Belles, Steve

Steve Belles was born in Phoenix on November 21, 1966.  He attended St. Mary's Catholic High School, where he played quarterback on the football team.  As a senior, he led the team to the 5A State Championship while earning 1984 Arizona Player of the Year honors.  He chose to attend the University of Notre Dame, where he played for the legendary Lou Holtz.  He was a member of the 1988 NCAA National Champion Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.  As a member of that championship team he did a little bit of everything - he played quarterback, running back, and wide receiver.  Steve also earned degrees in Psychology and Economics.

After graduation from Notre Dame, Steve played one year of professional football in Italy for the Revenna Chiefs before retuning stateside to play one season for the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League.  After that season, he served one season as the offensive coordinator for the Rattlers.

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Starting in 1990, Steve began as an assistant coach on the St. Mary's football team.  During his five season as assistant coach he helped the team to two state championships.  In 1995 he became the head coach at Desert Mountain High School.  At Desert Mountain, he had a career record of 26-25 in five seasons.  He led the team to the 1997 regional championship and was named the Northwest Region Coach of the Year.  In 2000 he became the head coach at Mountain Ridge High School.  There, he compiled a record of 47-13 across five seasons, winning three regional championships along the way (2002, 2003, 2004).  In 2004, he led the team to the state championship game, where they lost to Hamilton High.  In addition to on the field victories, Steve racked up off the field honors, earning regional coach of the year honors in 2002, 2003, and 2004, and being named the Arizona 5A Coach of the year in 2002, 2003, and 2004 as well.

Steve was named head coach of the Hamilton High football team in 2006, after the departure of legendary coach John Wrenn.  During his tenure at Hamilton, his teams have won 5 state championships, while finishing second twice.  He has guided the team to 7 regional championships, while compiling a record of 103-9.  He has won numerous coach of the year honors at both the regional and state levels, in addition to being named the 2012 American Football Monthly West Region Coach of the Year, and the 2010 http://24-7football.com Coach of the Year.