BETHEL PARK — Denis Kirstein is no stranger to winning. Neither is the Seneca Valley varsity hockey program.

That's why Kirstein, 25, believes he's found the perfect fit to begin his coaching career.

The 2001 Bethel Park graduate has been named the Raiders' new varsity head coach. He replaces Mike Schall, who stepped down to pursue further degrees in his teaching career.

"I know there's a solid program there with a lot of good, young kids,"Kirstein said. "I skated with them the other day and the talent is there.

"Having fun is the No. 1 thing. That leads to winning. Our goal is to win the conference, then the Penguin Cup, then the state championship. You have to set your goals high."

Kirstein won a state title as a junior defenseman on Bethel Park's high school team in 2000. He did not play with the Black Hawks his senior year, opting to devote his hockey efforts to the Pittsburgh Hornets' junior team.

Five players from that Hornets team went on to play Division I collegiate hockey.

"That's where I got my exposure," Kirstein said of playing for the Hornets.

Kirstein went on to win a national championship with the Pittsburgh Forge of the North American Hockey League and an Atlantic Conference title with Division IMercyhurst College.

He made the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic team four straight years at Mercyhurst.

"I've got three rings from three different levels of hockey,"Kirstein said. "Those experiences will definitely help me in my coaching."

Until recently, Kirstein had high aspirations as a player. A defensive defenseman most of his career, he helped Mercyhurst reach the NCAA Tournament in 2004-05, his team losing a 5-4 decision to No. 1-ranked Boston College.

"That was the first college hockey game televised by ESPN-U and it was voted the second best college hockey game of the year,"Kirstein recalled. "That was an awesome experience."

Kirstein went on to play eight games for the Toledo Storm of the East Coast Hockey League last year and two games for the Youngstown Steelhounds of the Central Hockey League last fall.

Youngstown is the Class AA affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, but Kirstein was released after those first two games.

"That's when I decided I better go get a real job," he said. "It was OK. I got to play a little bit of professional hockey. I fulfilled a dream.

"I've been around hockey for 21 years. I worked the Pittsburgh Forge Prospect Camp, worked as counselors at other camps. ... Getting into coaching seems like the next logical step for me."

Besides coaching, Kirstein is working for his family's business selling computer software.

The Seneca Valley opening was the first one for which he applied and interviewed for.

"Everything fell right into place," he said. "I'm excited about this opportunity."

Seneca Valley finished 15-5-1 last season, dropping a 2-1 decision to Bethel Park in the PIHL Class AAA quarterfinal round.

The Raiders were 13-11 in 2006-07 under Schall, who had coached the team for four years.