Any discussion of Jack Belcher won’t last long before the subject of girls softball crops up.
Belcher, who died Feb. 1 at age 77, was known to some as a longtime Arlington County government official, but to others as a passionate pioneer of youth sports, particularly softball, in the community.
In addition to coaching his daughters, Kathryn and Bethany, in the sport at various levels, Belcher started the Bizotics travel team and the highly successful Arlington Sage travel squad.
He was an assistant coach with the Washington-Liberty High School girls softball program, coached the Blue Jays travel team in Fairfax County, and served as president and helped start the Arlington Girls Softball Association, in which he also coached teams. He also ran various softball clinics.
Additionally, Belcher was influential in softball field improvements in the county.
“He set up the players he coached with the most opportunities possible, and he treated us like real athletes,” his daughter Bethany told ARLnow. “Players on our teams praised Dad for providing great discipline.”
“Our family is left with empty hearts right now,” she said of the loss.
Belcher’s greatest contribution to youth sports may have been helping to create the annual girls softball First Responders Cup Tournament in Arlington in 2002.
“That tournament was a very big deal to Jack,” said Rich Roberts, a good friend of Belcher who helped him start the tournament and run the Arlington Girls Softball Association. “It’s a sad thing he is gone.”
The event, with touching opening ceremonies, is held to honor first-responders who provided support in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks.
Proceeds from the tournament, held on Arlington fields on a weekend close to Sept. 11, are donated to Pentagon Disaster Relief charities. Teams from the areas affected by the attacks have been invited to participate.
Belcher ran the tournament annually until that responsibility was taken over by the Marymount University women’s softball team in 2023.
“A lot of people helped start that tournament, but [it was Jack’s] brainchild. It was his idea and it was a brilliant idea, and a good thing for the time,” said Steve Severn, who worked with Belcher on the tournament and is the current president of the Arlington Girls Softball Association.
Like Severn, Dave Sterling got to know Belcher through girls softball in Arlington.
“He had a huge impact in Arlington through softball,” Sterling said. “He helped make girls softball better in Arlington. When he coached his teams, he wanted the players to play hard and have fun.”
Sterling told a story of when one of Belcher’s startup summer travel teams lost badly to a perennial power Shamrocks squad.
“He didn’t get mad. He just said we have to get better,” Sterling said.
Former Bishop O’Connell High School girls softball coach Suzy Willemssen worked clinics with Belcher. She recognized his passion for the game.
“The softball community is indebted to all of his time, energy and heart he gave to help young women reach their dream,” Willemssen said. “He created numerous opportunities to showcase our area’s talent. His love for the game shined bright.”
Roberts added that Belcher made players better by coaching sound fundamentals.
“He was a terrific coach,” Roberts said.
In his professional life, Belcher served as director of Arlington County’s Department of Technology Services and its Chief Information Officer for 22 years. In 2022, he was tapped as the county’s chief technology innovation officer.
In that last role, Belcher — who held a doctorate from Georgetown University — provided senior government leaders with key insights on innovation initiatives while continuing to build relationships with community, educational and commercial partners in the technology space.
During his government service, Belcher oversaw key supports in the technology field, including the challenges both of responding to the 9/11 attacks and, nearly two decades later, to the impacts of the Covid pandemic.
In Belcher’s personal life, the Massachusetts native “had a soft spot for dogs, bad jingles and pushing buttons just to get a rise,” an obituary noted.
“He loved a good hot dog from Home Depot, dunking in the ocean and reading American history. And don’t forget the nights at the Alpine filled with grappa, sambuca and storytelling,” it said.
Belcher is survived by his wife, the former Nancy Semke; children Kathryn (Alan), Ben (Annie), Michael (Liz) and Bethany; nine grandchildren; a sister; and a large extended family.
