Tennis, Basketball
Favorite athlete: Tyrese Maxey
Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles
Favorite memory competing in sports: Winning the conference senior year for tennis.
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: One of the funniest moments while competing in tennis was when my teammates would make up animal code words for different shots, and the other team would look at them like they were crazy.
Music on playlist: The Lumineers, George Ezra, Billy Joel, and The Beatles.
Future plans: Study Biology/Pre-med
Words to live by: “Smile and the world smiles with you.”
One goal before turning 30: I want to visit Glacier Montana and go hiking.
One thing people don’t know about me: I used to sleepwalk a lot and have many funny stories that have come out of it.
By Mary Jane Souder
Every team needs a Bella Haurin.
No, the Central Bucks East senior is not a headliner, and she’s not a star. As a matter of fact, she contributes in a reserve role for the basketball team and plays first doubles for the tennis team, but mention her name to either of her coaches, and it takes no time at all to realize how much she is valued.
“Bella is a fighter and always gives her best,” East tennis coach Ieda Garcia said. “She’s always very focused and determined to play her best and try different shots on the court.
“She’s also very responsible and committed with the best sportsmanship and team spirit on and off the court. Off the court, she one of the kindest players, interacting with everyone, including the jayvee players.”
“You might not know her name,” East basketball coach Liz Potash said. “She’s not someone you’re going to read about in terms of stats. Her minutes can be limited at times, but she’s super valuable on the team.
“She’s just a great teammate, she cheers for her teammates. She’s just a really good kid. She knows every single play, she sees things, and she knows basketball.”
Potash recalls her team’s recent game against Pennsbury
“We were having trouble rebounding,” the East coach said. “Pennsbury is pretty aggressive.
“I literally looked at her and said, ‘Bella, I need you to rebound.’ She gets in the game and gets the first rebound on the play. I was like, ‘Okay, thank goodness she did that.’ She’s not someone who gets a lot of minutes, but you know what she can do, and she’s going to do it well.”
In addition to contributing off the bench, Haurin brings value from the spot she occupies on the bench.
“I’m usually at the end of the bench because I think it’s a better view of the court,” the East senior said.
The end of the bench also happens to be where Potash stands when she coaches, and the two have established a unique bond.
“For three years, I feel I’ve talked to Bella,” the Patriots’ coach said.
The opportunity to converse during games can be attributed – more than anything - to a litany of injuries Haurin endured.
“I’ve talked to my parents – I get hurt at least once a season, so I just expect it,” she said.
*****
The vicious cycle began Haurin’s sophomore year. Freshman year, she was actually injury-free.
“That was my good year,” she said.
Sophomore year, Haurin’s fortunes changed.
“It happened during tennis season,” she said. “I didn’t know it happened. I thought I pulled something in my leg because it felt like a pulled muscle, so I played on it for two weeks before it got too painful to sit down.”
An MRI determined it was a herniated disc, forcing Haurin to miss the remainder of her tennis season and her entire basketball season.
“My two options were either surgery to remove the disc or physical therapy,” she said. “I did PT for six months.
“Sophomore year was the COVID year – I ended up doing virtual online through Central Bucks because I couldn’t sit for long periods of time because it was just really painful. The aspect of not seeing everyone during school was a little rough.
“There was a hybrid version where you went two days. I decided I was going to do hybrid, but because of my back, I decided to go virtual.”
The back injury gave Haurin reason to think long and hard about her future on the basketball court.
“It could happen again,” she said. “If you get struck in the back a certain way, the disc could pop out again, but I really love the sport and I love the girls and being part of the team, so I’m really happy that I stuck with it.”
As a result of the injury, Haurin’s basketball career did not follow the path either she or her coach had anticipated.
“Freshman year, she was on jayvee – she was a forward, a solid player,” Potash said. “We were really excited about her for the following year, thinking she could get varsity time.”
Although sidelined, Haurin - who competed on the AAU circuit with Upper Makefield Heat –stayed with the team and served as a manager during the shortened COVID season.
“I taught her how to do the book, and she did varsity and jayvee,” Potash said. “She did not miss a practice, she came every day. She would shoot on the side, and I would joke with her, ‘Next year you’re going to be the best shooter.’ That’s all she was allowed to do, nothing contact.”
Junior year also included a setback when Haurin suffered an ankle injury that once again kept her on the sidelines for an extended period of time.
“You name the injury, and Bella seems to have had it,” Potash said.
Through it all, Haurin has never lost her sense of humor.
“When Erin (LeRay) needed stitches at our holiday tournament this year – when we were leaving, Bella said, ‘I got stitches on my face one time. We were sledding, and I ran into a tree, and my tooth went through my lip,’” Potash said. “She has this dry sense of humor, and she’s quiet, but I love the kid. She’s such a good kid. When she talks, I’ve got to hear what’s coming out because I know it’s going to be hilarious.”
If there’s a positive aspect to Haurin’s injuries, it’s the camaraderie she shares with Potash.
“I probably talk to Bella more during games than I do to my assistants, and I’m not kidding,” the East coach said. “I don’t go to the other end of the bench because if I do, they yell at me because they can’t see the game, so I stand at the end of the bench, and I hang with Bella.
“Even when she’s not in the game, she is totally engaged in the game. If I want to complain about a call, I don’t complain to officials. I complain to Bella, and she will tell me if it’s a good call or not.”
“Coach and I joke around a bit during practice and games,” Haurin said. “We make comments, and we hear each other making comments.
“Last year we really got into the game Wordle, and we would compare our scores every day to see who could get the word on the least amount of tries. This year, just during the game and stuff, we talk.”
Haurin is enjoying every minute of her final high school season.
“We lost a couple of games last year I think we could have won,” she said. “The team we have this year, if we keep going forward with the momentum we have, I think we’ll have a really good season.”
*****
On the tennis court, Haurin, who has been on the varsity four years, has contributed as a doubles player, and this past fall she was part of a successful first doubles team for an East squad that captured the division crown.
“She had an outstanding season, winning most of her matches,” Garcia said. “Even though she had a bad ankle during the fall season, she never missed a practice or a match, always cheering and motivating the team to keep playing their best.
“What an amazing athlete. I will miss her dearly and wish her all the very best in college and future tennis years to come.”
“I love tennis,” Haurin said. “I picked it up in middle school, but it wasn’t really as competitive as East. Freshman year I tried out for the East team, and I made varsity. The experience with the coaches and the group of girls through the tennis team was wonderful.”
As for Haurin’s future, she is has talked to several college coaches but is looking to compete at the club level in either tennis or basketball, and with a biology/pre-med major, she will have a rigorous academic schedule.
“I’ve always really liked helping people,” Haurin said of her career choice. “I do a lot of volunteer work outside of school, and I also really love the sciences.
“It was between biology/pre-med or forensics. I picked biology.”
An excellent student, Haurin is taking three AP courses. She has not made a college choice but plans to focus on a career in pediatrics.
Haurin is part of the National Charity League, a mother-daughter volunteer group.
“My favorite volunteer work through that group is Carversville Farm,” she said. “We pick vegetables for food pantries and just doing that in the summer – you’re always helping someone out.
At East, Haurin is involved in Athletes Helping Athletes, but for now, her focus is on her final high school basketball season.
“For someone who doesn’t get as many minutes as people who get recognized, she’s never once complained,” Potash said. “Every time I talk to her about it – she seems to understand her role and loves being part of the team. The girls really like her.”
It’s an experience Haurin wouldn’t have wanted to miss.
“It’s given me a whole different group of friends, and the team aspect of the sport is really important in your life because you learn many different lessons through it,” she said. “It also helps with time management of school and other activities, and that’s really important going to college next year and something that’s important to learn.”
