Norfolk Academy graduate is Harvard bound as she ends her multi-sport career
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Advancing in martial arts takes dedication, agility, body awareness and sharp focus. This discipline not only teaches skills that enhance performance in other sports, but provides important tools for navigating all aspects of life.
Class of 2021 Norfolk Academy graduate Ella Jordan Deans is mastering three different forms of martial arts: kickboxing, Brazilian jiu jitsu and taekwondo. Her years of training have helped her excel at volleyball, basketball and soccer and earn both a prestigious scholarship to an equally prestigious university and enrollment in an Ivy League school.
With Ella鈥檚 graduation from Norfolk Academy also comes the closing of one of the more successful female athletic careers in recent Bulldog history. Ella played volleyball, basketball and soccer for Norfolk Academy throughout her middle and upper school years 鈥� a rare three sport athletic commitment. It is typical for most athletes to focus their time, energy and attention on one activity with the goal of becoming exceptional. Even so, she played varsity volleyball for four years and varsity basketball and soccer for three years and was a standout in each. Throughout this time, she also averaged around 10 hours a week at the gym practicing the disciplines of all three martial arts.
Among her many pursuits, playing volleyball is Ella’s favorite, and she even once saw a future in the sport. 鈥淚 very seriously considered college athletics,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 decided that if I wanted to play volleyball in college, I would need to begin playing club volleyball, as that is the main route of recruiting in the sport.鈥� Ella did not want to give up martial arts, however, and knew she could not sustain a true commitment to both. She had to choose where to focus most of her energy.
鈥淯ltimately, I decided to continue pursuing my martial arts because they have become such a crucial part of who I am as a person. Embedded in that decision was the knowledge that I was most likely giving up the opportunity to get recruited for college volleyball, which I decided I was okay with,鈥� Ella recalled.
Clearly, Ella is a young woman who takes time to truly consider her decisions and how they will affect all aspects of her life. Her resolution to focus on martial arts along with academics still did not prevent her from achieving individual and team athletic goals. Not only is she a fantastic competitor, a wonderful teammate and a talented athlete, but she is a spectacularly kind and thoughtful woman.
Ella鈥檚 intuitive and conscientious approach to decision making served her well as she looked toward the future. She was to be the recipient of the distinguished and highly-coveted Jefferson Scholars Program scholarship at the University of Virginia. The scholarship provides both free tuition and a stipend and is one of the top scholarships available to high school students. 鈥淲hen I heard the news, I was ecstatic and had every intention of accepting,鈥� said Ella. 鈥淗owever, I decided to wait to hear back from the Ivies, to which I had applied, before submitting my final acceptance.鈥� Harvard University reached out to her.
Ella said, 鈥淭he only words to describe what I felt when I discovered I had been accepted to Harvard are pure shock and elation. It didn’t seem real, and to some degree it still doesn’t.鈥� True to her nature, she deliberated and took the time to make the best decision for her. 鈥淚 actually visited Harvard only three days after my acceptance with my parents, and I absolutely loved it,鈥� she said. 鈥淪till, for a whole week after, I spent copious amounts of time talking to students from both sides 鈥� the Jefferson and Harvard 鈥� and even my Harvard interviewer, whom I had really enjoyed talking to, about the hefty decision I was making. The more I learned about the university the more it felt like an opportunity that I couldn鈥檛 pass up. In the end, it wasn鈥檛 so much a decision to decline the Jefferson as it was to accept Harvard.鈥�
Ella鈥檚 entire family was by her side through the entire process, always assuring her that they would support whatever decision she made. 鈥淚n truth, I think that they were decided in favor of Harvard before I even was! They never let me know it until after I came to that conclusion myself, but it is safe to say that we are all incredibly excited about what the future holds,鈥� she said.
While Ella is eager to attend Harvard in the fall, and may even attempt to walk on the D1 volleyball team, she is already nostalgic about her experience at Norfolk Academy. She cited the roles her friends and the faculty have played in her life as what she will miss the most. 鈥淚 never would have been put in this position without the love and support of my Norfolk Academy community over the past 12 years. NA has been a second home to me throughout my time there, and I have made memories and built relationships that I know will last a lifetime. I鈥檒l miss saying hi to my teachers in the halls, visiting the trainers to chat before sports practices, and being a part of such a vibrant community of loving, passionate, and unique people whom I have grown to know and to love.鈥�
Capturing the true essence of Ella, Norfolk Academy鈥檚 Director of Athletics Chad Byler said, 鈥淓lla is one of the most amazing young ladies I have ever been around at Norfolk Academy. She can do it all. Whether she is playing volleyball, basketball, soccer or advancing to the next belt in kickboxing, Brazilian jiu jitsu or taekwondo, she masters her craft with enthusiasm and passion.鈥� Byler asked Ella to sing the national anthem at the senior athletic celebration. Ella admitted that although she had never sung it before, she was willing to give it a shot. 鈥淪he absolutely crushed it, and everyone was blown away with her talented voice,鈥� recalled Byler. 鈥淚 overheard a few people say, 鈥業s there anything that young lady can’t do?鈥欌��
Indeed, Ella is a woman of many talents, and we at Norfolk Academy can鈥檛 wait to see what she will accomplish next. Go do great things, Ella!
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