A key to any championship team is that each player understands his role.

Depending on the talent level, some may be all-American or all-conference players. But some players have roles the average fan doesn't get to see.

Take, for example, the practice players. At the Division I level, these practice players are usually walk-ons (athletes who were neither recruited to a school nor received a scholarship). Most of these walk-ons are good athletes.

At UD, one of these important players is Peter Zestermann. Zestermann, who played his high school ball on the Ohio Division I state runners-up, St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, both understands and enjoys his role.

"It feels good coming to practice every day knowing that I have to help the people that actually play get better," Zestermann said. "More importantly help the starters get better and I take that as a serious role as something that I have to do."

Zestermann, a junior forward/center, averaged 7.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists his senior year in high school. He then joined the UD basketball program as a walk-on in October 2007, but then he took the year off.

"I took the year off because I had been playing basketball my whole life. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do," he said.

During the time off Zestermann realized how much he missed the game and more importantly, the University of Dayton team.

"I decided to come back because all of the guys are good guys," he said. "I also missed the game, and I wanted to be part of the team again."

Zestermann thinks that the key to the Flyers team this year will be defense, something that they work on daily in practice. As a practice player, Zestermann is on offense when the starters are working on their defense.

"I always think defense will be the most important part of our team," he said. "I think both our offense and our defense will be better than last year due to another year of team chemistry and great off-season workouts."

One of the things that Zestermann is most looking forward to this season is when the Flyers take on Fordham at Madison Square Garden.

"I'm excited to play at Madison Square Garden where all of the legends have played before," he said.