Bryce Marine Bess is a very well-known senior, friendly with teachers and students in every grade. People may know Bryce from his athletic capabilities, the friend group he is with often, or from him just popping into classes and saying hi to people.  

Bryce has been at Sahuaro for all four years, and he’s always been passionate about playing sports, specifically basketball. Since he was young, he would do club and specific workouts to help him get better at the technicalities of playing basketball. He later played basketball at La Paloma Central Middle School. He also played in an AAU team, where he met Nick Ponds, his best friend.

Nick and Bryce have shared their love of basketball and one another for around 7 years now. They have been playing on the same AAU team for the 7 years that they have been friends. Nick says, “My first impression of Bryce was through seeing him come out for one of the practices on our club basketball team, he was one of the best kids who came out and we became close from that.”

Bryce is known for not just being a basketball athlete, but also being a good track athlete. Bryce started running track in his junior year, hoping to help him improve things for basketball, such as having better stamina, jumping higher, and having more self-discipline. Track coach, Melissa Slade says, “Bryce has definitely improved from track. He is coming back for his senior year for a reason – because he wants to keep getting the abilities he gained from track.”

Some hobbies Bryce likes to do is play video games. His favorite games to play would be either Madden or Fortnite with his friends. He has been playing video games since he was 7. He says, ” My favorite video game I used to play when I was younger was definitely Lego Batman.”

Bryce’s profession for what he wants to do after high school surprisingly doesn’t involve track or basketball. His love of sports will always be there, but he finds that his best option is going into the Air Force. Thinking about his future during sophomore year he realized the Air Force would help him aspire to be a better person and help discipline him in ways sports couldn’t. He loves to travel and doesn’t want to live in Arizona when he’s older, and he finds that the Air Force will still push him mentally and physically. Even though some of his friends like Nick Ponds will miss him, Nick states he still will make sure to stay in touch with Bryce even after high school.