North Hills Native Belke Skates Way From Viper Stars to NAHL Draft

At 6-feet-2 and 175 pounds, Derek Belke may look more like a basketball player than a hockey player.

But this star defenseman for the AAA U18 Pittsburgh Viper Stars, one of the teams that make up the North Hills Amateur Hockey Association, is built to skate.

Belke, 18, of West View, was the third pick in the 10th round of the 2011 North American Hockey League Entry Draft by the Port Huron Fighting Falcons. On July 28, Belke will travel to Port Huron, MI, to begin tryouts for the Falcons, a Junior A tier II ice hockey team.

Belke, a 2010 graduate of , comes from a hockey-oriented family.

His father, older cousins and brother all played, and he has been playing since he was 3, he said. This past season, Belke scored 12 goals and had 38 assists in 80 games for the AAA U18 Viper Stars, one of the organization's elite travel teams.

After playing throughout high school, Belke made the decision to stick around after graduation to see what might develop. With a late birthday, Belke was eligible to play for the New Kensington-based Vipers Stars U18 for another year after he graduated.

He said he gave some thought to college -- Community College of Allegheny County to study criminal justice -- but decided to put it off. Instead, he worked at the on Camp Horne Road and at keeping his hockey skills sharp.

"I was hoping that I was going to go somewhere else. I was expecting to play, but expected to play another year of hockey at least," he said.

On May 27, the day of the NAHL entry draft, Belke elected to go out with friends rather than stick around to wait and see what happened.

“I knew the draft was going on, but I didn't really want to thnk about it. Then, my mom called and said I got drafted," he said.

His whole family was ecstatic. Friends and even people he didn't know congratulated him and wrote on his Facebook wall. Some joked that he was already a superstar. Others thought he was drafted into the NHL, probably because the acronym so closely resembles the NAHL.

As a teen, Belke had to give up a lot and skip some of the things that were common experiences for his friends and classmates.

“I missed a lot of stuff going through high school with friends because I was out playing hockey," he said. "I missed a lot of things with girlfriends, dances and things like that.”

He's OK with that trade-off.

“I knew full well playing with a team like this that that was what it was going to take,” he said.

In part because of that dedication and maturity, Belke now has a shot at playing junior hockey.

Once a player makes it to that level, he said, other doors may open. There will be chances to really prove yourself and exposure to great coaches. Maybe even a scholarship to play hockey at a Division 1 university. 

“I want to see what happens with it, and what I can get out of playing hockey. I put so much into it and I want to see what I can get back from it.”

Dave Kosick, head coach of the Viper Stars AAA U18 team who coached Derek for two seasons, said he is a solid defenseman who has worked hard for this opportunity. 

“He’s a great kid to coach. His future is probably pretty bright. Like all kids going to play junior hockey, he’ll self-determine his next step,” Kosick said.

Although Belke will be competing against other men for very few positions, Kosick said he thinks good things will happen for him.

For now, Belke will wait, hanging out with friends, working until the end of July and knowing that he’s been preparing for years. Although he's anxious for try-outs to start, he said he's prepared himself mentally with the help of Kosick, who has advised him to keep his head straight.

“Going into it, I'm not going to be too cocky about it. Coach encourages a level head, playing your best, and not thinking that you're already on the team,” Belke said.

“I have to go out and perform. If I don't do my best, I’m not expecting to make the team. I have to go and show them what I have to offer as a player and hopefully make it.”

If he makes the cut, Belke will move to Port Huron for the start of practice in August. He'll live with a family there and chip in for food and essentials. League rules require him to take courses online or get a job. 

Kosick said Belke is well-deserving, capable, and going places. 

“He's not one of those kids who has sit back and let things come to him,” Kosick said. “For a young man like him, it's a just reward for the amount of time and energy put forth.”