Coach Warren Beideman dies from ALS at age 80
Beloved soccer coach to so many area youth from the Henlopen Soccer Club to Cape Henlopen High School, Warren Beideman passed away peacefully at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 27, in Bucks County, Pa., surrounded by his immediate family.
Services are set for Friday, Dec. 30, at the Joseph Fluehr Funeral Home in New Britain, Pa. The address is 241 East Butler Ave. on Route 202 and Sandy Ridge Road.
The viewing will start at 9 a.m. and conclude at 10:30 a.m. There will be a brief blessing and then Coach Warren Beideman will be buried with his mother and father at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, on City Line Avenue in Philadelphia. A lunch will follow the burial.
The article below was first published in the Cape Gazette Oct. 3, 2011
Coach Warren Beideman diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease
By Dave Frederick
Warren Beideman, the irrepressible and relentless Energizer bunny of youth soccer in the resort area, an athlete who played full field himself through his 60s, has been officially diagnosed by University of Pennsylvania neurologists with ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
The retired oil burner mechanic for the Sinclair Company in Philadelphia crawled in and out of tight places his entire life and always left people feeling warmer than when he arrived. The same can be said of his history coaching soccer or his unwavering friendship and loyalty to athletes and coaches he worked with for over 60 years.
According to the ALS Association, "ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body.”
Beideman has worked with kids at all age levels within the structure of Henlopen Soccer Club in addition to helping out with the teams in the Cape Henlopen School District.
Coach B, now 79 years old, is a Korean War veteran. According to his son, Warren F. Beideman III, “My father was diagnosed with ALS just recently. We had brought him up to our home in Pennsylvania in June, due to [the fact that] he was not getting around well and was getting weaker as the weeks went by. We had taken him to a neurologist up in our area, and that was the first time that ALS ever came up. From there the neurologist suggested that we take him to the University of Pennsylvania, ALS division, for a second opinion, and they confirmed the diagnosis. Right now my dad is in a nursing home close to our home. He is wheelchair bound and cannot walk. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.”
Coach Beideman's red Dodge Ram pickup truck was always filled with soccer balls and nets and tools like shovels and post-hole diggers - anything that was needed in case an empty field were suddenly transitioned into a soccer venue.
He played semiprofessional soccer for 12 years but really played the game his entire life.
The address of the nursing home is: Pine Run, 777 Ferry Rd., Doylestown, PA 18901. Coach B is in Room 312, on the third floor. The address of his son Warren is 109 Woodbridge Court, Sellersville, PA 18960.
Personal recollections: According to his son Warren Beideman III, his father Warren F. Beideman Jr. learned to play the game of soccer at the age of 6 at the Old Lighthouse Boys Club, which was located at Front and Erie in Philadelphia.
He went to Northeast High School in Philadelphia, graduating in 1949. While there he started on the varsity team for three years. The team was unbeaten and unscored upon.
Coach B coached his son at the Old Lighthouse Boys Club and won many championships and cup playoffs titles. Both father and son played semiprofessional soccer together at the Phoenix Soccer Club, which is located in Feasterville, Pa.
While playing semiprofessional, Coach B had opportunity to play with and against Walter Bahr from the 1950 World Cup Team. He also had the opportunity to coach Matt Bahr, who went on the be a kicker for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Coach B was instrumental in starting the Northampton Soccer Club, which would later become F.C. Buck/Council Rock. Notable people he coached earlier in his career include Davey McWilliams, head coach at Temple University and professional player and former coach of the Philadelphia Kixxs, and Pat Farrell, men’s head coach of the LaSalle Explorers.
“When he first moved down to Lewes, Coach B reached out to Charlie DuSille, who was then the head coach of Rutgers University and requested Charlie to look at Robin (head coach of Cape Henlopen) and got Robin [Erthal] the opportunity to go to Rutgers,” said coach Beideman's son, Warren.
In 1998, Beideman was inducted into the Philadelphia Old-Timers Hall of Fame as an outstanding player and coach. In 2010, the state of Delaware presented him an award for his volunteerism because of his involvement with the local Henlopen Soccer Club.
“While waiting for this diagnosis, he was still on the field, coaching from his wheelchair, helping me with the two U-10 soccer teams from the Warrington Soccer Club," said son Warren. “Dad has always been there for anyone that needed help.”
Coach B has a granddaughter, Samantha, who is also a soccer player, and is attending LaSalle University for nursing.
According to his son, “Poppy B was always at my games cheering me on, stating 'Good stuff!! Ball goes by man goes by, not both, don’t over commit!'” But in the end, he always had great things to say about how I played. He rarely ever missed any of the games.”
