Q&A With Carmel Eighth Grader Bella Ramsey

An eighth grader at Clay Middle School in Carmel, Indiana, Bella is a 5'6" guard who has shown an ability to finish at the basket with either hand. The youngest person to ever participate in my Q&A series, she is set to attend Indiana's largest high school during the later portions of 2024. Pressure? Let's ask Bella herself...

What is your favorite movie?

Ramsey: "My favorite movie is the first Top Gun movie because I like how action-filled it is and I think that the young Tom Cruise is good-looking."

What is your favorite food?

Ramsey: "My favorite food is strawberries. I love how fresh they taste!"

Who is your favorite athlete?

Ramsey: "My favorite athlete is either Caitlin Clark or Steph Curry because even though defenders try to shut them down, Caitlin and Steph still find a way to get involved in the offense and find scoring opportunities."

What was your proudest moment as a basketball player to this point?

Ramsey: "My proudest moment as a basketball player was winning the Hamilton County Championship in 7th grade. It was the first year that 7th graders had their own county tournament. Also, at my middle school, it had been 26 years since the girls basketball team had gone undefeated."

What is your overall mindset knowing you're getting set to represent Indiana's largest high school these next four years?

Ramsey: "My overall mindset is to just go into every practice, training, and game, determined to work as hard as I can and to not be afraid of the competition. I just have to be confident in myself and believe that I can make it to the next level. I know that I will be playing in a much larger environment but I will use that to push me to the next level."

Outside of basketball, what is your favorite downtime activity?

Ramsey: "My favorite downtime activity is reading books out on my back deck when it is warm outside."

If you could go anywhere for a seven-day vacation, where would it be?

Ramsey: "I would go to Maui, Hawaii. I love to go snorkeling and learn about the wildlife that is native to Hawaii."

Who or what would you say is your greatest inspiration?

Ramsey: "My greatest inspiration is my travel coach, Coach Nick Daniels. He has boosted my confidence tremendously and he has always told me that even if you make a mistake, he won’t be mad at you if you are going 100 percent and learn from your mistakes."

What would you say for any potential outsider visiting your beloved hometown of Carmel, Indiana?

Ramsey: "Carmel, Indiana is known around the world for the amount of roundabouts we have. People travel from around the world to Carmel just to learn about how roundabouts are a safer choice than traffic lights."

Any random fact you would like to share about yourself?

Ramsey: "I am right-handed but when I first started playing basketball when I was about five, my dad taught me to only shoot with my left hand. I have gone back to right-handed shooting now though."