- June 30, 2026
Seabreeze didn’t have to look very far to hire a new girls soccer coach. George Bellingham, who has been a volunteer assistant coach with the Sandcrabs in recent years and has coached girls soccer with the Ormond Beach Soccer Club for 18 years, will take over the program, athletic director Anthony Campanella said.
“He’s been a fixture with Seabreeze soccer and the Ormond Beach Soccer Club,” Campanella said. “He’s very knowledgable of the game. I felt like he really wanted to be the head coach.”
Bellingham takes over for Eli Friedus, who coached the girls team for the past five years, compiling a 58-37-6 record and leading the Sandcrabs to the playoffs each year.
Bellingham, who played “low level” semipro soccer in England, has lived in Ormond Beach since 1989. He started coaching his two sons in recreation soccer and was asked to coach an under-9 girls team with the Ormond Beach Soccer Club. He said one of the girls on his first under-9 team 18 years ago has invited him to her wedding.
Beelingham said he's had two stints as a volunteer assistant with the Sandcrabs, including the past few years under Friedus. Christine Goebel, another assistant coach on the staff, will stay on, Bellingham said.
After Freidus stepped down in February, Bellingham said a few parents asked him to apply for the position.
“I’m retired, so that gives me a lot of time to spend with the team,” he said. “And with Christine staying on, that makes the transition pretty easy.”
Bellingham said he plans to add another assistant to the staff soon.
We’ve got some talented soccer players, and we’ve got some talented freshmen coming in. Eli has had some success over the years, and I’d like to keep that going.
— GEORGE BELLINGHAM, new Seabreeze girls soccer coach
“We’ve got some talented soccer players, and we’ve got some talented freshmen coming in,” he said. “Eli has had some success over the years, and I’d like to keep that going.”
Seabreeze named Chris Simsek the new boys soccer coach in May. The Sandcrabs still have two more coaching positions to fill.
Tom Kelly has resigned after two seasons as the boys and girls tennis coach. And Jeff Hardy has resigned as the softball coach after four seasons.
“At least they’re both spring sports, so we have time to not make a kneejerk reaction and put people in place who are a good fit for our student athletes,” Campanella said.
