Dick Bellock

Athlete, coach, official, athletic director, administrator, there are many ways to associate with and influence high school sports. There are not many who have done it all, Dick Bellock has.

Dick Bellock graduated from North Salem High School in 1965. While a student/athlete at North he earned seven varsity letters – two in football, three in wrestling, and two in track and field – in a time when high school was only 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th grade. He earned 1st team all-conference honors in football and qualified for the state wrestling tournament. From North Salem Bellock went on to wrestle at the University of Oregon from 1965-1969, lettering two years.

After graduating from the University of Oregon in 1969, Bellock came back to Salem-Keizer, teaching physical education at Waldo Middle School where he also coached football, wrestling, and track and field. A lover of all athletics, his passion was wrestling. His wrestling teams at Waldo went nine consecutive years undefeated in dual meets and only lost one meet in ten years. In 1979 Bellock moved to a brand new McKay High School as the first wrestling coach for the Royal Scots and where he coached wrestling for the next eleven years. During that time he also coached cross country and football.

Dick Bellock was an outstanding coach but in 1991 he decided that what was best for the athletes at McKay High School was for him to change positions, accepting a new challenge as athletic director. He now would coach McKay's coaches.

In his new position Bellock sought the best coaches and worked with them to serve the student-athletes at McKay. He shaped an athletic program by hiring some of the best coaches in Salem-Keizer, people such as Ron August, Scott DuFault, Rick Herrin, Greg LaFountaine, Rob Wood, Dave Haggerty, Steve Masten, and John Hoffert, to name but a few. While serving in this position he also sat on the Oregon Schools Activities Association (OSAA) Eligibility Appeals Committee and the OSAA Weight Control Committee for wrestling. He also was responsible for the organization, coordination, and implementation of the annual Valley League Conference Wrestling Tournament held each year at The Armory in Salem. As if this wasn’t enough, Bellock also found time to speak at the National Athletic Directors Conference and complete a number of physical upgrades at McKay High School.

An especially notable upgrade was the football/track and field press box. Bellock sought and received help from the Oregon National Guard to build a press box that, at the time, was the equal of any small college facility.

In 2001 Bellock left McKay High School to become the first athletic director at West Salem High School where he became a vital component in all aspects of the planning for not only the athletic department but the school itself. He had a hand in planning the physical plant down to the school colors and the mascot. Most importantly he chose the initial West Salem coaching staff, those most directly impacting the lives of West Salem student-athletes, many of whom still coach for the Titans.

In addition to a life spent as a teacher, coach, and administrator, Bellock also served as a wrestling official, officiating ten Valley League tournaments and nine OSAA state championship tournaments in addition to collegiate level wrestling in both the Pac-8 (officiating the Pac-8 championships in 1979) and the then Pac-10 Conference. He also officiated small colleges. Bellock served two years as the local wrestling commissioner, training and assigning officials for wrestling.

In recognition of his efforts and sacrifice as a coach, an official, and an AD, he was inducted into the Oregon Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014 for his service to the sport of wrestling.

After two years at West Salem High School, Dick Bellock retired. In retirement he has continued his involvement with interscholastic athletics as a color commentator of district wrestling tournaments for Capital Community Television and by officiating wrestling championships in Arizona.

Bellock splits time between Salem and Arizona with his wife Margo. They have two daughters - Katie Richards and Meghan Perez.