Sam Bellin was the head coach of the Allderdice Boys Soccer program for over a decade. Unlike many other coaches at Allderdice, he did not work at the school. As an alumni himself, he dedicatedly coached this high school team, leading the them to many victories. After a long and successful career this past year, he decided to retire. He will leave a reputable legacy as both a player and coach, a respected character who loved the school and loved the game of soccer.
Bellin’s successful career as a player helped him become the coach he is today. He played on the Varsity soccer team at Dice when he was in high school from 1977-1980 where he was named to the Eastern Select All-Star Team three times. He was a team MVP and broke a new school record of the time of 57 goals in a season.
In 2009, Dice needed an assistant coach and Bellin took the position. At that point, the head coach at the time unexpectedly stepped down. Bellin took the role of head coach and started leading the program from there.
“Sam Bellin has had a major impact on the history and direction of Allderdice Boys Soccer. His legacy in bringing our program into WPIAL relevance is a great testament to the growth of Dragons Soccer. We’re grateful for the memories and happy to have had a chance to commemorate his contributions to our school’s athletics.” said newly appointed head coach of Allderdice Boys Soccer David Thyberg.
Notable moments of his coaching career include when Dice beat high-level teams presumed unbeatable by a city public high school like winning against Mt. Lebanon in the 2021 Quarter Final Playoffs and Peters Township in the 2015 WPIAL playoffs. For two years in a row, in 2015 and 2016, Bellin was named section Coach of the Year.
The players valued him highly as a coach and mentor. Bellin’s success as a coach came from following the basics and his knack for rallying the troops. One of his great talents was storytelling and motivating players to keep going even during the toughest times. Bellin thought that a team from a public high school in the city could beat teams way more equipped if they had enough grit and determination. A common saying to his players was that “the little dogs could win if they had big enough hearts.”
“Coach Sam motivated me to stay consistent with soccer and develop a love for the game. He was a good coach because he was tough. He did not let us do [any short of our best] and he kept us going. He made the game fun and he was a good leader,” said senior player, Tatum Miller.
Coach Sam has been a beloved coach and player at Allderdice with an incredible legacy. He will be missed during his retirement.
