Ashland Soccer Coach reaches another milestone

ASHLAND, Maine (WAGM) - There are very few soccer caoches who have over 450 career wins. Ashland Coach Pete Belskis is a member of the 450 win club. He Coached the Ashland boys to 250 win and this year became a member of 200 win club on the girls side, . He now has 212 victories as coach of the Lady Hornets. He is the only coach who has over 200 wins coachng both boys and girls. That gives him a total of 462 wins, fifth on the Maine Soccer Coaches Association all time wins list.

Pete Belskis:” I have been blessed with good health and have a passion for the game. I have always had that passion.

Belskis has been coaching for over 40 years. He spent 26 years coaching the boys team, stepping down in 2000. He worked as a volunteer with the girls team in the early 2000′s and then took over as head coach in 2006 and is still going strong. His teams have won three state championships, one with the boys in 1997 and two with the girls in 2014 and 16. the Hornets have also won 9 regional titles during his career. He says that his players get the credit for the success, they put in the hours working on skills in the summer and during the season. He feels soccer is a great sport to teach life long lessons

Belskis:” I think the philosophy stays the same. You have kids who want to be led and want to be taught. I think soccer is a great tool for teaching and to learn some of the ways in life. You have to pick yourself back up at times and I think it helps as a good teaching tool.”

The veteran coach says that support from his family, school administration and community are also keys to the Hornets success. He says that even after over 40 years on the sidelines he still has something left in the tank and hopes to keep coaching.

Belskis:” I love the game and as long as that stays, and they are willing to have me here. I would like to stay as long as possible. I also have a granddaughter in the sixth grade and that might be some incentive as well.”

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