By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

One of Geneseo High School’s top athletes will take her basketball and soccer talents to Monmouth College.

Danielle Beach, daughter of Jackie and Brian Beach, said she found Monmouth to be “the best fit for me.”

“I decided on Monmouth because when visiting there, everyone was so kind and they were always willing to help me,” Beach said. “They are very dedicated to their education as well as the athletics they chose to play. I felt a sense of relief every time I was on campus, and it is a feeling that is very hard to describe.”

“The coaches did not pressure me to make a choice at all, and they made so many efforts to come and watch my games,” she said.

St. Xavier was the other school Beach considered, and she said she would have tried to play both soccer and basketball there as well, “but I just found Monmouth to be a better fit for me. When I went to practice there, I could tell how dedicated the players were and how much they wanted to be there.”

She said when she attended a game at Monmouth, the players seemed to enjoy themselves while playing, “and I find that to be very important,” Beach added. “Coach Jones is very positive and gives constructive criticism, which is something I like as well. They all were so kind to me and helped me with the questions I had.”

Beach shared that both Coach Henderson, who coaches soccer at Monmouth, and Coach Jones promote the style of coaching that she believes she will enjoy “and hopefully excel with.”

The Monmouth players are not all str5anger to Beach as she has met team members from both the soccer and basketball teams and she added, “They are all very kind and very helpful. A few of them I have played on travel teams with, as well as played against in high school.”

As far as her area of study, she plans to major in business administration with an interest in supply chain management.

MEET DANIELLE BEACH

Danielle Beach will be playing basketball and soccer at Monmouth College and when asked which is her favorite sport, she replied, “I have been debating this for many years and I still can’t choose between soccer and basketball.”

Her love for both sports can be traced back to when she was in grade school. She played on a travel team for basketball when she was eight years old and also played the Geneseo Soccer Club at about the same age.

“I played a total of four sports throughout my time in high school,” Beach said. – Volleyball her freshman and sophomore years; tennis in her sophomore, junior and senior years and basketball and soccer all four years.

At the present time, Beach is not playing on any travel teams, but she previously played basketball for the QC Ballers, Illinois Valley Warriors and Outwork Elite. She also played soccer for the Quad Cities Rush.

She has achieved many accomplishments and received numerous honors for her efforts, including receiving All-Conference nods in tennis, soccer and basketball. She was named to the Geneseo Thanksgiving Tournament All Tournament Team, MLK Kewanee Tournament All Tournament Team for Basketball; All Sectional for Soccer, All Tournament Team for Urbana Tournament in Soccer and Academic All –Conference for Tennis this year.

In addition, on Saturday, Feb. 4, Beach hit the 1,000 point mark in Geneseo’s win over West Aurora at the Kaneland Hoops for a Cure Shootout.

When asked what stands out to her in the current GHS basketball season, Beach said, “One thing that stands out about the current season is how well we are playing together. At the beginning of the season, it was like we were playing with all new people because we lost three starters, so it took some getting used to and we are now plying really well together.”

GHS Lady Leafs varsity basketball coach Scott Hardison refers to Beach as “a coach’s dream…She is so fundamentally sound on both the offense and defense side of the ball. She goes 100 percent all the time and her attitude toward teammates, coaches, and younger players in the program is exactly what you are looking for as a coach.”

“Monmouth College is getting a great person, great athlete, and a great student,” Coach Hardison added. “She will excel in the classroom, on the basketball court, the soccer field, and whatever else chooses to get involved in on campus. I wish nothing but the best for her and I will be following her progress at Monmouth.”

In sharing about her disappointment over the year the guidelines were in place as a result of Covid, she said, “Covid was a bummer because it took me out of my freshman year of the soccer season. This was difficult because that gave me one less year to demonstrate my skills to the coaches who had never seen me play before, and one less year that I had to play with my friends. I also did not get to play with the seniors that year, which was sad because they were a great group of seniors and leaders. Sophomore year of my basketball season was shorter than normal due to Covid, and I had a broken hand at the time, so it took me a little longer to get back to playing. I still did drills with my cast on, but it was difficult.”

When asked about her two favorite sports, Beach said, “My two favorite sports, soccer and basketball, have taught me a lot that apply to life outside of the game. It has taught me to believe in myself even when I don’t think it’s possible, and I also learned to have a more positive mindset and attitude. All the sports that I have played have brought me closer to my friends that I have had my whole life, but also have helped me make new friends and create new bonds. I now have friends from all different schools from all of the travel teams I have played on, and it’s always so nice to catch up with them when I see them.”

Her current workout schedule involves practicing basketball every day that she does not have a game. She also plays soccer in the Bettplex League every Monday night.

In addition, she is in strength and conditioning class at GHS (Advanced Wellness) which involves lifting and building strength.

In the summer, she plans to work on her shooting at the Geneseo Community Center with her Dad, Brian, “or do workouts that Monmouth will provide,” she said.

Beach also works in the concession stand at the John and Carla Edwards Aquatic Center in the summer, and at the Park District in assisting with youth athletic classes, roller skating or special events.

In sharing a favorite memory from her sports at GHS, she said, “In basketball, my favorite memory is from my sophomore year when we won the Conference Championship and we jumped in the Rock Island High School pool after the game. It was a time that I will never for get and it was so much fun. In soccer, it would be when we won the Urbana Tournament and we got to stay overnight in the hotel, and it was just a fun time with the team.”