In what otherwise was a rebuilding season for the young Potomac School Panthers, the big individual standout for the girls field hockey team this fall was junior Bella Kim.
The center forward scored a single-season team-record 24 goals and had six assists. The previous mark was 21 goals for the high-school team, set by current Georgetown University player Elizabeth Rossetti.
Kim scored three goals in three different matches this fall.
Kim’s effort earned her a first-team Independent School League (ISL) selection, in addition to being chosen second-team Division I private-school all-state from a team that won just six matches. She also was chosen to play in an ISL all-star game at the indoor St. James facility in Springfield.
“We did not have a great season [as a team] or make the state tournament. So that’s a very big deal for her [to make all-state],” Potomac School coach Barb Mays said.
Mays described Kim as a high-level talented and humble player with many skills. She has been a Potomac School varsity player for three years. Before that, Kim played on intermediate-level field hockey teams as a seventh-and eighth-grader at Potomac School.
“She has a college-level power shot with accuracy already, she has a very quick stick, she can maneuverer through tight spots, and has a lot of speed as a player. Plus, she’s such a good passer,” Mays said. “She could have had 20 assists this season, but we had trouble finishing some of her passes.”
Kim took on more of a scoring role this season because top scorers from the season before graduated.
For her career at Potomac School, Kim has scored 52 goals (19 as a sophomore) and has 28 assists.
She began playing field hockey in the seventh grade, attending camps and clinics after transitioning from ice hockey. Kim found field hockey more to her liking.
“I was able to pass and shoot better in field hockey, because you are not on the ice too, like in ice hockey,” Kim said.
The taekwondo black belt no longer plays organized ice hockey, but has played lacrosse for Potomac School teams, and might again in the future.
In addition, Kim plays field hockey year round, indoor and outdoor, for the Washington Wolves club organization.
