Bella Thomas '18 Recruiting Profile

I spent several years as a competitive gymnast, but it was the summer before my freshman year that I decided to run.  My school did not have a gymnastics team and I knew I needed some way to make the transition from middle school to high school and make friends.  I thought I would give cross country a try.  I thought that hours of conditioning in the gym, sprints down the vault runway and countless tumbling passes were great for building my leg strength and stamina, but my coach told me that my strength came from within.  It was my fighting spirit to win.  

It only took three weeks for me to cut 6 minutes off of my time, and I quickly earned a Varsity spot.  I pushed myself to improve a few seconds each time I raced.  I worked hard to catch the girls ahead of me and unknowingly pushed them to run faster.  As successful as my freshman season had been, I was devastated when I was told I would be an alternate for the state meet.  As I watched my teammates and encouraged them to do well, I realized that I never wanted to watch a race again.  

I have used that indomitable will to achieve my goals academically as well as athletically.  I am an Honor Student, have earned a varsity letter in cross country 4 years,  was 2 time team captain & 2 time best teammate award winner.  I am also a 3 year Varsity Track runner.   While I missed a portion of my junior & senior year with injuries,  I believe that I have the talent to compete at the college level, as well as the character, work ethic and leadership skills to make a positive impact as a member of your team.