Play basketball and see the world. That is what Beau Beech continues to do after recently signing to play his sixth professional season and fourth in Europe.
“It’s a dream,” Beech said. “I get to travel the world and play basketball. It’s not a bad life.”
This season he will play with Czarni Slupsk in the Polish Basketball League beginning in early September. It will be the third country he’s played in after being on teams in Germany and Greece the past two years.
Something new when he makes the trip to Europe this time around is that he will not be going alone.
Instead, he will have the company of his wife Emma who is going with him, as the couple recently got married, which is something they wanted to do before they leave for Poland on Aug. 3.
The couple plans to have a big ceremony next summer after they return.
Having her with him on the journey is something Beech is looking forward to and is a big difference from his experience a year ago, when he played in Greece and was in lockdown for the entire nine months he was there, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Knowing I’ll have her there, home will always be with me,” Beech said. “We’re going to have those memories together. These are stories we will be able to tell our kids one day.”
He also believes Emma’s presence will also help his play on the court by having that support by his side along the way.
Although the game of basketball remains the same, there are major factors that differentiate the style of play in Europe compared to the United States.
“It’s a huge difference,” Beech said. “It’s kind of like what you would watch of the NBA in the ‘90s with a slower pace and much more physical.”
Some of the things that promote that approach to play include the three-point line being closer, no defensive three-seconds rule and quarters being 10 minutes compared to 12 in the NBA.
“My first year in Germany, it (physical play) was a big change,” Beech said. “Thinking you’re getting fouled and doing the right things to create offensive production.”
According to Beech, at 6-feet-9-inches he is taller than he was coming up through high school and college, which means he is relied upon more to provide a post presence to go with his potent three-point shooting.
The style of play also changes from country to country, like that of conferences in college basketball in the U.S.
However, one thing that remains constant is the dependence on all players to knock down shots, even the big men. This is an aspect of play that suits Beech’s game perfectly.
“They (coaches) look for all five guys to be shooters on the court,” Beech said. “If you can’t, you won’t be playing.”
Although the differences in play were something to adjust to, it was the off the court situations that have taken some getting used to, such as dealing with the language barrier daily.
However, life in a foreign country is something Beech has gotten more comfortable with over the years.
“My first year in Germany, I was just winging it,” Beech chuckled said. “It’s such a culture shock.”
Now his German has gotten pretty decent and although he may not be able to carry on an entire conversation, he can designate certain words and understand what those around him are saying.
He has been using an app to practice speaking polish prior to making this year’s trip.
Beech remembers being 8 years old and watching his dad Bud Beech coach Chet Stachitas at Nease and then following Stachitas as he played college ball at St. Joseph’s University and then went over to Europe to play professionally.
“I always wanted to be like Chet, and I’ve wound up following a similar path,” Beech said.
That path will now include playing in Poland, which is also a stop Stachitas made in his pro career.
“For anybody that wants to play basketball at the next level, all it is is work,” Beech said. “I’ve known what I wanted to do since I was 8 years old. If it’s something you really love, go after it.”
