Didier Verhault Biography

[FTK 49]

DIDIER VERHAULT

 

BIOGRAPHY

 

If you were to surf through a history of VHL talents and their nations, Belgium would not likely headline any major category. While respectable VHL talent has emerged from the Flemish-Wallonian nation of Belgium, none would emerge greater than powerhouses like Canada, Russia, and the USA. With one goal in mind, Defenseman Didier Verhault emerges from Belgium with ambitions of bringing glory to his nation, name, and the pride of victory. 

 

Didier was not born as a prodigy in any way, despite his family’s ties to localized ice hockey in Belgium. As a child he played organized hockey, traveling from Antwerp, Liege, and a multitude of other rink-cities for tryouts and applications. While Didier showed physical tenacity and a love for the game of ice hockey, many schools and programs declined him due to size concerns. Having projections of below 6 feet, as a Defenseman, it was seen as a major handicap to Didier’s physical game. 

 

The Verhault family would not let this discourage them from supporting Didier’s dreams of playing organized ice hockey. Using the publication of his school’s ice hockey team, Didier was invited to a tryout in the capital city, Brussels, to join the Belgian Juniors. This was a dream come true for the Verhault family. While Didier’s father, Danyer, had played ice hockey at a similar level, he was unable to advance his career with the same concerns that caused many organizations to pass up on Didier.

 

The Verhault family had been decently wealthy and comfortable, allowing them to freely support Didier in his journey to play professional hockey. Danyer Verhault, Didier’s father, had once played hockey and had a successful business career in retail for sports equipment for Belgian Junior teams. Including hockey, this meant Didier had easy access to training equipment and gear at a young age, advancing his development past many others of similar level. 

 

Didier was able to impress the coaches of the Belgian Juniors of ice hockey, and was able to participate in the team's localized tournaments to hone his skills. Again he impressed, and despite his size he was able to produce positively both defensively and offensively. Verhault’s performance in the Belgian Juniors was his first taste of professional hockey, and it attracted his first scouts from the VHL World Juniors. While Verhault declined to play and decided to stay an extra season in Belgium, his name had found its way on to the paper of many VHL scouts.

 

Another season came and went of the Belgian Juniors, and while Didier improved, he had not shown the jump in talent many had projected for him. This increase in production was also accompanied by being named an Alternate Captain for the Belgian Juniors. Immediately after the end of the Belgian hockey season, Verhaut began searching for additional coaching to jump him into a tier of upper prospects worldwide. This was when Didier met Shaggy Tipton, a former player whose career was shortened by injury, Tipton was willing to teach Didier the many skills he had acquired during his time playing for the Moscow Menace.

 

While he would not be coached under Tipton for long, it provided the jump in skill needed for Didier to relocate to the Americas, with an offer from the Mexico City Kings. Signing as a rookie Free Agent, Didier began his adventure into the VHL, with guidance from the past and ambition towards the future, he looks to leave his mark on the VHL forever. 

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Great lore piece for Didier!  I rolled a D-man on my first-gen player just like you did. I hope you're enjoying the league! Hope you get drafted to a nice home in the pros! Seeing that you are relatively new, if you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to ask