CCHL News

Buzzers Beamish Commits to Dartmouth

Date: Nov 17, 2009

For Jesse Beamish, a fifth round pick of the Niagara Ice Dogs of the Ontario Hockey League in 2008, the ultimate goal was always obtaining an NCAA commitment. Why? Well, Beamish, mature beyond his seventeen years, recognized some of the added benefits that pursuing the NCAA route can offer a player in his position.

"I think it (the NCAA) is an overall safer route," explained Beamish. "If pro hockey doesn't work out then you have a great education to fall back on. I like the idea of how we do have a couple more years to develop (after the age of twenty) where if you go to the OHL, by the time you're twenty, if you're not playing professionally, then you have to go back to school. If you go the NCAA route, you get those couple of more years of development."

Likely to benefit from the ability to develop as a hockey player into his earlier twenties, Beamish also cited the chance to go to school with the same people he plays hockey with as another motivating factor for opting for the NCAA.

"I like the style of hockey and I like the idea of playing hockey with all your classmates, it's more of a family environment," said Beamish, a native of Mississauga, Ontario.

After receiving interest from a number of Division I schools, Beamish jumped at the opportunity to commit to the Dartmouth College Big Green following a visit to the campus earlier in the year.

"I really liked what they had going on down there. I really liked the rink (Thompson Arena), I liked the coaches," recalled Beamish. "I liked how it was a smaller school but they had a good focus on hockey. The team is definitely going in the right direction, all the guys seemed nice, and the campus is beautiful, I really don't think you could ask for a better location. When I went down there, it felt like home, so it was a good choice."

An assistant captain, currently in the midst of his second season of Junior A hockey with the St. Michael's Buzzers, centering the top line with Lucas Lessio, a future University of Michigan Wolverines forward and Dan Ciampini, Beamish has moved into an offensive role contributing twenty five points through twenty three games. Used primarily in a defensive role though in his rookie campaign in 2008/2009 as a sixteen year old, he improved steadily and became one of the Buzzers' most reliable defensive forwards by the end of the season. Improving his play away from the puck, Beamish felt, had a big impact on earning his commitment to Dartmouth College.

"I think it had a lot to do with it," said Beamish. "Playing under Coach Cam Stewart last season, he stressed the defensive zone and that we had to take care of our own zone before we went into theirs. I knew if I didn't play a good defensive game, I wasn't going to be getting on the ice as more of an energy player. Learning that style of play last year has really helped me this season to be more reliable."

Early on in his rookie season, Beamish was used sparingly and did not get a lot of ice time. However, he recognized that the Buzzers had an older team and instead, took the opportunity to learn from players like Reilly Smith, Nick D'Agostino and Greg Miller, all of whom have gone on to experience success at the NCAA Division I level.

"It was hard (to stay positive) but it wasn't as hard as I thought it might be because I had good support and Cam Stewart really encouraged me and told me what I had to work on," said Beamish. "Just getting to watch guys like Reilly Smith and Greg Miller and Nick D'Agostino and all those guys, just watching what they did and how they prepared and played, I'm trying to follow in their path this year and do what they did because they've all been successful at the next level."

Looking back on his career to this point, Beamish explained that the support of his parents and the coaching of Louie Gialedakis with the Vaughan Kings organization during his minor midget season are big reasons for helping him to achieve the success he has experienced thus far.

"My parents have supported me the whole way up and they've always been there through the good and the bad," said Beamish. "They've given me advice and although sometimes it's hard to take, they always have my best interests at heart and they know what's good for me."

From a hockey perspective, Beamish credited the tutelage of Gialedakis for helping him take his game to the next level as a fifteen year old.

"Through my minor midget year with Louie Gialedakis on the Vaughan Kings, he taught me a lot and kind of renewed me as a player," he said. "After being cut my minor midget year and then going to his team, he worked me back up and promoted me and I think without his influence on my minor midget year, I wouldn't be where I am today so I thank him a lot for it."

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