By Tamas Modovics
Starting its third year as a private tuition-free charter school serving Riverview, Valrico and greater Brandon area families, Bell Creek Academy (BCA) has been making great strides both inside and out of the classroom.
Thanks to a supportive administration, BCA coaches and athletes, led by 35-year Hillsborough County public schools veteran Larry Bass as athletic director, are all confident of another successful year.
Bass, who has coached football at Brandon High School for 15 years and is a head cross country coach at Riverview High School, was pleased with the start of BCA’s 2015-2016 athletic season, which boasts of a great lineup of sports to accommodate grades 6-11, with grade 12 yet to come next year.
“Bell Creek Academy believes that offering athletic programs is an integral part of the total school,” Bass said. “To have a student body able to rally around their sports teams and cheer, creates a sense of pride and enthusiasm.”
Currently, under the Central Florida Charter Athletic League, BCA athletes are competing on the middle school level in the sports of cheerleading, cross country, track and field, soccer, volleyball, baseball, flag football and basketball.
Bass added that as a member of Florida High School Athletics Association at the high school level, BCA is now offering girls volleyball, cross country, track and field, soccer, basketball and baseball, while most recently golf and bowling have also been offered and are trying to gain momentum.
Since the beginning, the school has seen its share of success as champions in cross country, volleyball, soccer, flag football and basketball.
With last year’s 9-6, record BCA’s baseball team has proudly posted a winning season, while the boys basketball team went from a winless season in their first year to a 12-8 winning season along with a holiday tournament victory.
Adding to its 2016 fall athletics, BCA is planning to start an 11-man football team.
For more information about Bell Creek Academy, visit www.bellcreekacademy.com or email to Larry Bass at lbass@bellcreekacademy.com.
