Warren County High School announced the hire of Eric Belew as the new head football coach of the Pioneers on Wednesday. “I am excited about Coach Belew joining our Pioneer family,” said WCHS Executive Principal Chris Hobbs. “Selecting a new head football coach is about more than just finding someone with a winning record—it’s about finding a leader who will inspire our players, foster a positive team culture, and represent the values of our school both on and off the field.”
A 2012 graduate of Columbia Central High School, Belew played under his father, Vance Belew, and was part of the 2009 state runner-up team and the 2010 state championship team in Class 5A. His collegiate career included two years at Tennessee Tech and two years at the University of North Alabama, where he was a member of two Gulf South Conference Championship teams under NCAA Hall of Fame Head Coach Bobby Wallace.
Belew began his coaching career in 2017 at Lewis County High School as an assistant coach. In 2019, he took on his first head coaching position at Cumberland County High School. After relocating to Georgia to be near his soon-to-be wife, he served in various assistant coaching roles at perennial power Rockmart High School. After taking on a coordinator role and seeing the team win 10 games in 2022, Belew was hired as the head coach at Armuchee High School in Rome, Georgia, where he spent the last two seasons.
“Making a choice to pick a coach that will have a lasting impact on young people, their families, a school family, and a community isn’t an easy task. That decision, however, was made easy with Eric Belew. He is a man of high character, a smart and talented football coach, and a man who represented all the qualities that we were looking for in a leader of young men,” said WCHS Co-Athletic Director Phillip King.
“Our search for the right leader for our football program was extensive, and we knew from the start we couldn’t rush into such an important decision,” Anthony Lippe, WCHS Co-Athletic Director, explained. “Coach Belew stood out during the interview process, not only for his impressive knowledge of the game, but for his character, passion, and dedication to developing young men both on and off the field. His vision aligns with our school’s values and commitment to excellence, and we are confident he is the right fit for our program, school, and community. We’re excited for the future and eager to see the positive impact Coach Belew will have.”
Belew and his wife, Hannah, have been married since 2020 and have a two-year-old daughter, Hattie. Hannah will also be joining the Warren County school system. “We are so excited to be a part of the Pioneer family,” Belew expressed with elation Wednesday. “This opportunity is a dream come true for our family, and we can’t wait to see what God has in store for our family and the Warren County Football Program,” he added.
Belew plans to be on campus at Warren County High School as early as next week to meet with players and make introductions with faculty and staff.