THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 27, 1995 TAG: 9510260181
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
EVEN THOUGH SHE was only six years old at the time, Dawn Bell was impressed enough with field hockey to convince her aunt to take an old stick and alter it so the youngster could smack around a ball.
It didn't take long for Bell to start impressing others with the way she wielded that stick.
Now, 11 years later, Bell arguably hits the ball harder than any player in the state. Her passes and penalty corner strokes are the things purple bruises and bent cage posts are made of.
When the Bayside senior winds up for one of her shots, getting in the way is risky business.
``She's got to be the hardest hitter in the state,'' said Bayside coach Kathy Mustain, a former Cox and ODU goal keeper. ``I've never seen anyone her age hit it like she does.
``At practice, I've had to get out of the way several times.''
Cox coach Nancy Fowlkes, who has coached a few heavy hitters in her time, agrees.
``Absolutely,'' she said. ``I've seen her hit and she hits it as hard as a high school player could. I think it's from softball. The swing is the same and the wrist rotation. . . .everything's the same. When she starts stepping into her swing and playing on turf, she'll be incredible.''
Bell caught field hockey fever by watching her aunt - former Princess Anne player Teresa Bell, now Condor - play at Princess Anne. Already playing Tee-ball at the time, she developed a deep love for hitting either ball.
``My aunt really taught me how to play field hockey,'' Bell said. ``I liked the similarity between field hockey and hitting a softball. I love to drive the ball, but I really don't know how I learned to hit it so hard. I've just always been able to do it.''
As she approaches the end of a high school career, Bell is an all-district selection in both field hockey and softball and also plays point guard for the Marlins basketball team.
Her collegiate plans are unsure, but she has attracted the attention of some of the country's top hockey programs and several good softball teams.
Bell was the second-leading scorer last year for a Bayside field hockey team that advanced to the Group AAA state final. This year she is a captain and leads the Marlins in scoring with 22 goals.
No. 22 was an overtime game-winner against Salem on Tuesday. With the win, Bayside locked up a Beach District tournament semifinal berth as the district's No. 2 team. The six-team tournament will be held at Cox, beginning Tuesday.
Bell had several chances to win the Salem game in regulation, including one penalty corner missile that careened off the left post with just over a minute left.
``It don't know if I was trying too hard, or what,'' Bell said. ``I was just missing wide on a lot of stuff. It can get frustrating.''
On the winner, Bell touched in a nice crossing pass from Angie Hebron.
``I'm glad it went in, because we've been having trouble playing together as a team lately,'' Bell said. ``I don't know what's been wrong, but I hope we can talk it out in time for the district tournament. Maybe beating Salem in overtime will get us fired up some.''
Bell is trying to light a fire under a talented bunch that has let down since a 4-0 victory over Green Run. A 5-1 loss to six-time defending group AAA champion Cox didn't help.
``We were in that game,'' Bell said. ``It was 2-1 with about 16 minutes left and we just played horrible in the second half.
``I don't know what's going on with us. We talk a lot about everything and lately, nobody's really saying much. But we'll all sit down and talk and try to get fired up.
``We want to get back to state again.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
Dawn Bell is Bayside's captain and leading scorer this year with 22
goals. ``We want to get back to state again,'' she says.
by CNB