Family has always been a big thing for St. Charles North midfielder Bella Najera.
As the youngest of three athletic children, Najera found out right away — during those fierce familial games that only kids can play — how to win the little battles.
“When I was younger and playing outside, I always tried to beat my siblings,” Najera said of her older brother and sister. “I was the youngest, and they tended to pick on me.
“My style was always very competitive.”
Najera, the 2023 Beacon-News/Courier-News Girls Soccer Player of the Year, created her own name and legacy during a standout three-year varsity career for the North Stars.
Her older sister, Claudia, was an elite scorer for St. Charles North. The recent Iowa State graduate, also a midfielder, will be completing a fifth season this fall at Kentucky.
Bella’s older brother, Alex, just finished his sophomore year playing baseball at Wisconsin-Whitewater. An outfielder, he batted .348 with 32 hits, 23 runs and 24 RBIs.
For Bella, her senior season was a home run as well. She scored 20 goals and added seven assists for the North Stars (17-4-2), who advanced to a Class 3A supersectional.
Her family helped the Michigan State commit sharpen her competitive instincts. The game, however, brought out different aspects of her personality and temperament.
“I feel like I am a pretty outgoing social person,” Bella said. “I like to move around and have fun. I am always busy, and I like to hang out with my friends and family.
“I also like to practice and train in soccer whenever I can, just so that I can get better. My focus this year was to be inclusive and a good leader for the team.”
Trailing Claudia to summer camps and training, Bella caught an early glimpse of what was expected.
“She entered the program already knowing the expectations and traditions,” St. Charles North coach Brian Harks said of Najera. “She spent the last four years making them her own.
“She is highly skilled, a fierce competitor and a great teammate.”
The younger players watched in awe at Najera’s precision, toughness and preparation to detail, according to junior forward Rian Spaulding.
“Bella is the type of person everybody wants on their team,” Spaulding said. “On the field, she is able to make the most out of every possession.
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“What makes her elite is the kind of person she is off the field. She’s an amazing leader, extremely humble, always willing to help her teammates and friends.”
Najera came of age at a difficult time during the onset of the pandemic in the spring of her freshman year. After two weeks of training, her season was canceled.
She didn’t stay idle.
“You couldn’t really do anything, and I took it as an opportunity to work on my skills,” Najera said. “Every day my sister, brother and I worked out. I just followed what they did.
“We’d train in our basement or I’d shoot around with my sister in the backyard. I focused on becoming a better athlete.”
Bella became a serious practitioner of yoga, working on stretching, balance, discipline and body control. Yoga is still a significant part of her training.
She has been a model of consistency, having scored 19 goals in each of her sophomore and junior seasons. Her assists totals, likewise, have been seven, eight and seven.
The next stage for Najera, who had 58 goals and 22 assists in her career for the North Stars, is marked by adventure and promise.
“I really liked my relationships with my coaches,” she said. “The pregame rituals were really exciting. We’d have dance parties before the games, and it was lighthearted and a lot of fun.
“I think the biggest thing was I became a leader this year. I think that is going to help me in life — not just soccer.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.