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BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Caston senior Isabel Scales signed with Bethel College Friday to continue her basketball and academic careers. Front, from left – Rosemary Scales, Isabel’s grandmother, holding Beckett, Isabel’s nephew; Barry Scales, Isabel’s father; Julie Scales, Isabel’s mother; Roger Johnson, Isabel’s grandfather. Back – Bruce Scales, Isabel’s grandfather; Bethel women’s basketball coach Scott Polsgrove; Daniel Scales, Isabel’s brother; Heidi Rudicel, Isabel’s aunt, holding Ashton, Isabel’s nephew; Brittney Scales, Isabel’s sister-in-law; Patti Johnson, Isabel’s grandmother.
Swayed by an offer received in July, Caston senior Isabel Scales signed a letter of intent to continue her basketball and academic careers at Bethel University Friday.
Scales said she received “four or five” offers. She said she made two visits to Bethel, an NAIA school located in Mishawaka, before making her choice.
“On my second visit, after that visit, I just knew in my heart that this is where I was supposed to be,” Scales said.
Scales said Bethel coach Scott Polsgrove contacted her for the first time at her final game at her final AAU tournament in July.
“He came up to me and goes, ‘Hey, I hope you’re not done looking. I’d love to get to know you and have you on campus,’” Scales recalled. “I’m like, ‘No, everything’s completely open. I’d love to come.’ It’s just crazy how everything went from there.”
Polsgrove will be starting his second season at Bethel later this month. He also has 25 years of experience coaching men’s college teams.
“We saw her play in the last event of the summer,” Polsgrove said. “And loved her versatility. I think we were in the Cincinnati area watching a recruiting event and a really good conversation with her and her mom. After that event was over and she came and visited campus, it just clicked. It worked.”
Scales called Polsgrove “a very, very honest guy” and “down to earth.” She said Polsgrove reminded her of Josh Douglass, her Caston coach.
She said she has dreamed of playing college basketball for a long time.
“When I was really little, I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m going to Purdue, D1 baby,’” Scales said. “But then getting more down to reality and realizing that’s not what I’m going to do even if I had the option and just actually finding something that fit me exactly how I wanted it to, it’s just amazing.”
Scales said she wants to be a speech language pathologist some day. She said she will major in education at Bethel with plans to attend graduate school after basketball.
