One look at the athletic, academic, and professional resumes of Kevin Bell, and it would be easy for any teenage boy to be jealous. A standout in three sports, Daily Herald preps sports writer Neil Shalin once commented, “It’s too bad there aren’t more high school athletic seasons at Naperville Central to give Kevin Bell a chance to excel at more than three varsity sports.” Somehow, the word “excel” doesn’t even seem to come close to characterizing all of Bell’s accomplishments. If there’s one thing that Bell proved in his time as a Redhawk, it’s that athletes can be extraordinary without specializing in one sport. An athlete for all seasons, The Naperville Sun’s 2006 Male Athlete of the Year was an All-Conference football player in the fall, 16 event All-American swimmer in the winter, and an All-American water polo player in the spring. To that end, Bell’s advice to current Naperville Central student-athletes is very direct: “Do not specialize. If you have the opportunity to play a different sport, do it! Playing as many sports as I did growing up affected my ability to play the sports I did in high school and college.” Kevin Bell honed the “team first” attitude he would carry through the school year as a member of the Redhawk football squad each fall. As a two-time letter winner and team captain, Bell guided his teams to the playoffs during his junior and senior seasons, earning All-Conference accolades along the way. A tenacious defender, Bell loved competition, especially when it came against crosstown rival Naperville North. For that reason, despite his two state championships in swimming, Bell’s most memorable moment as a high school athlete remains a single play on the field at North Central College during his junior year. When a Huskie fumble sat loose on the turf, it was Bell who recovered it for a touchdown, much to the delight of Central supporters. He notes, “It was incredible to hear the roar of all the Central supporters at North Central College after making a game changing play. That was certainly the loudest I’ve ever heard someone cheer for an action that I accomplished.” Bell’s achievements in the pool were even more impressive. A 4-time state qualifier in swimming, Bell helped guide his teams to two state runner-up finishes. In 2005 he teamed up with Ryan Albert, Chris Hendrix, and Dan Li to win the state title in the 200 Medley Relay. He followed that in 2006 with a victory in the 200 Individual Medley. Bell was a four-time 1st Team All-State selection, an All-American honoree in 16 events, and the 2006 State Swimmer of the Year. For all of his awards, Bell is quick to credit others for his phenomenal success, pointing out, “Mike Adams was very instrumental in my development as a young man. He demanded everything I could give him every day at practice. His practices were harder than our meets, and I knew I’d be prepared for the championship season with him on the pool deck with me.” Each spring found Bell back in the pool but focused on another sport: water polo. A four-year letter winner for head coach Bill Salentine, Bell was again a four-time All-State selection and All-American, propelling his team to a second place finish at the 2005 state tournament. Though he had a number of different college athletic options, it was ultimately water polo that won out, leading him to the United States Naval Academy where he continued to excel. As a four-year letter winner for the Midshipmen, Bell participated in three NCAA Final 4 tournaments, finishing 3rd in 2008. He was selected All-Conference by the Collegiate Water Polo Association after leading his team in points during his junior and senior campaigns. Professionally, Kevin Bell was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy in May 2010. Later that summer, he started a two-year flight school program to become a Naval Helicopter Pilot, earning his “Wings of Gold” in February 2012. Most recently earning the rank of Lieutenant, his current assignment is to fly the mighty MH-60R as a Naval Aviator out of San Diego, California. In 2015 Bell was deployed near China and surrounding countries to fly the MH-60R and the MQ-8B Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in support of the United States Navy Seventh Fleet Operations. From All-American athlete to Naval Helicopter Pilot, Kevin Bell has already accomplished quite a bit in his life, but those who remember him best around Central remember what a good teammate he was. Despite all of his stats, records, championships, and awards, Bell will tell you that it’s connections with others that are most important. He stresses, “Life is about relationships. The more teammates you have, the more activities you belong to, the more relationships you’ll build. Those friendships and teammates will last you a lifetime. You won’t always be around them, but you’ll have fond memories of your time together, and it’s always a great experience when you get an opportunity to see each other again.” While Kevin Bell’s storied career on the field and in the pool may spark a touch of envy, it is one that, most importantly, also inspires emulation.