By Robert Wilson
Jody Bell couldn’t have had a better finish for his first season coaching high school girls soccer.
Bell led Central Hinds Academy to an undefeated 15-0-1 season and the MAIS Division 3 state championship, the first girls soccer state title in the history of the small private school in Raymond. Central Hinds defeated Washington School 1-0 in the title game.
Bell, 37, owns an electrical company in Raymond.
“I’ve coached u7 girls soccer and youth baseball and grew up playing soccer and always wanted to coach and got the opportunity this year,” Bell said. “My high school (Rebul Academy) did not have a team, so I played recreational soccer. I played at Holmes (Community College) my first year and then Co-Lin (Copiah Lincoln CC). I had offers from Delta State, Belhaven and Millsaps but decided to go to trade school and got my electrical license. I worked for Adco Electric for 15 years and started my electrical company in July and started coaching at Central Hinds.”
“Central Hinds has had a good girls team for several years, but the experience and skill that Coach Bell and his assistant (Annalise Bell, no relation) brought to our program got us over the hump,” Central Hinds head of school Steve McCartney said. “Hiring these two coaches to hone our program was a great move by (Central Hinds athletic director) Coach (Henry) Gantz and it certainly paid off.”
“Coach Bell was a great addition to our athletic department,” Gantz said. “Going unbeaten and winning state in Year One is remarkable. We are very proud to have him lead our girls.”
Bell credits his solid defensive play (allowed only seven goals this season) for his team’s success. Four defenders – senior Macie Curtis, junior Kayla Houston, freshmen Jaci Bland and Babby Krohn – and defensive center, junior Katherine Strong, kept the opponents from getting many shots at freshman goalkeeper Scarlett Rodgers.
“Not many teams were able to get by them,” Bell said. “The midfielders (Strong, seniors Ava Benton and Jada Houston) set the tone for every game at the beginning. They would either score or play the ball to our forwards (senior Maylynn Goulette, junior Ginnie Mae Purvis and seventh grader Calyn Macke) for a goal within the first five minutes in 14 of the 16 games and trailed at halftime once all season, to Class 5A Magnolia Heights and it ended in a tie.”
Bell knew early in the season he had a special group.
“After about the fourth game of the season, these girls did not want to miss practice and I could tell they wanted to win state,” Bell said. “They worked hard all season. But nothing compared to the week of the playoffs when everyone came together through Bible study, practice, and games. They finished with a perfect season and a state championship. They were all nervous in the state championship game and it showed in the first half, but they did not give up. They came out in the second half and looked like a different team. They played with heart in the second half.”
