brother's Keeper," in Bainbridge, Georgia, scheduled for national release in 2015.

"We took over the hotels in that area for about three months," he said.

"Brother's Keeper" featured Michael Rooker and Travis Tritt. Camp said the current talent budget for the first Beebe film stands at about $1.43 million. A casting director has been brought on and the acting "wish list" includes Rooker and Will Patton to play coaches Beebe encountered.

Anyone who's seen Rooker in anything from his start in "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" to "Guardians of the Galaxy" could see him fully inhabit the role of a drill sergeant-style football coach. Patton has played a football coach, in "Remember the Titans."

Camp did not reveal his dream Don Beebe, but he does have the character's motivation down cold.

"We believe this entire opportunity presents our partners and investors an opportunity to join a broader social and evangelical mission," Camp said.

Community calendar

St. Charles East is accepting nominations through Dec. 5 for the annual Jodie Harrison Lifetime Achievement Award.

Folks are asked to provide as much information as possible about their Saints heroes, starting with current address and phone, athletic achievements and contributions, year of graduation or years of service to St. Charles East or St. Charles High. Athletes must be at least 10 years removed from high school, so no Annie Martinezes or Kendall Stephenses, copy?

A nomination form and further instruction can be had at east.d303.org. The Hall of Fame Night will be Jan. 24, 2015.

St. Francis basketball is hosting its fourth annual Youth Coaching Clinic at the school, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 22.

Targeting coaches of boys and girls youth teams, coaches from St. Francis' boys and girls programs will demonstrate offensive and defensive drills and strategies. It's a free event.

Spartans boys coach Bob Ward noted all attendees are welcome at a post-clinic get-together for refreshments and round ball talk at The Bank Restaurant in Wheaton.

Two of our favorite activities - breast cancer awareness and dribbling a basketball - converge Oct. 26 at the Illinois Basketball Academy, 460 Industrial Drive in Naperville, during an event held by M14 Hoops.

The basketball skills development company formed by Waubonsie Valley graduate Matt Miller offers its fourth annual Breast Cancer/Food Drive Ball Handling Clinic from 4:30-6 p.m. Oct. 26.

For $20 and a canned food item attendees get a raffle, deejay and a 90-minute ball-handling clinic. Preregistration is required. Start by dialing (331) 281-0192 or emailing Info@m14hoops.com

Landmark ho

Football victories like West Aurora's 27-24 double-overtime win against Waubonsie Valley, they're not a matter of few and far between in Nate Eimer's four years as head coach. They just plain haven't happened - until his boys pulled it off Oct. 10.

This gained enough attention that 2-5 West Aurora actually drew three votes in the Week 8 Associated Press voting in Class 8A.

Not that Eimer needed the reminder, but he could tell this victory was different when a grounds worker drove his maintenance vehicle onto the field in the middle of practice to congratulate the coach.

"You can tell a lot of people are pulling for you," said Eimer, a West Aurora graduate and former Blackhawks football player. "I don't think many people get this many text messages and emails and phone calls. But then it's back to business."

People asked him if last Saturday's practice, a lighter version of the weekday grind featuring film study and conditioning, was different from other Saturdays while West Aurora was going 1-5.

No, it wasn't, he said. In fact, Eimer had previously said one of this year's hallmarks was he had 70 players eagerly looking forward to football even while the Blackhawks lost their first four games before netting another quality win in Week 5 over Bartlett.

That's the type of effort and resilience it took last week to beat the Daily Herald's No. 4 rated team, and everyone in the program knows they certainly can't rest on those laurels.

"We don't want to be a one-hit wonder," Eimer said. "We want this to be the game that changes our program."

doberhelman@dailyherald.com

Follow Dave on Twitter @doberhelman1

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