Tatyanna Bell

The story was written by Gulf Coast State College Marketing Department.

Since an early age, Tatyanna Bell has envisioned herself playing basketball for the Gulf Coast Commodores. She has been passionate about the game since she started playing at the age of six, and continued improving her skills at Everitt Middle School and Rutherford High School.

During that time she also attended GCSC basketball camps and had fond memories of watching the games. “I used to come to the games all the time. I remember watching the team win the national championship in 2008 and 2010,” said Bell. “Gulf Coast has always been a piece of me.” All of her hard work and dedication paid off when she received a basketball scholarship and officially became a Lady Commodore.

Last year, she experienced the thrill of being on the 2016 national championship team and continued to maintain that high bar as they recently won the 2017 national championship, making her a back-to-back champ.

Basketball isn’t the only significant thing in her life. She and her family were recipients of a Habitat for Humanity home when she was young, so she understands the importance of getting involved with the community and feels it’s important to give back. “I volunteer with the basketball team from my high school and help a couple of neighborhood kids. It’s important for me to share with them that it’s okay to stand out and be different,” said Bell. “You can be a leader and should never let your circumstances define you.”

Bell is currently finishing her associate’s degree and has been accepted to Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach. She plans to earn her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and open a small restaurant one day. “Gulf Coast is a great place to start,” said Bell. “The classes are small, and the instructors are very welcoming. It gives you the self-discipline you need to be successful.”

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