I-S athlete to run for UW
By Holly Neumann
Jada Beacom, a senior at Iola-Scandinavia High School, will run in both track and cross country at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall of 2019.
It doesn’t happen very often that an athlete makes it to a Division 1 school,” said I-S track coach Bruce Beyersdorf. “It takes a lot of dedication and self-discipline, especially in running. Jada is a great example on how to get things done. She works hard, she trains hard, she studies hard and she keeps going to the max.”
For Beacom it is a dream come true.
“Madison has always been my dream school,” she said. “When I started thinking about that as being a possibility for running, I began visualizing it every day for the past six months. And wow, it came true. I was so overwhelmed when I found out I had made it, I cried. This is the first time I have let myself say that this is real.”
Beacom started her journey as a runner in the sixth grade.
“Running has been a real teacher for me,” she said. “I have learned about hard work, integrity, goal setting, morals and pursing things you are passionate about. It has made me a better person.”
Some of her accomplishments in cross county include 2015: second-team all-conference, Team’s Most Improved Award; 2016: first-team all-conference, finished 27th at state; 2018: Beacom won five races, first-team all-conference, finished fourth at state with a personal record of 19:20.4.
Her record in track includes: 2016: qualified for state as part of 800-meter relay team, team’s most improved award; 2017: qualified for state as part of 400-meter relay team; 2018: had school’s fastest time in the 200-meter dash and 400-meter run; finished 7th at State in 1600 meter with a personal record of 5:18.57 and team’s most improved award.
Some of her off-season highlights include a personal record of 2:25.87 in 800-meter run at the AAU Wisconsin District Qualifier in June 2018; first place in the 800-meter run at the Midwest Indoor Season Finale in Sterling, Illinois with a time of 2:28.51.
Beacom said her family, friends, trainer and coaches have all played a part in her success.
“They have taught me how to be humble, how to keep going when facing challenges and how to be hungry for things,” she said. “That has allowed me to get where I am today.”
While at UW-Madison, Beacom plans on majoring in nutritional science, with a goal of being a nutritionist.
Jada is the daughter of Mike Beacom and Lisa Shirek.