Diane Beasley (center) accepts her special plaque (below) from the state champion Scecina Crusaders softball team. |
Name: Diane (Collins) Beasley
Year of Scecina Graduation: 1958
Former Position: Tailor/Seamstress
Current Position: Professional Scecina sports fan
By Rose Branson, Donor and Alumni Relations Coordinator
Have you seen that feisty lady shouting and cheering on the sidelines at almost every Scecina sporting event? Chances are, you’ve seen her even if you don’t know her name.
That super fan is Diane (Collins) Beasley ’58. She is Scecina’s biggest cheerleader, which is ironic, as Diane herself jokes, because she was cut from cheerleading at Scecina.
Diane was the loudest cheerleader at Ben Davis High School on June 10 at the Crusaders softball State Championship game. She started all the cheers and waved her pompoms (souvenirs from the Crusaders ’90 and ’91 state football championship seasons). The Crusaders won the 2017 IHSAA 2A Softball State Championship that day, and Diane won, 
too. The team presented her a plaque, which reads “SM SOFTBALL 2017” and has each girl’s name and number.
When I reached out to Diane to be featured as in the Alumni Spotlight of the Month, she said, “Feature the crazy lady who goes to all of the ball games? Whatever. If you think it will be a good idea, go ahead.” How we laughed! We met at a favorite Scecina hangout – Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza – to learn why Diane cares so passionately about Scecina and its athletic teams (She cares about every aspect of Scecina and especially the arts program.)
“I care so much because of the children – I just love them so much and want to support them,” said Diane, whose grandchildren don’t live close. You can hear it in her voice and in her stories how much Diane loves Scecina students and families. She knows so much about the history of the teams and the families and athletes; she still attends dinners with past alumni to stay in touch.
Diane’s father attended Cathedral High School, she reluctantly says. But she’s clearly proud that he was an Indiana high school state champion in football, and went on to play semi-pro football, bowled a couple of perfect games, and hit a few holes-in-one.
Diane attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School and still belongs to the parish. In 1998, Diane was attending a different Catholic church, but when she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, she reconnected with OLL. Diane got through with the help of Sister Lavonne Long and Father Peter Gallagher, and the support of the Scecina community and OLL family, who prayed for her recovery and gave her strength.
She has missed just four softball games in 20 years. Diane also hasn’t missed many boys basketball, girls basketball, football, tennis, and some soccer games either.
You might see her with Rita (Dichmann) Edson ’67 and Coach Bear, the teddy bear mascot. Ever the devoted fans, Rita and Diane drove 130 miles (each way) to Huntingburg and spent a night in a hotel to watch the softball team play their Semi-State games on June 3.
Diane was a member of Scecina’s Board of Directors for 17 years, is a founding member of the Scecina Women’s Circle, has volunteered at Scecina, and attends most alumni events.
She has three children, Deborah, Dana and John, and was married for 50 years to the love of her life, Donald Beasley, a former Marine. She is proud of her eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, and also loves playing “grandmother” to many current and former Scecina students.
Go Crusaders!