Ever since the third grade, sophomore student Isabella L. Garcia has been playing volleyball with high determination and commitment which helped her be one of the two freshmen that made the varsity volleyball team last year. 

Wanting to keep up the frame of mind of being athletic, Garcia did track and field, but eventually made the varsity team for it as well. 

Garcia says, “I felt very proud when I made the varsity team. I felt that my training on and off the court paid off and it did because I was a starter. But that didn’t allow me to slack off, I still trained and had a mentality that I had to keep.” 

Getting the support from her family and friends, lots of people were happy for Garcia when she made these teams. 

Senior student Addison Cipowski says, “I was very excited for her to make the varsity team as a freshman, because I knew she had a lot of potential to grow.” 

Both volleyball and track and field have demanding seasons for their athletes, but Garcia was able to keep up with both, and still manage good grades and an outstanding mindset. She also participates in playing for the Epic United Volleyball Club. 

“In grade school I watched my older brother play CYO (Catholic Youth Organizination) and I wanted to be just like him so I started doing camps and I fell in love with the sport”, said Garcia. 

With Garcia being one of the tallest girls in her class, her height comes in handy for jumping up the net and spiking the ball or even setting it to another one of her teammates. 

“Peak season for volleyball is during club season. All of our practices are after school so the night before I make sure to get lots of sleep, water, and eat carbs to be energized. After school I try to get homework done so I won’t have to worry about it. Then I go to practice for two hours, we work on new plays, the fundamentals, and anything we need to perfect for our tournaments on the weekend. Playing volleyball all year round is stressful but I love it so much. I love the friendships, the coaches, and the experience”, says Garcia explaining an average day in her life with volleyball.

What made Garcia stay committed to volleyball is that she considers herself a very competitive person. When she realized she had potential with it, she wanted to be the best she could be. “Making new friends along the way also helped me stay motivated because we are all working for the same goal, to be the best we can be.”

Being one of the newest members on any team can be nerve-racking and difficult, but luckily Garcia knew the coach and had a friend that was already on the team.

“I met Bella when I was a freshman and she was in 7th grade because she shadowed me. We started to bond when she got to Noll, since we spent a lot of time together during conditions, practices, and games”, said Cipowski. 

There are multiple schools in the district, but there are a few reasons why Garcia chose to come to Bishop Noll Institute for her high school experience.

“My club coach is actually the coach at Noll and he had a big impact on my decision to come to play here. I did a summer camp with the team my eighth grade year and I loved it, the girls were so nice and welcoming and it felt like a family.”

Garcia’s volleyball teammates all have great things to say about her. 

“Bella is very optimistic and helps lift people up a lot. She’s a natural leader and overall a great teammate”, says Cipowski. “She’s a strong independent woman with great enthusiasm and passion for volleyball. She’s always supportive of her friends and overall just a fun person to be around.”

Garcia and Cipowki are like two peas in a pod, because according to Cipowski they bring a lot of energy to the team, and they compliment each other by being loud and cheerful.

Later into the school year, Garcia made a decision to join the track and field team. “At first I had no plan on joining track, but Mr. Klocek was my substitute for English last year and he would always drop hints to join. So after a couple weeks I gave in. I joined it so I could increase my endurance, speed, and vertical. Everything that I trained for in track benefited me for volleyball which was awesome.”

Being one of the first few freshmen last year getting a varsity letterman jacket, made Garcia realize that with hard work and dedication to get better that you can accomplish many things. “I feel proud of my achievements my freshman year and I’m very excited to see what the future holds for me!”

Being the light on the volleyball court, Garcia is always there for her teammates. Cipowski says, “Bella is very hardworking. She doesn’t let outside distractions get in the way  and is focused on her goals. I can always count on her to make me laugh.”