Juan Diego High School has reportedly hired a former state championship-winning coach who exited his position under a cloud of controversy as an assistant football coach.
Steve Belles told The Arizona Republic that he will be coaching quarterbacks and defensive backs for the Soaring Eagle. Belles also told The Republic that he will be a social studies teacher at the school.
Belles led Chander (Ariz.) Hamilton High School to five state championships as head coach from 2006-16 before departing as coach in spring 2017 because of a hazing scandal, reports The Arizona Republic.
As the scandal unfolded, Chandler police recommended to Maricopa County that Belles, plus Hamilton’s principal and athletic director, be charged for not properly reporting incidents of sexual assault.
In February, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery decided not to file charges against the three men, reports The Republic, because of a lack of cooperation from witnesses.
Belles told The Republic that he was going to interview for a position at East High School before going to Juan Diego. One of the Soaring Eagle’s assistant football coaches, Sam Salts, was a standout player for Belles at Phoenix St. Mary’s High School as a player, The Republic said.
Juan Diego has won seven state football championships in program history, including the past three seasons in a row. It captured the Class 3A championship in last November by beating Morgan, 45-20.
