Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week: Peter Belden: A man of many hats

Tony Altobelli

When he first learned the sport of boys water polo, Peter Belden

was a small fish in a big pool.

“I first started playing in the fourth grade and I was playing against

kids that were two or three years older and much bigger than me,” Belden

admitted. “I was pushed around quite a bit early.”

Now as a senior for the Newport Harbor High team, it’s now Belden’s

turn to rule the pool.

Last year’s All-CIF and All-American selection is picking up where he

left off and his all-around play has helped the Sailors to the No. 1

ranking in the CIF Southern Section Division I polls.

“Peter is a neat player to have on our team because he can do it all,”

Coach Brian Kreutzkamp said. “When your best defender and one of your

best offensive weapons are all in one package, you know you have a

special athlete on your team.”

Belden used all of his weapons in a crucial three-game stretch last

week when the Sailors, then ranked No. 2 in Division I, played No. 1

Villa Park, then followed up with No. 4 Foothill and concluded with the

Division II’s second-seed Los Alamitos.

Three heavily ranked opponents, three wins, with Belden making a major

splash in each contest.

Against Villa Park, Belden scored two goals, but it was his tenacious

defense that rattled the Spartans’ high scorer Charlie Fisher, forcing

Fisher into a major penalty and an early dismissal from the contest.

Fisher settled for only two goals as Newport won, 6-4.

Against Foothill, Belden turned up the offense and scored four goals

in the Sailors’ 11-8 win.

“We use Peter wherever we feel he’d be the most important for us,”

Kreutzkamp said. “Sometimes, defense takes more importance than offense.”

Belden’s offense was in full overdrive against Los Alamitos, scoring

four goals and dishing off four assists as the Sailors hammered the

Griffins, 11-4, and moved Newport to the top of Division I (18-4).

“I would consider myself a utility player,” Belden said. “I just go

wherever I’m needed. I try to be productive in every phase of the game,

but I think when we counterattack is when I’m at my best.

Belden’s offensive game has produced a whopping 73 goals, already

surpassing last year’s total of 65.

“I didn’t even know how many I had until I took a peek at the stat

sheet the other day,” The Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week said. “I was

surprised to find out I had that many.”

Nothing should surprise Belden in the water polo world. After years of

playing as a youngster, the experience paid off into a varsity spot on

the highly-competitive Sailors’ team as a freshman.

“That doesn’t happen too often,” Kreutzkamp said. “He’s seen just

about every situation that can come up throughout his four years at the

varsity level.”

Belden is still not satisfied. “We’ve been in the CIF playoffs every

year and every year, we’ve been upset either in the quarterfinals or

semis each year,” Belden said. “I think this is our year to get even with

those schools that beat us in prior years. We’ve got the talent to do it.

We just have to keep focused and we have to keep working hard.”

It’s that hard work that has helped Belden be as successful as he has.

“He puts in his hours in the spring on the swim team and he’s

definitely a leader by example,” Kreutzkamp said. “He’s not a real vocal

leader out there, but with his work ethic, the guys know what they’re

supposed to do.”

Belden, along with fellow water polo players Steven Jendrusina and

Joey Snelgrove, made up three-fourths of the CIF champion 200-yard

freestyle relay squad last spring.

“It was us three and some guy named (Olympic silver medalist Aaron)

Peirsol,” Belden said with a laugh.

If not swimming or water poloing, Belden spends his time surfing or

checking out the latest movies.

“I especially like the mystery and suspense movies that come out,”

Belden said.