McCullough’s Mason Beirne, Wise Beyond his Years

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- We are doing something outside of the box for this week’s Woodlands Online Player of the Week. We’ve always used high school student-athletes to be our subjects.

Well, this week we are featuring McCullough Junior High student, Mason Beirne.

You may recognize his last name, as his father, Kevin Beirne, played Major League Baseball and was a standout at McCullough High School (now The Woodlands High School).

The apple hasn’t fallen too far from the tree in that Mason is a ridiculous multi-sport athlete just like his pop. You could say he’s the best athlete to attend McCullough Junior High School since Daniel Lasco.

But I digress… We don’t write about people unless they possess great character, so let’s see about that.

Family sources indicate Mason has always been a very sweet, old soul. His half-brother and sister, Connor and Allie, were 10 and 12 years old when he was born. Being around them in their teenage years when he was so young matured him a bit more than the norm.

When Allie’s first car was broken into, he brought her his birthday money because he heard her say they stole her wallet. He was six years old.

When Connor’s friend and teammate was severely injured in football his senior year, Mason made Connor a card because he could see how upset he was. Mason was only five then.

Mason has a lot of empathy for others and is still very competitive. He always wants to win but will never gloat or trash talk. He always cheers for his friends to win, even if they’re in direct competition with him.

This just in: Mason is a really good kid. He has a good sense of right and wrong and is a good friend.

Let’s learn more about Mason Beirne…

1) You play football, 7-on-7 football, baseball, and run track. Your mom was an elite athlete where she grew up in Marshall, Texas. Your dad was one of the best athletes to ever come out of The Woodlands. Describe how great of an influence they’ve had on you in regards to athletics.
My entire family has had a huge impact on me when it comes to sports. From as young as I can remember, I was always outside playing some sort of sport. One of my grandfathers had a successful NFL career and the other played college football at Virginia Tech, not to mention my dad, who played football and baseball at Texas A&M and then pitched in the big leagues. There’s definitely a little pressure, but I've learned to ignore it and just have fun and play.

2) You’re in eighth grade at McCullough Junior High School. Have you enjoyed your two years there?
I'd say my two years at McCullough have been pretty good. I've made so many close friends that are always there for me. My teachers and coaches are great and very supportive. If I had to choose my favorite subject, it would be science. Science has always been my favorite subject because I'm so curious about how everything works, and science never fails to have an answer.

3) You’re a multi-sport guy. What are your thoughts about sports specialization at a young age?
My dad has always encouraged me to play as many sports as I can and not to get too into just one. He is not an advocate of specializing in one sport too soon, and I agree. I would never want to pick just one sport at my age.

4) I realize you’re in eighth grade, but have you given any thought to where you might want to go to college?
If there was one college I could go to, regardless of it being because of sports or academics, it would be Texas A&M. I haven't been there much, but whenever I go it is always a great time. Whether it be football games or baseball games, there's so much energy there and everyone is nice. My favorite part is all of the traditions there.

5) What do you hope to be doing after you graduate from college?
I hope to play one of the sports I do at a higher level. Other than that, I haven't really thought entirely about what I want to be, because the world is changing fast. I really don't want to choose a job that can be easily taken by a robot or AI. I would want to choose something that I can wake up every day and love to do. That is more valuable than any paycheck.

6) What do you enjoy doing away from school and sports?
Away from sports and school, I love hanging out with my friends over everything. Doing something dumb, playing something at a park, or riding bikes around are some of the best times I've ever had.

7) Do you have any sports role models? Tell us about them.
If I had to choose a sports role model that isn't one of my family members, I would either choose Barry Bonds or Michael Jordan. Barry Bonds was undoubtedly the greatest, most dominant hitter of all time. I saw this one clip of him saying, "I don't care how fast the pitcher throws. I don't care if he throws 100 mph. There's a catcher right there standing behind that plate, and he catches it every single time. All I do is change the trajectory of the ball." I absolutely love that mindset and have made it part of my playing style.

My second one would be Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan is probably the most competitive and dominant athlete of all time. I love his careless, energetic playing style. One thing both of these athletes have in common is dominance. They didn't care about what others thought about them — they just played ball.

8) Describe how supportive your family is in everything you do in your life.
My family has been supportive in everything I've ever done. Not once have they ever said I couldn't do something or that I wasn't good enough. At every single game or practice I've ever played, at least one of my parents has always been there.

9) If you were given a million dollars and had to give it to one charity, which one would you choose and why?
If I was given a million dollars and had to give it to one charity, I would choose TeamSeas. TeamSeas was a charity organization created by MrBeast and Mark Rober, two of my favorite YouTubers. For every dollar you donate, a pound of trash is removed from the ocean. TeamSeas has now concluded, surpassing their goal of 30 million pounds of trash — they managed to remove over 34 million pounds of trash from our oceans. My reason for this is because ocean pollution is a big problem right now, and I've been watching both of them for years.

10) Three things that people don't know about you.
One thing people don't really know about me is that I prefer movies with deeper meanings, which is why I don't really like superhero movies. Another thing is that I really love working on things, like modding or upgrading my bike, and I never knew I would like anything like that a year ago. Lastly, I think I really like cooking. Every single time I try to make something, no matter how small, it is always fun — even if it doesn't taste good.

12) What is your favorite song on your phone right now? Do you have a favorite group?
My favorite song is probably We Major or Roses, both by Kanye West. He is probably my favorite artist and created my favorite album, Late Registration, released in 2005.

13) Your favorite movie of all time.
My favorite movie of all time is probably Whiplash. It's a movie all about music and a drummer who is borderline obsessed with becoming the best drummer of all time. At the start, he wasn't very good, but with countless hours of practice and suffering, he managed to make a very prestigious band. Overall, the movie is very complex but also very action-packed and teaches you that hard work can achieve everything.

14) If you were sentenced to death but were allowed to go on one last date, who would the lucky girl be?
If I could go on one last date, it would be Livvy Dunne.

15) When is the last time you danced? Are you any good?
I can't remember the last time I danced. I was not good at all and don't plan to again. (Laughs)

7-on-7 coach Rich Walters shared his thoughts on Mason…
“Mason is one of those kids coaches love to coach and be around. He is a great young man both on and off the field. He has many great qualities. He is very coachable. You teach him a concept and he pays attention and gets it. He continually improves because of that. He is also an unselfish teammate and will do whatever you ask him to do for the team. The moment is never too big for him — he steps up in clutch situations and makes big plays. We always emphasize attitude and effort, and he is one of those who always has a good attitude and will always give you 100% effort. That is hard to find these days.

Off the field, just a great young man. Always smiling and very respectful. He is one of those kids that, when he is around, makes the place better. I just really can’t say enough good things about him both as a player and as a young man.”

As you can plainly see, Mason has a bright future. Some may say he has a lot to live up to with so much athleticism in his family tree. His dad played Major League Baseball and his grandfather played in the NFL. You could say he’s well on his way to similar great things — and yet Mason is so unassuming that he doesn’t act like he’s all that. Some kids his age get full of themselves. That is not how he operates. Because of the attitude Mason possesses, he’ll keep improving and eventually become the best he can be.

You have five years before Mason graduates, so there’s plenty of time to watch him compete.

After that, you’ll have a difficult time catching him because this guy is going places.

Comments to Doug Sarant at dsarant50@gmail.com.

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