Franchise ResourcesA bark as bad as his bite
Many have felt the crushing impacts he delivers. Many more have heard his doomsday footsteps, as he patrols the entire football field. All have heard his mouth. His trademark trash-talking is epic among IFL veterans. Curtis Beals #3 of the West Bend Junkyard Dogs plays the game of football with a passion for punishment, and an inclination for the incredible. He shocks you with his presence when you hear the crunch of a big hit, followed by the whoops and laughter from his team. He inspires with his veteran leadership and knowledge, he leads with his athletic ability and play-making, and he helps teams of individuals become a band of brothers with his attitude and presence.
Curtis grew up in Chicago, and stood out early as an All-Conference and All-City Running Back at Lane Technical High School. He started at RB in the Chicago High School All-Star game his senior year, and won the City of Chicago championship in the 55m and 100m sprints as a member of the Lane Tech track team. Curtis had multiple college offers and eventually decided on Lakeland College.
He stood out yet again as a student athlete at Lakeland College. He was an All-Conference RB, and then switched to Cornerback his senior year where he earned All-Conference honors there as well. He was the first player in 25 years to earn both offensive and defensive All-Conference honors in the Illini-Badger Conference. Beals wasn’t finished yet. At his pro-combine, after college, he posted a 4.41 second 40 yard dash. This led to a short stint playing in the European Football League in Copenhagen, Denmark.
He played professionally in several arena football leagues, including the IFL, AF2, and NIFL. Curtis started playing semi-professionally with the Milwaukee Rattlers. He has played with the Menomonee Falls Warriors, the Milwaukee Panthers, and the Burlington Blue Devils. Curtis was an All-Mid-States selection in 2008, and made the IFL All-Star teams in 2008 and 2009. His accomplishments on the football field are numerous, and stem from hard work and natural ability.
Curtis Beals has long been known as one of the IFL’s supreme athletes. When he plays Free Safety, there is no place the ball can be thrown to that he can’t reach. At 32, he still inspires trembles in wide receivers when he steps down to cornerback. Sliding over to strong safety, Curtis hits like a linebacker wearing anvils for shoulder-pads. His speed seems to age like fine wine, as he continues to terrorize unsuspecting quarterback’s who hang passes a little too long, and to chase down running back’s who think they are on their way to easy scores. Curtis creates mismatches everywhere he lines up on the football field, and he will verbally inform everyone within range of that fact.
Curtis Beals brings his own reputation for excellence to a team that knows it has to stand out from Day 1. He likes that the expectations for the league’s newest team are so high. He likes that the players on the team embrace the hype. He understands that the only way to meet those expectations, and to exceed them, is to come out throwing haymakers. Curtis takes the time to pull a younger player aside to coach him up on his technique, or to ask what he thinks about a particular scheme. He’s not afraid to get in the ear of an established vet, if he sees something wrong. He leads both vocally, and by example. He is truly an on-field coach, and the Junkyard Dogs are lucky to have him paving the way for their defensive backfield.
No one knows how the 2010 season will unfold this early in the year, but the West Bend Junkyard Dogs are sure to entertain. The team could not have picked a better leader to build a defensive backfield around in their inaugural IFL season than Curtis Beals. He talks hard. He walks with a swagger. He leads his brothers from the front. He plays violently, and it’s reflected in the play of the guys on the field with him. Teammates, coaches and fans look forward to seeing the Dogs play, and hearing the woofing and hollering from one of the best in the business, Curtis Beals.
