Bella DeSantis is only a sophomore on the varsity girl’s soccer team, but the positive influence she has on her teammates makes her a player that both the JV and varsity teams look to for guidance.
“She’s a hard worker, she’s respectful, she just works really hard, and has a good attitude,” Lindsay Moneymaker (‘24) said.
Coming into her freshman year as a player on the varsity team, DeSantis was thrilled to have the chance to play with other skilled players.
“It allowed me to work with the older girls and to gain more experience,” DeSantis said. “It kinda pushed me so I wasn’t just a freshman that messed everything up and it made me better as a player.”
She has made it a priority to build good relationships with all players on the team, and has helped Jill Jurchak (27’), the sole freshman on the team, to feel supported. Playing as an attack mid and outside forward starting most games, DeSantis tries to give Jurchak and the rest of the team pointers and tips from her own experience.
DeSantis’s biggest role model on the team is senior Lindsay Moneymaker who, similarly, has been on varsity since her freshman year.
“[My biggest role model is] Lindsay Moneymaker because in her games she never gives up and she puts in extra work,” DeSantis said.
“I knew how it felt to be the youngest on the team and have all the older girls, so I wanted to make sure I was always nice to her and could be there for her and not be a mean older girl,” Lindsay Moneymaker (24’) said.
The focus and intention that DeSantis exudes on the field is noticed by not just her teammates, but by coaches too.
“She’s quiet– but works as hard or harder than anybody else,” Brad Duvall, varsity head coach said. “It gains a lot of respect from her teammates even if she is an underclass man she just goes about her business and does everything hard all the time.”
To stay focused and confident during each game, DeSantis has certain habits she repeats before the games to feel her best. With friend and teammate Caroline Capp (26’), they have a handshake they do on the field before the game starts to stay loose and get each other excited. Bella also always wears a ponytail in her hair with a braid.
“Keep it simple and comfortable,” DeSantis, said.
When the team picked their jersey numbers, DeSantis decided on 5, wanting to be the same as her brother Willie DeSantis (25’), who is number 5 on the varsity Football team. She liked the idea of sharing the number with her brother during the fall season while they are playing completely different sports.
After the seasons end, she will continue her soccer seasons on a Coppermine club team that she plays for in the winter and spring.
