L-P’s Nik Belski looking to play at the next level

La Salle-Peru senior Nik Belski has a few simple goals this fall.

“Do my job, try to lead the offensive line and destroy some people,” Belski said.

He hopes if he plays well this season, it will open more opportunities for him to play at the next level.

Belski already has offers from several schools, including Football Championship Subdivision schools Dayton and Valparaiso and Division II schools Northern Michigan and Upper Iowa.

“It would mean everything to me to play college football,” Belski said. “Playing at the next level was always a dream of mine when I was younger.”

Belski said he hasn’t narrowed down his search yet.

“I’m going to play the season out and toward the end of the season I’ll see what I have,” Belski said.

Belski spent the summer going to camps at Olivet Nazarene, North Central, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Western Illinois and Minnesota-Duluth.

“I was busy all summer going to camps and I’ve been on Twitter a lot with recruiting stuff just trying to get my name out there,” Belski said.

Belski also has focused on improving his game.

The 6-foot-2, 276-pounder started attending FIST Football Academy in St. Charles after connecting with co-owner Kevin Sabo at The Line Showcase.

Sabo played football at North Central College and later coached the offensive line at his alma mater. He serves as the offensive line coach at Burlington Central High School along with training players at FIST Academy.

“Coach Sabo teaches me all the technique that an offensive lineman needs to be successful on the field,” Belski said. “He teaches me everything I need to know for pass and run blocking and breaks the technique down so I can incorporate it into my game.”

L-P coach Jose Medina said Belski had a good summer.

“He has stepped up a lot this year,” Medina said. “He’s been one of those guys who has been consistent all summer. He went to camps. He works on his craft. He’s been going to a lineman academy. You can tell he’s focused and he wants to earn a scholarship.

“I told him it’s all about how you perform this year and if you perform well then coaches are going to be coming. I told him you’ve already gotten some offers, so that’s a plus and if you show what you got this year and be a tough, hard-nosed lineman then great thing are going to happen.”

Medina, who played football at Western Illinois, said Belski has what it takes to play at the next level.

“If you watch film, he finishes blocks,” Medina said. “He gets on guys and finishes blocks. Even today (on the first day of practice), we don’t have pads on or anything, but he’s just getting out on the edge and taking kids out. That’s what you want to see out of offensive linemen.

“Going to college and seeing those big offensive linemen, they love to be tough, gritty and aggressive, and I think that’s what Nik has.”