Senior Spotlight: Bella Phillips' heart is unmatched

Editor’s note: This is a weekly series dedicated to highlighting local senior athletes.

SANDPOINT — Bella Phillips is the heart and soul of the Sandpoint volleyball team. There’s no question about that.

“Without Bella’s emotion that she brings to our team in all areas, we would be missing that sorely,” head coach Karen Alsager said. “Bella doesn’t play for herself, she plays for her team and the kids play for Bella, and when you have an individual like that, that’s a very special thing.”

Bella is the Bulldogs' hype man on the volleyball court and the team feeds off her energy. Whenever one of her teammates gets a kill or dives on the floor for a dig, she’s there to pump them up and celebrate their success.

“I just love everyone,” she said. “We all get along so well and I have a lot of fun even if it’s not my night.”

Melodie Phillips, Bella’s mom, said she is a firm believer in the mantra, “if one person succeeds, we all succeed,” and Bella certainly applies that principle to her team.

In third grade, Bella played rec league soccer. However, it was clear after one season that soccer wasn’t for her, so Bella’s friends told her to give volleyball and basketball a try. She was a natural and hasn’t stopped playing both sports since.

“That’s when I started to figure out, ‘Hey this is what I want to do,’” she said. “I just found my passion.”

Melodie also played basketball and volleyball in high school and Bella remembers her mom telling her stories about her experience and the impact both had on her life. Bella always wanted to play both sports, it was just a matter of time.

“I wanted to be like my mom,” she said. “She’s been my biggest fan and someone that I’ve been so blessed to have in my life.”

Growing up, Bella looked up to the athletes at the high school level. Now she’s proud to be a role model for younger girls coming up through the ranks.

As the middle blocker on the volleyball team, Bella is a force in front of the net. She has earned the nickname “Big Dawg,” from her teammates and coaches and she embraces it.

Bella said she really enjoys being a part of two amazing teams and she admitted that both have helped shape her into the person she is today.

“For a while, I was just a really shy person,” she said, “but then once I became part of a team I started to get more confidence … When we’re on the court, they just turn into my family and I feel like that’s just really helped me grow as a person and I’ve gotten out of my shell.”

Melodie said sports have helped her daughter develop a strong work ethic in all aspects of her life.

“It’s made her stronger,” Melodie said. “She won’t quit in anything now, so I think it’s enabled her to be the person that she is. She’ll give everything her all.”

Alsager hadn’t met Bella until she took over the heading duties for a second time last season, but she had watched her play basketball while doing the stat book for the team. She remembers thinking how fun it would be to coach in her volleyball and for the past year she has gotten that opportunity.

This season, Alsager gave Bella the title of captain.

“I picked her immediately because I knew that she was positive and pure of heart, and was the example I wanted to be set for the rest of the program as to how I want a varsity player to be on the inside, not just on the outside,” Alsager said.

Bella doesn’t have her after high school plans set in stone, but right now she is looking at attending Boise State University and becoming a child psychologist. Regardless of what career path Bella pursues, she will make an effort to help others because that’s who she is.

“I always try to put people first,” she said, “and honestly just making someone smile and making someone’s day makes me super happy, and that’s just something I want to do. I want to be able to help in whatever way I can.”

It’s hard to believe, but Bella and the rest of the class of 2021 are just nine months away from bidding farewell to SHS. Bella said it’s scary to think about, but she plans on making the most of her senior year.

“I’m a little nervous, I’m not going to lie,” she said. “Senior year, this is when stuff starts getting real, but at the same time I’m ready and I know I have my family there to support me.”

Melodie said Bella is a great older sister and she’s passionate, caring and unselfish.

Melodie said her and her husband, Nick, always make sure one of them is able to attend Bella’s games and they are so proud of the person she has become.

Alsager isn’t looking forward to saying goodbye to Bella at the end of this season. Alsager said she is irreplaceable and is one of those players she’ll remember forever.

“Bella would be one of the main reasons that I decided to come back this season knowing that she would be coming back,” Alsager said. “She’s even inspiring to me and makes me want to coach.

“I’ve coached for 25 years, there’s kids that just stick out and she’s one of those kids.”