Upper Arlington — Upper Arlington head softball coach Doug Bell had a simple message to his team after practice on Thursday, “Go to bed early tonight, come in tomorrow pissed off.”
In other words, become the kind of team nobody wants to face after a loss.
Year two of the Bell era is underway, with the Golden Bears sitting at 4-1 heading into a matchup with Newark before opening league play at Hilliard Bradley the day after Easter.
For seniors Elena Miller and Hannah Sutton, the goal for this season is simple: put 2026 on a banner.
“Our goal is to get 2026 on a banner as a league or a district champion,” Sutton said. “We’ve worked hard to make this team the best it can be, and we’re all pushing toward our full potential.”
Two years ago, this would’ve been a pipe dream for the Golden Bears. UA went 3-15 overall, allowing 211 runs while scoring only 86. Miller and Sutton remember it well, and know how far the program has come under Bell.
The coaching change helped produce a 10-17 record in Bell’s first season. It also brought structural changes: expanding to three teams, investing in youth softball, and building a culture of confidence, trust, and communication.
“Our old coach had a focus on being better individually instead of as a team, and Coach Bell has us focus on the team,” Miller said. “In Saturday practice, we share notes about what someone on the team did great during the week. It goes with our four values: Success, culture, teammates, and trust.”
Bell arrived in Upper Arlington from Dublin Scioto, where he served as head softball coach. He encouraged current Scioto coach and former Nebraska pitching standout Tatum Edwards to succeed him. Bell is also a teacher in the Hilliard school district, and an assistant coach with Darby football.
With fingerprints all over the Columbus metro, Bell was confronted with the stereotypes of Upper Arlington when word got around of his interest in the job: Entitled kids, difficult parents, lazy players, and just a difficult place to coach.
That reputation doesn’t match Upper Arlington’s track record in athletics. The Golden Bears have 151 state championships in nearly a century of competition.
Modern success at the high school level requires more than talent alone: it requires stability, culture, and strong coaching. Programs like girls soccer and ice hockey have recently captured their first state championships, adding to UA’s long list of athletic achievements.
“I reached out to Coach Buttermore and said something to him about it. I took a leap of faith, and I love it here. These kids are some of the best human beings I have been around,” Bell said. “I could be carrying a ball machine and cart of balls in the rain, and I don’t care who the kid is walking out of the building, they will ask if I need any help.”
Bell spent his first season building relationships with players, connecting with the community, and laying the groundwork for the program he wanted to build. It can be the hardest part of building a program, but also the most rewarding once the foundation is set.
Miller and Sutton said that foundation has changed how players interact with each other, how they connect with younger players in the program, and how comfortable they feel speaking openly with teammates and coaches.
“I’ve never once felt burdened having to hang out with my teammates. They are some of my favorite people.” Sutton said.
“Our dynamics off-the-field really translate on the field. Coach Bell really enforces a community between varsity, JV, and even the middle school girls. Team chemistry is the number one thing that shows on the field.”
Upper Arlington’s team chemistry teaches more than just softball. It’s a lesson in prioritizing the team over yourself and lifting everyone through what you do.
“I know that these other people are relying on me and notice what I do, so I need to be a better player for them,” Miller said. “That’s a massive shift from our sophomore season. It’s now about the team, not stats or ego, and I really appreciate that.”
Seven seniors form the backbone of Upper Arlington’s roster this season, guiding a team that thrives on chemistry and accountability.
Meera Norton, Lily Blakeman, and Elena Miller are on fire at the plate this season, all hitting over .500. Norton and Miller have combined for six triples, while Blakeman has already driven in eight RBIs, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Marlo Davie and Ashley Hjelle anchor the doubles column, with Hjelle also sitting third on the team in RBIs. Beyond these names, each girl could have their own feature story.
In the circle, Gabriella Duguid has been just as dominant. She carries a 2.22 ERA, holds opponents to a .231 batting average, and boasts a plus-21 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
For Miller and Sutton, this season is about more than putting a year on the banner, it’s about leaving a legacy of leadership and mentorship for the next generation.
“I want this younger generation to love this sport, not just feel pressure to play it,” Sutton said. “This sport has brought me so much joy. It can get me out of bed in the morning, and I want the future girls to experience that too.”
“I may want to leave UA known as a good player, but I also want to be known as a good friend you can talk to on and off the field,” Miller said. “I would love for a middle school girl to reach out after I’ve left, or even come support them at their games. I really want that culture to be here.”
The culture these seniors hope to leave behind aligns perfectly with Bell’s long-term vision for Upper Arlington softball: a program built not just for wins, but for players, mentorship, and lasting excellence.
Bell’s ultimate goal is to build a program that reaches the same level as Upper Arlington lacrosse, the city’s dominant spring sport. For him, it isn’t about surpassing lacrosse, it’s about giving softball the same stature and recognition in the community.
“In the spring, this is a lacrosse school. Those programs are incredible, the amount of kids they have is unbelievable, and I would love to see softball get on that level,” Bell said.
“I’m highly involved in youth softball in this community and doing everything I can to support them. In the end, we’re competing for the same female athletes in the spring, and I want to get them picking up a softball bat at a young age.”
With seven seniors leading the way and a culture built on trust, accountability, and team-first values, the Golden Bears are already showing what Upper Arlington softball can be. Miller and Sutton hope their legacy is more than stats on a banner, it’s mentorship, leadership, and a love for the game passed on to the next generation.
As Bell pushes to elevate the program to the same stature as Upper Arlington lacrosse, the message is clear: this isn’t just a season. It’s a foundation, a movement, and a promise that the Golden Bears’ culture, talent, and vision will continue long after these seniors take the field for the last time.
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