Name: Bella Russo

Residence: Casco

Parents: Tara and Steven Russo

Sports you play: Soccer, Lacrosse, Basketball 

School groups/honors: National Honor Society

Q. Why did you choose these sports? I’ve played them since emendatory school and just kept signing up because I couldn’t get enough!

Q. What do you enjoy most about sports? The adrenaline rush, teammates and fans.

Q. How has competing in sports changed you as a person? Playing sports has made me a natural leader, goal setter, given me self-discipline, strong sense of motivation, and self-confidence.

Q. During this period of Covid-19, what has been the most difficult adjustment and what have you been doing to occupy your time? Not seeing my friends and teammates everyday was a huge change in my everyday life. I was so used to going to school every day, and going straight to a game or practice. I’ve done it for years now, so to put a dead stop to it was a body shock. To keep myself occupied, I started to work on myself as a person more. Starting new hobbies and setting new goals for myself outside of school and sports.

Q. What is your favorite sports memory? My sophomore year soccer quarter-finals game. We went into double overtime and lost on a corner kick. Even though we lost that game, we still won in hearts, and put everything we had on that field!

Q. What is your most disappointing sports memory? My sophomore year we went to our second state championship game against St. Dom’s in lacrosse, but ended up losing.

Q. How has sports prepared you for your future? Sports have taught me to never give up on something, no matter the obstacles. They have also taught me to not only push myself but to push others in order to accomplish your goal.

Q. Name a coach who has made a difference in your life and in what way? My soccer coach, Peter Webb, has made a huge impact in my life. Coach Webb has been my coach since I was in elementary school. He has always pushed me, and made me set goals for myself. He always knows when I’m not playing up to my full potential and is a constant encourager on and off the field, in season or not. He is always there to talk to, and has the best advice. He’s everything you would want and expect from a coach!

Q. What are your future goals? I plan to become a dental hygienist in the future.

List of Favorites

Favorite food:  Shepherd’s Pie

Favorite movie: The Lion King

Favorite TV show: The 100

Favorite school subject: Humanities

Favorite athlete:  Lionel Messi because he is the greatest soccer player of all time

Favorite sports team: FC Barcelona 

Advice for future Lakers:  Always put yourself first and push to succeed!