Senior Bella Scott’s life has almost never had a dull moment.
Bella has been surrounded by athletics since she was young. With her three brothers shuffling through sports like tennis, cross country, wrestling, basketball, and soccer, Bella has always had a sense of competition. When she was young, Bella played soccer and participated in karate, but she found her calling in gymnastics.
Bella has been committed to gymnastics for 14 years and plans to stick with it for the years to come. Bella is a level 10 competitive gymnast who hopes to continue gymnastics in college. She drives nearly an hour to Holland, Michigan, four days a week in order to make it to practice on time. She also often attends competitions on the weekends.
“I go to Champion Gymnastics, and I am a level 10 gymnast there,” Bella said. “It is going to be my third year being at level 10. I hope to go to college for gymnastics, but I am still not sure which college I’m going to yet.”
Bella appreciates the community at her gym. She has made many newfound friends through the sense of community omnipresent at her gym. She feels a sense of belonging with her fellow gymnasts that she believes doesn’t happen often with other gyms.
“[There is a] community at my gym; I’d say that we are all really close because we are forced to in a way,” Bella said. “I feel that most of us wouldn’t be friends outside of the sport, but I think it is a good thing that we all met.”
When she’s not in the gym, Bella likes to bake, hang out with friends, and make money by babysitting. Living in a large neighborhood with a lot of young kids, Bella thought it would be convenient to try to earn some extra money by doing something she enjoys: supervising her younger neighborhood friends.
“The job that I have is not very consistent; it’s just when the parents need me, which is maybe every weekend,” Bella said. “I babysit for a lot of different families if they don’t have a regular babysitter. Because I have practice, I can’t always babysit on a regular basis. I really enjoy my job because I love the kids I babysit.”
Not only does Bella have to juggle a job and sports, but she also has to manage her education. Being a senior is more challenging than it seems. Balancing a decent grade point average and college decisions is extremely difficult and stressful. It’s always good to find an escape from stress, which is just what Bella does. Hanging out with friends is Bella’s definition of stress relief. However, while going to the mall and attending football games is fun, the best escape from her daily stressors is her family.
Bella’s big family has always been there for her. She has three brothers: Taten, Kingston, and Max, along with two very supportive parents. Over the years, Bella has deeply bonded with her brothers and can’t imagine it any other way.
“I have a brother that’s in college, one that’s a freshman in high school, and one that’s in eighth grade,” Bella said. “We’re all very close. Even though I would sometimes wish I had a sister, I don’t really know any different from having all brothers, so I honestly like it.”
Even with all of Bella’s daily activities ongoing, her family will always be essential for Bella to succeed. Without her family and friends constantly cheering her on, she feels she would have never grown so much as both a person and a gymnast.
Through her busy schedule, Bella still manages to find enough time to learn the value that every moment contains and the importance of finding your passion.
“I definitely recommend starting gymnastics when you’re younger,” Bella said. “When you’re older I feel like if you love it and are passionate about it still you should do it, but if you aren’t doing something you love, then it’s not worth it.”
