Mt. Lebanon linebacker taking winning ways to Air Force
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Beckham Dee returns as a starter at linebacker as well as H-back for Mt. Lebanon this football season. A 6-1, 215-pound senior, he recently committed to the United States Air Force.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Beckham Dee is expected to be one of the top linebackers in Class 6A this football season after leading Mt. Lebanon in tackles last fall. A 6-1, 215-pound senior, he recently committed to the United States Air Force.
Beckham Dee’s parents influenced his path in life.
His mother, Stacy, christened him based on a friend’s name while she lived in Arlington and pursued her law degree at George Washington University.
“Everybody thinks that I am named after David Beckham. If I was, then I would be a soccer player,” explained Dee.
Dee added the story behind his name is not that big. It was the simple fact that his mother altered the ending of the name of her friend’s son (Beckett) because she didn’t like that ending.
In two years, Dee also changed addresses. His family moved to Mt. Lebanon and Dee has grown up to be a standout linebacker and an Air Force Academy recruit, thanks in part to his father, Chris.
Noting he has no idea what things would be like if he had remained in Arlington, Dee said, “I am very happy here with my school and all my friends and this program.”
Initially, Dee was not pleased to play football when he picked up the sport in the first grade.
“Actually, I did not want to (play) but my dad wanted me to,” he said.
A quarterback for Greensburg Salem High School, Mr. Dee played collegiately for Carnegie Mellon.
Dee noted that his father never pressured him.
“Even in my college decision, he has given me the full power to make the decisions in my life,” Dee said. “He’s informing me but giving me the power. Which is the way it should be. He allows me to be my own person. He made me be my own person.”
Dee also mentioned that his father was the most influential person in his life because of all the little lessons he has taught him and the example he has set in his business endeavors in which he heads up an environmental tech company.
“My dad has taught me that hard work brings success in every aspect of life and he proves that day in and day out in his job,” Dee said. “The lesson sports has taught me is the one my dad impressed upon me about hard work leading to success. If you are not experiencing it, then put your head down and work hard and you will find it.”
Dee said that he is an example of that philosophy, particularly on the football field.
Though he entered high school as a 6-1, 155-pound freshman, he has emerged as a champion linebacker through his diligence. As a 16-year-old senior, he still stands tall but now tips the scale at 215.
“I had to put on a lot of weight and I had to also get a lot faster and master the playbook and do all the little things,” he said.
As a sophomore, Dee was a contributor on Lebo’s WPIAL and PIAA championship squads. He was part of a three-man linebacker rotation with two other seniors during that 15-0 campaign in 2021.
Last fall, Dee gained all-conference second-team acclaim as an all-purpose back while also starting at inside linebacker. Offensively, he gained 326 yards on 86 carries and scored three touchdowns. Defensively, he led the team in tackles with 55. He registered four sacks and 9 tackles for loss. He forced one fumble and added an interception.
In 2023, Dee is expected to start at H-back on offense and shore up the defense.
“Beckham’s our main anchor in the middle,” said Mike Collodi, who replaced the legendary Bob Palko as Lebo head coach. “He will disrupt things like he has been (doing) for years.”
Dee is prepared to oblige.
“Change is common. Change happens in life,” he said. “I’m blessed to have this new coach. Coach Collodi is a great guy with a lot of high energy. He’s brought in a fantastic staff here and we are looking to continue the success we have enjoyed at Mt. Lebanon.”
Because winning a state championship ranks as the highlight in his scholastic career, Dee wants to go out the same way he started his varsity career.
“The goal is alway to win a WPIAL championship here as a team and beyond,” he stated.
Dee expects to play a key role in helping the Blue Devils attain that objective. Personally, he wants to lead a strong defense.
“It’s a whole new scheme but I am excited to take on the challenge of mastering. We want to give up the smallest amount of points as possible and I don’t want to let my teammates down.”
Dee won’t falter either in his leadership role as a senior.
“A big thing is coming together. Keeping the strong team chemistry and building on that has been our foundation,” he said. “Since I have been here, that has helped us win games. What separates us from the other talent that other teams have is our togetherness. We try to improve the little things day by day and our skills but mainly it’s that team bond. Once you improve that, everything else comes.”
With success has come college recruiters. Dee entertained 16 scholarship offers, including bids from Princeton, Penn and Columbia because of his 4.8 GPA and National Honor Society membership. He also attracted the attention of FBS schools, including Toledo, Holy Cross and Richmond.
Dee committed to Air Force. He will pursue a business tract while playing football for the Falcons in the Mountain West Conference.
Dee cited multiple reasons for his choice.
“The coaches were really genuine. They demonstrated a strong interest in me. They wanted me to be there,” he said.
“There also are major benefits that you get from going to a military academy. And it was the highest level of football that I could play.
“Obviously,” he continued, “Colorado Springs is a fantastic, pretty place. Those mountains are really beautiful.”
Another major factor in Dee’s decision was the competitiveness of the program. The Falcons have sported a 41-11 overall record in the past four years. They were a Top 25-ranked program in 2019.
“Having played on a state championship team, that played big in my decision. They already are a dominant force. Air Force is a championship program. So I want to go in there be a competitive starter and help them win championships, learn from those really good coaches and continue that status of winning.”
Age: 16
Birthday: Aug. 23
Parents: Chris and Stacy
Siblings: Grayson, 18. He’s going to walk-on at Michigan
Sports: Football, played freshman basketball
Activities: National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America
GPA 4.8
College choice: Air Force
Major: Business management
Food: Steak
Restaurant: “There are a lot of good steak places around but I like Ruth’s Chris a lot. That’s high-end but if it’s lower end, I’d go Outback because they have a great steak.”
Color: Blue “Probably because it’s our main school color.”
Music: Rap artists Drake and Lil Baby.
Book: Catcher in the Rye
Movie: Whiplash. “I like movies a lot so it’s hard to pick one.”
Favorite athlete: Los Angeles Clipper point guard Russell Westbrook
Who would play you in a movie: Ryan Gosling. “I would love that.”
Dream Destination: Greece. “It’s really pretty there and I love food a lot. So I would love to try the cuisine there.”
Person you would like to have dinner with: Elon Musk. Because of how successful he is, I would want to try and pick up tips and details on some of the things he has done. I hope to replicate at least some of it.”