About Tom

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Thomas Alva Beard

Thomas (Tom) Beard was a native of Pottsville, Pennsylvania,
which is located in the hills of Pennsylvania. While at Pottsville
High School, he played football and ran track. While on the track
team, he won the Pennsylvania State Championship in the 4 x
200 Meter Relay. After leaving high school, he attended
Thaddeus Stevens Trade School, which gave him an opportunity
to learn the trade of drafting. Drafting lead him into the field of
building management at the Department of Transportation, which
he retired from in October 1986 with 32 years of service. During
the many years of working for government, he helped to
implement changes for young women against racism within the
FAA, DOT and US Coast Guards in improving their employment
status to super grade levels.

After coming to Washington, DC and playing many years of semi pro football in the area, he
decided that he was interested in becoming a football official. With the help of Mr. Adam Scott,
he was introduced to some of the finest minds in football officiating. His future was set in the right
direction after that point. He then became a member of the E.B.O. around 1966. With him
wanting to be one of the best officials in the area, he was inspired by Mr. R. Melvin Jackson, Mr.
Leo Miles and many others to do just that. He gave a lot of time and energy to officiating, but
something told him it was time for him to pass on his knowledge and to start teaching football
officiating to others.

Tom and Mr. Miles started a training program to create a situation where the metro area would
produce some of the finest football officials in the world. Mr. Miles later relocated to New York
with the NFL. Tom took it upon himself to carry on the program that was already in place, which
the Tom Beard Camp was initiated. The Camp has always been free to those that wanted the
knowledge to become a much better official. Tom had an extensive officiating career starting wit
touch, flag, Boys and Girls Club, Sand Lot (semi Pro), high school and college (CIAA and MEAC)
working many play off and championship games. One of the founders on the crew of officials
selected to work in the MEAC.

Out of the Tom Beard Football Camp, there are officials that have taken their knowledge of the
game and ran with it. There are 11 NFL officials (2 Super Bowls) – Mr. Grier & Mr. Green, many
playoff games and championships. Other officials have worked in the CFL, USFL, XFL, WFL,
Arena Football and many college conferences. At the present, Tom Beard Football Camp is still
training officials. His commitment is to those who want to become better officials.

Tom’s career of officiating stopped for a while to fight the cause of younger officials behind him.
In 1974, he challenged the ACC and the Southern Conference to open the doors wider for
others. He often said, with the help of G and the Health Education and Welfare of Georgia, the
doors were finally opened. He once said his parents often told him that there would come a time
in his life where he would have to bare the burden of a cause for others and perhaps suffer the
consequences of his actions. That is exactly what he did, fought the fight to help others.

Mr Beard transitioned from labor to reward on November 5, 2008 at the Washington Hospital
Center. "Mr. Beard" to many and "Tom" to those fortunate to enough to be around his
acquaintance and appreciate his critical officiating eye. We will miss him dearly.