Jovan Belcher's actions confound high school coach

• Jovan Belcher's high school coach said he couldn't understand his former pupil's actions Saturday.
• Al Ritacco said he never saw any signs for concern in Belcher.
• Ritacco said Belcher made it a point to come back to Long Island to speak to students.

By Saturday evening, Al Ritacco remained bewildered at his home on Long Island, N.Y.

What happened to Jovan Belcher to make him so unhappy, so angry ... so desperate?

To Ritacco, Belcher was a man who loved football, family and friends. He was upbeat, respectful and inspirational. He had defied the odds and fulfilled his dream of playing in the National Football League.

"Those who didn't know him can never fathom what kind of person he really was,'' Ritacco, his former high school coach at West Babylon, told USA TODAY Sports. "How this all came about we'll never know, I guess. But that is not the Jovan I know. I would tell you that on a stack of Bibles.''

Suddenly, at 25, Belcher was dead.

Earlier Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs linebacker shot to death his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, 22, the mother of their 2-month-old daughter Zoey. The news was stunning, particularly for a coach who had known Belcher since he was a young teen.

"He was a great kid — this is out of character,'' Ritacco said. "I find this very hard to comprehend. As a teacher, I've seen kids who were troubled. But (not) this guy. He was an outstanding individual, a kid I looked up to.

"If he had a negative side, I never saw it. He was a positive kid — determined to make something (of his life). I didn't see a hard-nosed kid who had a chip on his shoulder. . . . When he was here (Nov. 20 for homecoming), he (had become) a father and he was beaming about that.''

Ritacco, who retired after this season following more than three decades in coaching, said he and a couple of friends were helping build a fence on Saturday morning. Suddenly, his son, who was helping on the job, looked up from his mobile phone and delivered the shocking news.

"The four of us just looked at each other — we couldn't believe it,'' Ritacco said. "I felt emptiness in my heart.''

Ritacco said he knew Belcher beyond football; he had been his 10th-grade biology teacher. He always found him smart, pleasant and approachable — on and off the field. Belcher was raised by a single parent, his mother continued to wear her son's jersey to West Babylon High games long after Belcher reached the lofty status of professional football player.

A top-flight wrestler in high school, Belcher also was a decorated prep football player. He worked hard to earn a full football scholarship at the University of Maine, where he excelled.

"He told me in ninth grade he was going to make it (to the NFL). He had that kind of determination, focus and passion for the game,'' Ritacco said. "In high school, we would be doing drills and he would be telling me, 'Rat, you gotta push a little harder.' He was a passionate individual.''

Known for taking the time to counsel young people about their aspirations, Belcher took the time to chat with the football team during his last visit earlier this month.

"He loved kids,'' Ritacco said. "He was a big part of our community. He didn't have to come back; he didn't have to talk with anyone. But he did. He never forgot his roots. He took care of a lot of people through the years. I can't express how badly I feel for all the kids whose lives he made positive impacts on.''