Affectionately called “momma bear” by the women’s soccer team, graduate assistant Cheryl Bell has received a full-time assistant coaching job at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio.
Bell is from Piqua, Ohio, and started playing soccer around age three or four. She went on to attend Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. Bell played for four years as an undergraduate at Baldwin Wallace, and served as a student coach during a fifth year.
Bell said her eyes were opened to how much she really enjoyed coaching during her fifth year at Baldwin Wallace, which led her to the graduate assistant position at Bluffton.
Bell attributes her success in finding coaching opportunities to her Baldwin Wallace coach. After attending a Baldwin Wallace versus Ohio Northern soccer game, Bell connected with her college coach, and he told her Hiram was looking for a full-time assistant coach.
Bell later applied for several coaching opportunities, including Hiram. She had a phone interview with Hiram, followed by an on-campus interview. She was then offered the assistant coaching job. Bell said she is thankful for her coach at Baldwin Wallace for keeping in touch and sharing opportunities with her.
“It’s all about networking when it comes down to it with coaching,” said Bell. “It’s just who you know, because if it wasn’t for my coach at BW I probably wouldn’t have even been in touch with the coach from Hiram.”
Looking back at her time at Bluffton, Bell said that her favorite part was serving as the interim head coach before head coach Kevin Gregory was hired. She said those few months helped her to gain experience managing head coach responsibilities.
When Bell arrives at Hiram in preparation for the coming season, she will bring the experience she’s gained building a program at Bluffton to Hiram. Bell said the coaches at Hiram have done a good job building their program, and she believes that she can add to what they have already done.
While Bell said she can’t wait to continue to share her passion and love for the game, members of the women’s soccer team expressed how they’ll miss her presence with the team.
“She impacted me as a player because she always believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. There were times I really doubted myself, like being able to even play college soccer,” said sophomore Abigail Newkirk. “She was really there for me and always picked me up when I was down.”
Beyond her development as a soccer player, Newkirk said Bell impacted her as a person too.
“Coach Bell taught me really valuable life lessons along the way. Anything that I was unsure about she always gave me really good advice, so that was really helpful,” said Newkirk.
Next fall, Hiram is scheduled to play Bluffton. Although Bell will be opposite the Beavers on the Terrier side, she said she will be excited to be back on Bluffton’s campus to see the women she coached and developed relationships with during her two years here.
