Youth disc golf player earns national award
From left to right: Julie Shields, Director, Meijer State Games of Michigan; Kaidin Bell, 2024 National Congress of State Games Youth Athlete of the Year; Courtney Miner, Event Coordinator, Meijer State Games of Michigan.
Photo courtesy of Meijer State Games of Michigan
Grand Rapids athlete Kaidin Bell is the 2024 National Congress of State Games (NCSG) Youth Athlete of the Year for his achievements in disc golf. Bell is one of four athletes honored as the Meijer State Games of Michigan (MSGOM) 2024 Athletes of the Year, which qualified him for consideration at the national level.
Bell, 13, started throwing a frisbee at age one and has been passionate about disc golf ever since. By 13, he has set 125 World Flying Disc Federation Distance World Records, is a 3x PDGA Junior World Champion, 1x PDGA United States Champion, 5x PDGA Jr Michigan State Champion, and 3x gold medalist at the Meijer State Games of Michigan. Recently, he was named the 2024 National Congress of State Games Youth Athlete of the Year, honored as the best youth athlete among all State Games programs nationwide.
Sponsored by Dynamic Discs, Bell shares his disc golf journey on YouTube with his younger brother. Discouraged that disc golf isn’t offered in public schools, he donated equipment to the Forest Hills School District and helped install a 9-hole course at his brother’s elementary school. Bell’s joy comes from playing outdoors, traveling, and making friends worldwide. His passion for sharing and teaching disc golf is as strong as his drive to win, and his achievements have only just begun.
Joining Bell among the 2024 NCSG Athletes of the Year is Jaycelyn Collins from Meridian, Mississippi, who was recognized as the Adult Athlete of the Year for her accomplishments in swimming.
The other Michigan athletes recognized by MSGOM Athletes of the Year include Samantha Doletzky of Rockford, honored as the Adult Female Athlete of the Year for her achievements in rowing; Jackson Ratajczak of Grand Rapids, named the Adult Male Athlete of the Year for his success in archery FITA; and Mikayla Ratliff of Commerce Township, recognized as the Youth Female Athlete of the Year for her outstanding performance in ice hockey.
Thirty State Games programs across the U.S. nominate their state Athletes of the Year for the NCSG Athlete of the Year. This is the fifth time a MSGOM athlete has been selected for the national award. The NCSG Athletes of the Year were awarded at the NCSG Annual Symposium and the TEAMS Conference and Expo in Anaheim, CA on September 25, 2024.
Digital Partners
Community
- Ada
- Allegan
- Allegan County
- Allendale
- Alto
- Barry County
- Belding
- Belmont
- Benton Harbor
- Bryon Center
- Byron Center
- Caledonia
- Cascade
- Cedar Springs
- Comstock Park
- Coopersville
- Douglas
- East Grand Rapids
- Eastmanville
- Fennville
- Forest Hills
- Fruitport
- Georgetown Township
- Grand Haven
- Grand Rapids
- Grandville
- Greenville
- Hamilton
- Hastings
- Holland
- Hudsonville
- Ionia
- Ionia County
- Jenison
- Kenowa Hills
- Kent City
- Kent County
- Kentwood
- Lansing
- Lowell
- Ludington
- Middleville
- Mona Shores
- Montcalm County
- Muskegon
- Muskegon County
- Northview
- Nunica
- Ottawa County
- Plainwell
