Zack Belter grew up watching old videos of the Buffalo Bandits championships on YouTube, imagining himself on the turf field at KeyBank Center. The Wheatfield native went to games growing up, watching the likes of Mark Steenhuis and Billy Dee Smith.
Now, Belter – a first-round draft pick out of St. Bonaventure in 2022 – is a defenseman and NLL champion with his childhood team.
Bandits.com caught up with Belter to talk about playing for his hometown team, playing for Team USA this summer at the World Lacrosse Box Championships, and how he feels about dipping wings in a condiment.
You played hockey growing up as well as lacrosse. At what point did you figure out that you wanted to play lacrosse over hockey long-term?
That’s a tough one because hockey was my first true love. It was one of those things where whatever season it was, it was the sport I loved the most and focused on. But obviously they’re both huge sports. It was definitely really tough. I wanted to stick with lacrosse and pursue that in college and then hopefully professionally. Hockey was tough to give up.
Being from Buffalo, what was it like to be able to get drafted to your hometown team and now be able to contribute to the team’s success?
Yeah, it was a blessing. It was super cool, going back to the draft and getting drafted by Buffalo. Obviously, I was a fan as a kid and grew up loving watching the team. The cool thing about Buffalo is that there’s such a history here going back to the ’90s. I grew up always watching the old ’90s championship games on YouTube and then throughout the early 2000s and the 2010s, going to games. Again, it was a blessing to get drafted here.
What’s been your favorite thing you’ve done so far in your lacrosse career?
I think the coolest part about lacrosse is being able to pass it on to the next generation and for me, having three younger brothers, some of my fondest memories are just seeing them fall in love with the sport and seeing them learn stuff in the backyard and just playing with them. I’d say those are probably some of my fondest memories.
What was the experience like this summer playing for Team USA at the World Lacrosse Box Championships?
I mean any time you get to have USA on your chest, it’s a pretty humbling experience to go through that whole process and be selected for the team and then get to go on that journey with that group of guys. It was super cool because you’re together for a couple of weeks and you know a lot of the guys and some you may not know too well, but you spend so much time together and develop a bond so quickly.
It was a super cool experience and seeing all the other countries where some may be newer to lacrosse and then seeing the teams like Canada and the Haudenosaunee, which were super teams, it was all just a cool experience and one that you look forward to hopefully having the opportunity to do again in four years.
Talking about that stacked team of Canada, some of those players on that team were your teammates. You go against them in practice sometimes, but how weird was it to see them in a different uniform?
Yeah, it’s different, but it’s also a major challenge to play against guys like Dhane (Smith) and Ian (MacKay) and Steve (Priolo), and Tehoka (Nanticoke). Especially as a young guy, you always want to prove yourself and you want to compete against the best. It was cool to play against them, but I’m happy we’re on the same team again now.
What’s your go-to song to get ready for a game?
I’m one of the few guys who doesn’t listen to music before the game. At least, I don’t have headphones on. I listen to whatever is on in the locker room or playing in the arena. It’s something I started doing in college and I stuck with it. So yeah, I’m not a music guy before games.
Not listening to music, how do you lock in before the game?
Yeah, there’s a lot of stuff. I have a part of my routine to get my body ready physically and also getting mentally prepared. I like getting there super early. I can’t be bouncing off the walls at 4 o’clock for a 7:30 game, so you kind of have to be focused and take care of what you need to, but also remain cool, calm and collected too.
Once you got activated last season and you were making appearances for the team, what was your mindset on what you wanted to try and accomplish that would keep you on the active roster?
Yeah, I think whether I was in the lineup or even before then, your focus is always just doing whatever you can to help the team win. So, starting off being injured and then getting activated, your role does change a little bit there, but ultimately, you’re still just trying to do whatever you can on a daily basis to help the team be successful. Still to this day, it’s the same thing. Even though I have a year under my belt, you never really get comfortable. You always want to go out and earn it every day and earn the respect of your teammates through your effort every day and that’s what I try and do.
What’s the top spot in Buffalo for wings?
I’ll go with 2 spots. I’ll go with a Northtown spot and a Southtown spot. Northtown is the Sawyer Creek Hotel and for Southtown, I have to go with Bar Bill.
Do you get blue cheese or ranch?
Oh, I’m neither. I’m a believer in, you pick the sauce for a reason and blue cheese or ranch takes away from the sauce. So yeah, I don’t touch the ranch or blue cheese with my wings. I want to feel the flavor. I went to Bar Bill with a buddy this past week and we got honey butter Cajun wings and he’s just drowning them in blue cheese. I’m like, “Do you even taste the honey butter Cajun anymore?” I don’t understand the point, especially if you’re getting a unique sauce too. It’s almost like you’re disrespecting the chef. You order the sauce, and you want to taste the sauce. I mean, you can get blue cheese and ranch, but you already know what that tastes like.
Let’s say you get fries on the side, do you dip those in something, or do you just eat those plain too?
Usually, ketchup or hot sauce. I like Cajun fries though. I like my fries a little seasoned, but if anything, ketchup or hot sauce. But definitely if they have Cajun, I’m throwing some Cajun on those things.