 Rookie defenseman Brett Bellemore is this week's player in
“Breaking the Ice with…” The feature will be a season long series on plymouthwhalers.com and showcase a different Whaler each week so we can get to know them better.
Drafted in the 12th round (233rd overall) in the 2004 OHL Draft by Plymouth, Bellemore made his OHL debut in the first game of the season September 21st at Saginaw. The upcoming playoff series against Windsor should prove interesting for the Windsor native who grew up attending many Spitfire games. The stay-at-home defenseman, who has a dog named Gretzky, took a few minutes after practice to help us break the ice.
» On the best advice he has been given…
“Just don’t give up, keep trying, and keep at it.”
» On how he started playing hockey…
”I was probably 3 or 4 and my dad put an ice rink in our back yard and me, my sisters, and our friends would all skate.”
» On his youth hockey highlight…
“Skating on the rink in my back yard that my dad built.”
 » On his most memorable goal…
“My most memorable goal would be back in minor hockey when I deked through several guys and deked the goalie out and put it top shelf.”
» On his best moment in a Whalers uniform…
“It would have to be winning the London game (Nov. 12). It was a close game and I think we all played well.”
» On the championships he has won…
“Nothing big, just little minor tournaments here and there.”
» On who has influenced him in hockey…
“I’d say my parents. They’re helping me along.”
» On playing high school hockey…
“I thought it was great. We had a really good team. A lot of the guys are in the OHL right now that played with me on that team.”
» On being a rookie…
“I think it’s going alright. I wish I would have had some points. I wish I would have fought. I wish I would have been more aggressive.”
» On the differences between the OHL and juniors…
“It’s a lot faster. You have to be tougher. It’s a real different game, especially with the rule changes, you can’t be as aggressive.”
» On his typical day…
“I wake up at 6:30 and go to class at 7:15. I have 6 classes. Right after school, I come from school to the rink and play hockey. I work out afterwards and then go home or play poker or do homework at home.”
» On working out at the Kronk gym this past summer…
“It was pretty fun. It was real tiring. Kirky (boxing coach George Scott) worked both me and (Derek) Merlini out really good.”
 » On his favorite class…
“My favorite class would be drama because it is a lot of fun and you get to be active.”
» On his most embarrassing hockey moment…
“I’d say any time I get deked out.”
» On adjusting to billets…
“At first it was hard to settle in, but once I was there for a bit it was a lot easier. The lifestyle change was hard at first, but once you’re in there it’s an experience for both. It has been great.”
» On his pre-game routine…
“I don’t really have one. I just prepare myself, just stretch out for the game.”
» On growing up in Windsor…
“I used to go to Spitfire games a lot and always wanted to be out there.”
» On the upcoming playoff series with Windsor…
“I think it’s great. I get to go home to my hometown. My family gets to see 7 games or 4 or how many it goes. It should be a lot of fun.”
» On playing so close to home…
“My parents come to pretty much every game. Almost every home game and most of the away games. It’s great to have them here and they have supported me so much. It’s good too because my girlfriend can come visit a lot.”
» On his sisters…
“I have two sisters, Stacey and Kelsey. One of them played hockey when she was little, but never did after that.”
» On the player he tries to model his game after…
“Someone like Ed Jovanovski. He’s a tough player. I try to be as tough as him, but not quite.”
» On the toughest player he has played against…
“(Tyler) Kennedy from the Soo. He’s a real quick player, quick feet. He can really deke you out.”
» On if there is anything behind his jersey number…
“It was actually my number for high school 2 years ago.”
 » On his nicknames…
“Just Belly and a couple of the guys call me B-Bell.”
» On his superstitions…
“My stick has to be taped a certain way. I have to do things in warm-ups.”
» On what he'd do if he didn't play hockey…
“I’d be in school applying to colleges trying to become something like an engineer or something like that.”
» On teaching Learn to Skate classes…
“I enjoy working with the kids. It’s a lot of fun. When (Justin) Garay is sick or can’t go, it’s always a lot of fun to go on the ice and play hockey with the kids.”
» On his funniest teammate…
“Ryan Stephenson, he has all the chirps.”
» On what he brings to the team…
“I feel I am stay-at-home defenseman. I hope to fight more next year. I hope to get to play that role.”
» On the craziest thing that has happened on the road…
“Probably when I got stuck in an elevator for an hour. That was an experience.”
 » On the person he would most like to meet…
“Wayne Gretzky. He was a great player and I’d like to meet him.”
» On his dream goal…
“It doesn’t really matter the goalie, just a one-timer from the point against London in overtime of course.”
» On what one thing he could not live without…
“Hockey.”
» On his dream vacation…
“I’d like to go to Hawaii or maybe to Colorado because I like to ski a lot. Hawaii because I like the sun and beach.”
» On the rule changes in hockey…
“I like the new rule changes. I like the tag-up rule. I don’t like not being as aggressive on players. It may speed up the game, but it kind of holds us defenseman back.”
» On what other five players he would want on the ice with him…
“Nick Lidstrom. He’s one of the greatest defenseman ever. Probably Wayne Gretzky, Joe Sakic, and Steve Yzerman as forwards and (Martin) Brodeur in goal.”
-Natalie Shaver, March 23rd, 2006-
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