A new man roaming the basketball sideline.

That will be case for Belle Tiger basketball during the upcoming 2022-23 school year at Belle High School (BHS).

Recently hired by the Maries County R-2 School District, John Viehland comes to BHS from Valley High School in Caledonia, Mo., where he was the head boys basketball coach, athletic director and a physical education (PE) teacher.

He led the Vikings to their first district title game appearance in over 15 years.

Viehland will now be a high school business teacher, head boys basketball coach and head high school boys golf coach at BHS.

“I am looking forward to joining the Maries R-2 family,” Viehland said. “Creating new relationships with students and helping them reach their goals and dreams is all I want to do. I am thankful for the opportunity and ready to get to work.”

A native of New Haven, Mo., Viehland played his high school basketball for legendary head coach Ray Steinhoff who is now retired and has the basketball court named in his honor at New Haven High School (NHHS).

During his playing days in Shamrock green, Viehland was a part of three teams that went to the final four with two of those teams going on to win state championships.

After graduation from NHHS in 2001, Viehland continued his basketball playing days at St. Louis Community College - Meramec.

In his two years at Meramec, Viehland averaged around 11 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal per contest.

Finishing his two years at Meramec, Viehland moved on to Central Methodist University (CMU) in Fayette to play for the Eagles.

Playing in 33 games for CMU, Viehland reached double digits in scoring during 16 of those games with his season best of 26 points coming against the Columbia College Cougars.

During his time in Eagle green and white, Viehland averaged 10.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1 steal and just under one blocked shot per game.

Moving east along Interstate 70 for his senior season of college basketball, Viehland spent it in St. Charles playing for Lindenwood University’s (LU) Lions.

Helping the Lions to the final four, Viehland led LU scoring 565 points good for 16.6 markers per game.

He was second on the team in rebounding at 8.5 boards per contest.

Leading the team with 110 offensive rebounds, Viehland was also second for LU with 179 defensive rebounds.

Viehland also led the team in assists (99) and blocked shots (51).

After finishing his basketball-playing days, Viehland began his career in education as a paraprofessional at New Haven before moving on to Exeter High School in southwest Missouri at a teachers assistant.