Chula Vista.— Eleven-year-old baseball player Isabella Fuentes, from Chula Vista, continues to make her mark both on and off the field.
She is currently competing in the national Youth Athlete of the Year contest, organized by Colossal, which highlights young athletes while raising funds for the Why Not You Foundation and the V Foundation.
Fuentes’s accomplishments have already been officially recognized in her community. On August 13, the Chula Vista City Council presented her with a special proclamation honoring her achievements in Little League, underscoring local pride in her perseverance in a sport where girls remain a minority.
Her sports record is extensive for her age. She was the only girl from Parkview Little League to advance to the Tournament of Champions and win the District 42 Championship.
In 2023, she was selected to play in the María Pepe Legacy Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania—an historic event held at Lamade Stadium, home of the Little League World Series—that for the first time brought together girls from across the country for a baseball tournament.
The following year, she joined the California Waves, helping her team reach the championship game at the national Baseball For All tournament, which promotes the growth of girls’ baseball.
This year, in addition to her spot on the roster of Chula Vista’s Get Rite Black team in the 11U division, Fuentes has focused on the Colossal competition. The contest, which opened with public voting in July, is now in the quarterfinals and will conclude in October with the announcement of the national winner.
For Isabella, reaching that stage would mean not only greater visibility and support for her dream of pursuing baseball at the highest level, but also a chance to inspire more girls to carve out their place in the sport.
Off the field, she also shines as an outstanding student, captain of an All-Star softball team, school musical actress, and musician—qualities that strengthen her profile as a well-rounded athlete and community leader.
Isabella embodies talent, discipline, and determination, while representing a generational shift that is breaking barriers in sports like baseball.