Photo courtesy of MIFFLIN COUNTY ATHLETICS
Mifflin County Junior High School field hockey player Elissa Bell recently competed at the 2025 Junior Nexus Under-14 Championship at the Virginia Beach Regional Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — It’s not unusual to find kids at the beach especially during the summer months.

This past weekend, Elissa Bell, of Belleville, traded her beach towel and flip-flops for field hockey threads and sneakers. The Mifflin County Junior High School field hockey player traveled to Virginia Beach, Va., to compete at the 2025 Junior Nexus Under-14 Championship at the Virginia Beach Regional Training Center, hosted by USA Field Hockey.

Bell was selected for the national tournament team after two grueling rounds of regional selection camps held earlier in the spring at Penn State and Ursinus College, located in Collegeville, Montgomery County.

This selection marks the completion of the Regional Selection Camp sessions and the next step in the Olympic Development Pathway and tryout process for the Junior U.S. Women’s National teams.

At the conclusion of the Junior NXC, top performing athletes in qualifying age groups will be invited to additional Junior National Team camps and training opportunities.

Teams for U-16 and U-18 girls also competed on teams, which were named for cities around the United States. Bell competed for Team St. Louis.