Kennedy High School has seen numerous outstanding athletes come through its doors—whether they are breaking records and setting new ones, they always leave the crowd fired up. In 2024, freshman Bentley Dill will debut her first high school season as the starting varsity point guard for the Kennedy Girls Basketball Team.

“Coming into the basketball season as a freshman starting varsity has been exciting but also nerve-racking,” Dill said. “But I’m excited and it’s been fun practicing and playing with older girls and learning so much more.”

Dill arrives at Kennedy High School already bearing the title of a Nike National Champion. Starting her career at the age of 5 with her father as her coach, Dill has only grown. She looks up to her club teammates who are on the road to pursuing basketball at the Division 1 (D1) level.

“I started playing basketball when I was in kindergarten and my dad coached me. When I got older I moved teams and now I play for All Iowa Attack,” Dill said. “I look up to the older girls on my team who have been playing basketball longer. I also look up to the girls on my club team who are committed to D1 schools.”

Throughout her career, Dill has secured the title of a Nike National Champion in 2024, along with an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Nation Champion with her All-Iowa Attack team. She has also played for outstanding teams like the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBl) team and became part of All Iowa Attack, the club that former Iowa Hawkeye Caitlin Clark played on.

“Some goals I have reached are making a top EYBl team, and playing on varsity,” Dill said. “I am also getting recruited by two college coaches, Drake and South Dakota. I went on a visit to South Dakota to tour the campus and meet the coaches and players.”

Leading up to her upcoming season, Dill has spent numerous hours in the gym getting as many reps as possible. Whether it be with a trainer, her dad or in the Kennedy gym with her new teammates, Dill has put in the work to earn her spot on varsity.

“Bentley has a huge impact on our team,” returning varsity senior Ella Moser said. “The way she plays is so fast-paced and is always looking for the best option. She’s not only a great shooter but she can also get to the rim in seconds.”

On top of having physical skill in her reflexes and ball handling, Dill knows the game.

“Any time she steps on the court she just makes everyone around her better,” Moser said. “She has great vision being the point guard who can get anyone an open shot at any time. She is also smart with the ball, knowing when is a good time to do something versus not already as a freshman.”

Playing a sport and still performing in school is a challenge for many athletes—it can be hard to find the support needed to continue to execute both academically and athletically. However, Dill has found this support through her coaches, teammates and parents.

“I find support through my family and friends and all my coaches who have coached me,” Dill said.

Coming in as a freshman, Dill will be playing among girls who have been competing together for years. However, she didn’t let that get in the way of making it onto the varsity roster. Throughout the summer training and a few weeks of practice, teammates say Dill has come out of her shell to become a very important role on the court.

“I would say she is a pretty confident player as a freshman knowing that she can score whenever,” Moser said. “I think each day our chemistry is building with her. I’m starting to see her come out of her comfort zone more with how her personality is, which is a good thing because, at the end of the season, it’s more about the friendships you made than about the ups and downs throughout the season.”

This is just the start of a short four-year journey with Dill that fans, teammates, family and Dill herself can’t wait to see unfold.

“I hope that in my years at Kennedy, we can have a good team all four years. I also hope that we can make it to state again because the last time the girls made it to state was in 2010,” Dill said. “But for this season I just hope we can have a good record and keep getting better.”

This story was originally published on Kennedy Torch on December 5, 2024.