Bella Vogel first found her passion for athletics at the age of 5, when she began playing soccer. By age 10, she was competing on a boys' soccer team, but she found that the sport didn't quite challenge her enough. Searching for a sport that could match her competitive drive, Vogel discovered rugby, and five years later she has her sights set on competing in the Olympics as a rugby player.

"She loves the contact aspect and how intense rugby is," said Tobye Thompson, Vogel's mother. "It was the next step for us, and we never looked back. It's definitely her sport." Vogel began playing for Penn Legacy and now competes locally with the Knightmares rugby club. For the last two and a half years, Vogel has played with national team The Rugby Advantage. This past July, Vogel spent 10 days training with her team in New York City before flying to Utah to compete in a two-day tournament against 24 teams from across the United States. Vogel is also one of the youngest rugby referees in Pennsylvania and refereed the collegiate women's Division III state championship as an affiliate of the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Referee Society.

Vogel maintains a rigorous training schedule six days a week. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays she trains at Team Beast Mode in Lancaster, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays she practices for three hours with the Knightmares. Following her team practice, she trains further with the boys' rugby team. To raise the funds needed to maintain her demanding training schedule, Vogel and her family operate a market outside of their home in Washington Boro called The Petal on Penn. The market sells produce grown by the family. "We do a lot of things to fundraise and keep up with her training," said Thompson. "Bella grows and sells the produce; every penny goes straight to her and supports her training." Vogel's family also runs the Petal Pot Market, attending different events and sell lemonade. The Petal Pot Market has served events such as weddings and the Washington Boro Tomato Festival, and it will be present at the Conestoga Car Show on Saturday, Sept. 24.

Vogel is homeschooled, and her flexible curriculum allows her to manage her intense schedule in pursuit of her ambitious goals. She is also a member of the Cornerstone Co-op, where she takes multiple classes with other homeschooled students. "Bella has aspirations to get into the Olympics in 2028 as a player on the USA Youth National Team," said Thompson. "The goal is for her to be invited to USA rugby camp, where she would have an opportunity to prepare and qualify."

For more information or to support the Petal Pot Market, visit https://thepetalpotmarket.com/.