More than a championship coach: Bill Belton’s mission to shape young men at Winslow Township
The Winslow graduate led his alma mater to back-to-back state titles while mentoring student-athletes for success beyond football.
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Bill Belton. Photo provided by Winslow Township Football.
For Ausar Heard, the path forward feels clearer when he looks to the sideline.
“You look at the culture and where your coaches come from,” said the 17-year-old linebacker. “And you’re like, okay — that’s who I wanna be.”
Ausar plays for Winslow Township High School, a program that has become a powerhouse under head coach Bill Belton. At 5-foot-10-inches and 205 pounds, Ausar, a junior, already has his sights set on the next level.
“I wanna go to Michigan. Either Michigan or Penn State,” he said. “Wherever I go, it really don’t matter. I just want to ball.”
But football isn’t the only thing coach Belton emphasizes.
“He’s just a great person — on and off the field,” Ausar said. “He really pushes you off the field to get your work done.”
That balance — excellence in sports and accountability in life — is central to Belton’s philosophy.
Expectations that extend beyond the field
“Young men understand that if I’m gonna play for Coach Bill, I have to also excel in the classroom,” said Theron Louis, an award-winning WHYY cinematographer who nominated Belton as a Good Soul.
Their paths crossed years ago at Penn State, but their connection deepened as Lewis watched Belton grow into a leader back home.
“Bill is a very laid-back, chill guy,” Louis said. “He keeps his composure. But then he hits a switch — and brings this fiery edge to the field. It’s night and day.”
That edge has paid off.
Under Belton’s leadership, Winslow Township went undefeated and won its first-ever state championship in 2024. The Eagles returned the following season and, despite adversity, repeated as state champions in 2025.
“Winning the championship — experiencing that — was definitely exciting,” Belton said.
Still, he never imagined this would be his role.
“Landing here [at Winslow Township High School] has been a ride for me,” Belton said. “I never saw myself being a high school head coach.”
Building a pipeline of possibility
Belton’s impact is evident in where his players go next. Under his leadership, Winslow has become a program college recruiters watch closely — not just for talent, but for character. One example is Cam Miller, a standout wide receiver and cornerback whom Belton coached.
“He’s at Kentucky now,” Belton said. “He was kinda like my first one to come through here.”
A four-year starter at Winslow, Miller helped lead the Eagles to a perfect 14-0 season and the program’s first-ever state championship. He became the school’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns, while also earning statewide honors on both sides of the ball. A multi-sport athlete with speed and range, Miller earned a full scholarship to play football at the University of Kentucky — choosing it over offers from Wisconsin, Michigan and others.
For Belton, his team’s success is about more than football — it’s about accountability, consistency and learning the difference between right and wrong.
“When you guys are doing something good, let them know,” Belton says. “And obviously, when they’re doing something wrong, let them know. Show ’em the difference between the two.”
Cam Miller may have been the first player Belton coached all the way from freshman year to college football, but he’s not the last.
“We got a lot of kids here that are doing the right thing,” Belton said — young men following a path shaped by discipline, resilience and belief.
A Star is born in Sicklerville
Belton grew up in Sicklerville, New Jersey, raised by a father who loved football and saw his son’s talent early.
“I knew I was good in grade school,” Belton said. “I was one of the best out of my friend group. Then going into high school, I was able to take that to another level.”
At Winslow Township High, Belton made history — becoming the first quarterback in New Jersey state history to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons.
That success earned him a full scholarship to The Pennsylvania State University.
“I had a great experience there,” Belton said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play on that stage.”
But his college career also delivered one of the most important lessons of his life.
Learning resilience the hard way
An injury during his sophomore year changed everything.
“The biggest thing I learned was resiliency,” Belton said. “Fighting through obstacles and hurdles — and understanding this isn’t over.”
It all paid off during a nationally televised game against Michigan, when Belton scored a touchdown that defined a turning point.
“I finally was able to make a play on a stage that mattered — and everyone could see it,” he said.
After Penn State, Belton’s dream was the NFL. He was signed by the New York Jets — and then cut.
“It’s just a pit stop on your journey,” he said. “You’ll get through it. When the opportunity comes, be ready for your moment.”
Coming home to coach
Belton eventually landed a coaching job at Timber Creek High School — Winslow’s rival. But when the opportunity arose to return home in 2020, he didn’t hesitate.
His early years weren’t easy.
“We played in a playoff game and got beat like forty-nothing,” he recalls. “We didn’t score a point. And that was the last time I was like — that’s ever gonna happen to me.”
Instead of breaking him, the loss fueled him.
“I love being doubted,” Belton said. “It gives me an edge.”
Belton took over the head coaching job at Winslow in 2022 and fully leaned into teaching the lessons football had taught him.
“Doing the right things when nobody’s watching,” he said. “Not looking for credit. Just being a good person.”
A Mentor First, Coach Second
In 2024, Winslow Township inducted Belton into its Hall of Fame — a rare honor for someone still actively shaping the program.
“To watch this man become a mentor to young men — preparing them for life beyond high school — it’s special,” Lewis says. “He demands excellence. The results speak for themselves.”
For Ausar Heard, Belton represents more than success.
“Coach Bill is a good soul because he wants you to be better than him,” he said. “He wants you to make it to places he wasn’t able to fully make it to.”
That, Belton says, is the real championship.
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