FINDLAY, Ohio — Sam Bello was one of the first football players Art Bernardi coached in Butler.

He also was one of the most memorable.

A 1963 Butler graduate, Bello was a guard-linebacker for Bernardi, who took over the Golden Tornado football program in Bello's sophomore year.

"Sam was only 5-foot-10, weighed maybe 185 pounds, but he was a tough kid — as hard-nosed as you can get," Bernardi said. "He loved to play the game."

He loved the game, period.

After playing varsity football for four years at Butler — a rarity at that time — Bello played at Findlay College and was the defensive captain his final two seasons there.

He wound up becoming the youngest high school football head coach in Ohio.

Bello also was an assistant coach on two NAIA national championship teams at Findlay and recently earned induction into the Hancock Sports Hall of Fame after a successful career as a football and wrestling coach.

"That was a humbling experience," Bello said of his induction April 17. "Doors just opened up for me in the coaching business.

"My father coached me in the Butler Midget league and I always wanted to get into coaching. Being coached by guys like Art Bernardi, Bo Voelker, Paul Uram — I was so fortunate growing up and learning football from those guys."

Bello was hired as the football and wrestling coach at North Baltimore High in Ohio at age 22 in 1968. He was the youngest prep football head coach in the state at the time.

His coaching career ended in 1998. In between those years, Bello began the wrestling program at Bluffton High and had a wrestler place fifth in the state two years later.

He won conference championships as a football coach and coached a state wrestling champion at Sandusky St. Mary's in 1987-88.

He won four conference championships while coaching football at Findlay High from 1989 through 1997.

"I learned wrestling at the YMCA," Bello said. "It was something we did for fun after getting cut from the basketball team."

During his time at Findlay, Bello coached Ben Roethlisberger when the latter was a freshman.

"Ben was just a natural," Bello said. "He was 6-3 or 6-4, was point guard on the basketball team, shortstop on the baseball team. When the game was on the line, you wanted the ball in his hands in every sport."

Bello is a math teacher for Findlay Area Schools. He taught math during his coaching years as well.

He coached defensive ends and outside linebackers for Findlay College's national title teams of 1992 and 1995.

"Those national championships meant a lot to me because I've devoted so much time to coaching," Bello said. "My first state wrestling champion was special, too."

Bello's father, Sam Sr., had polio and never played football. He coached Institute Hill to championships in the BAMFL and was one of the founders of the league.

Bello returned to Butler a couple of times during his coaching years to help his family and coached in the BAMFL himself.

The Bello family befriended the Bernardi family when the latter first came to Butler. The families have remained friends ever since.

"I feel really good about what Sam went on to accomplish in his career," Bernardi said. "We haven't had much time to sit down together and talk football, but it's always been a common bond for us."