Bella Howarth finds her groove as she attacks life while dreaming of sleep

After a stuttering start to her first-ever interview, the Tamworth High year 9 student quickly found her groove - illuminating a young life full of promise.

It's a life where sleep is sacrosanct and needles create dread; where being comfortable in your own skin is the most important lesson she has learned.

"Be yourself," she said.

Read more: Smaller Northern Rangers contingent set for nationals tilt

It's a life where she orbits her father, Shane, a bull of a man, and her mother, Tracy, who like her husband tasted premiership success at Kootingal-Moonbi.

It's a life in which Bella is not afraid to dream big, having been inspired by her sporting idol, Sydney Roosters captain Isabelle Kelly, and Kelly's teammate, Tamworth-stamped sensation Jada Taylor.

At Coffs Harbour this week, Bella's sporting education will continue when she captains the Northern Rangers under-14 side at the oztag junior nationals.

Sideline barking orders will be her old man, the Rangers' coach. Bella reckons her father is tougher on her than other players.

"It can be fun," she said of playing under him. "But sometimes you cop it more than others do."

Sitting beside his progeny at Anzac Park on an idyllic afternoon on Wednesday, Shane did not respond to the comment.

But he would know that success and hard work are inseparable.

Read also:

And his daughter knows that being born in the country is not an impediment to profound success; Jada Taylor's prismatic ascent lit up the pathway extending from Tamworth to the NRLW.

It was only last year that Taylor played for Dungowan's league tag side when she returned home because of the pandemic. Last month, she made her NRLW debut.

Bella captained Dungowan's under-14 league tag side to the premiership this year.

"She's [Taylor] proved that no matter where you come from, if you have a goal you can always get it," Bella said.

Shane is in his third season as a Rangers coach. When Bella has moved up an age group so has Shane, who described his girl as "a natural leader".

"What she does on the field she brings 110 per cent to. And she portrays that off the field as well," he said.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: