The athletic director and head coach of Pearl River Central High School football team, Larry Dolan, recently hired a new defensive back coach, Rory Bell.

Bell has an extensive resume of playing and coaching football at various levels, like playing in the Canadian Football League for the Edmonton Eskimos.

“I have a lot of experience that I enjoy sharing with the kids to help them develop as players and men. It’s my job to make sure all the kids are prepared and that is something I take pride in every day I step foot on that field,” said Bell.

Bell played free safety for Delta State University where he was awarded a preseason All-American honor his senior year and All-American free safety in 2000 along with a Division II National Championship. He also has his MBA in business.

Making the transition from player to coach was a difficult task for Bell, but was an inevitable step in his life, he said.

“After my last year of playing football, I knew what was in my future, and that was transitioning into a coach. It ended up being tougher than I thought because as a player, all you have to worry about is performing. As a coach, you have to look at things differently. A coach’s job is to make sure all the kids are prepared to compete and that really is my new passion,” said Bell.

Mainly Bell focuses on getting the most effort out of the kids.

“I expect 110 percent out of every single one of my players. When playing on the defensive side of the ball, you always have to be a step ahead, so if you aren’t putting in that effort, you’re going to get beat,” said Bell.

Bell said he plans to use discipline in his coaching style because it will produce fewer errors on the field and in the real world.

“Life and football are very similar. Things come up unexpectedly but how are you going to respond to it? In life, if you get beat or have a failure, are you going to overcome it or run away? The same thing applies to football. If you get beat once are you going to let it get in your head or are you going to come back even harder the next play?” said Bell.

Bell is best known for his intensity on the field while coaching, which he said spawned due to his size as a player. He said every time he stepped on the field, he had a chip on his shoulder to prove he could beat the other team.

“That was my mentality. I had to prove to everyone that I was someone to watch out for. I had to earn that respect every day and I carry that chip on my shoulder even as a coach,” said Bell.

Bell takes pride in helping the kids get to the next level, which has helped over 15 kids sign Division-I scholarships.