Belluomini hired by Griffith
Former Bishop Noll coach succeeds Gordon, who left for East Chicago Central
Josh Belluomini had multiple offers to return to coaching as an assistant last year after Bishop Noll forced him out.
Belluomini stuck to his original plan of taking a year off. He was refreshed and ready to get back into the game this season.
It happened more quickly than he figured it would, at least at the head coaching level.
Belluomini was approved as Griffith’s coach by the school board on Oct. 8. He is a math teacher at Griffith.
“I had my year off, and I enjoyed that,” he said. “I’m definitely excited to start coaching again.”
Belluomini got the opportunity after Grayling Gordon left last month to take over at East Chicago Central. Gordon’s job as the dean of students at Griffith was eliminated, which is one of the reasons he left.
Belluomini doesn’t have a preconceived notion of what to expect this season. The Panthers went 13-11 in 2019-20, and Gordon was 45-27 in the past three seasons.
Prior to Gordon’s tenure, Gary Hayes won three sectionals, a regional and a semistate. The Panthers lost to Guerin Catholic in the 2015 state final.
Belluomini said the program is on solid footing.
“I think after the run by Gary Hayes, the basketball program elevated itself,” he said. “It went from a football school to a football and basketball school.”
At Noll, Belluomini won three sectionals and one regional.
He said he doesn’t know much about the Panthers.
“They graduated a lot last year,” he said. “Honestly, I’m not too familiar with the team. I tried to stay as far away from the program as possible.”
Belluomini said he was in the process of pursuing jobs as an assistant when Gordon left.
Belluomini wanted to continue coaching at Noll, but it wanted a teacher in the building. Belluomini had left his teaching job at Noll to work at Griffith.
Then Noll hired John Boyd, who was an administrator at Michigan City.
Belluomini feels fortunate to get back into the game as a head coach.
“I wanted to do something basketball-wise,” he said. “I missed it.”