Catching Up With Perek Belleh (Part 2)

Former URI Striker Looks Back on His College Career

By Mark Goodman

March 24, 2009

Soccer New England continues its interview with former University of Rhode Island men’s soccer standout Perek Belleh.

In case you missed it, here's the first part of the interview.

Perek Belleh

Perek Belleh led the Atlantic-10 conference with 12 goals in his senior season in 2003. (Photo courtesy of URI Athletics)

Soccer New England: Describe the experience of going from your senior year of college to the professional ranks.

Perek Belleh: It was a really exciting time for me. After getting the NCAA tournament with URI my senior year - and that was a great achievement for myself and for the team - I got an agent. I ended up getting drafted by Rochester. I went there for preseason, and I was doing really well.

I really felt that the management there don’t like young players… We had a preseason match and I did well there. I played out of position at right midfield, and I did well there and got an assist. Then the head coach told me that he wanted to sign some established strikers, so I didn’t really have a chance.

I left there, bounced around some other USL teams, and then I found my way to New England. There, I didn’t get any first team matches either. But it was a nice experience because it made me really appreciate the time at URI because I was given an opportunity there. Just experiencing the professional lifestyle, it was really nice - not too many people can say they got paid to play the sport that they love.

It was a good experience. There were definitely some ups and downs, but that’s how you grow. If I could do it again, I would do it all over again and I wouldn’t change anything that I did. But, surely, I would’ve liked to have played some more matches.

SNE: Were you surprised that you were let go by Rochester? It seems like for somebody who was coming off a senior season where you led the league in scoring - and you were a first round draft pick - it was all set up for you to get your chance there.

PB: I wasn’t surprised. I was disappointed because I felt like I was going to a hometown team… Going in, I knew it was a business, so I was ready to fight for my place on the team. But I felt that my efforts were just disregarded, and they didn’t give me a chance.

Being drafted 10th overall, as their first pick, that was a nice feeling to have. But I didn’t feel like I was just going to get a chance to play - I was ready to work for it. And I felt that I was doing a good job of that and proving my worth. I was just disappointed they didn’t give me a chance because I could’ve really helped the club, and I really think I could be in the team today.

SNE: What are some of the things that stand out to you when you look back at your career at URI?

PB: There’s a lot of great things that stand out for me. Freshman year, we win the conference tournament as a 3-seed, and we hosted that at URI, which was special. We went all the way to the Sweet 16 and played the No. 1 seed overall, North Carolina, at Chapel Hill, and that was great. I was All-Rookie team that year…

I honestly, without a doubt, felt that was the best football team that I played for in my whole life. I felt that that 2000 team was a special team, and if we had some luck on our side we could’ve reached the Final Four that year. But we played a good team in North Carolina and had some unfortunate bounces, and we couldn’t win that match (UNC won, 3-1). But it was a great year…

My senior year, as a 5-seed - the first year the conference went from four to six teams in the tournament - we ended up winning the whole thing, beating Dayton, Richmond (the hosts) and Temple in the final. It was a really special time because I really felt we were going to be able to do it.

SNE: It sounds like even though, in terms of a professional career, things may not have turned out the way you hoped, it seems like you’re pleased with how things have turned out since college.

PB: Definitely. I don’t feel that there’s any need to be bitter about anything, because the experiences that I had in the MLS and in Germany and in Rochester, they were all great experiences. I met some great people. A lot of my former teammates, I’ve watched them play in the CONCACAF Champions League, I watch them play in the FA Cup, the Premiership. I’ve watched them play in the MLS Cup. I’ve seen them all have success in the sport that we share together.

I want to be positive about everything that comes into my life, and I feel that URI was a great, great time for me. It was a great, positive energy that came into my life and it’s brought a lot of other great things into my life since then, and I’m happy for it. Where I am right now, I’m happy about it, and I have football to thank for all of it.

SNE: Do you see a future for yourself in the sport?

PB: I see myself as a high school soccer coach. I see myself coaching for a good amount of time, and the high school that I coach will win five state championships. And the reason I why I choose high school over college is because the high school players listen more than college players.

I would say I’m like the Larry Brown of soccer coaching - I like to teach it the right way, where it’s not just about getting the results. It’s kind of like (Arsenal manager) Arsene Wenger - we have to play the way we want to play. It’s not just about winning the game. We’re not just going to rush down and kick the ball in the net - we’re going to build it up and score good goals and entertain our parents and fans.