A series to share #smiles across our community through the achievements of our local youth, brought to you by Olsen Orthodontics.
Written by Randy Tucker
Shoshoni senior Brenna Metzler made history this spring as the first Lady Wrangler to earn a softball scholarship. There have been many volleyball and track athletes and a handful of basketball players, but Metzler is the first on the diamond.
She signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball at Chadron State University on Wednesday afternoon in the Shoshoni High School Commons.
Metzler is the epitome of an active, engaged high school student. She played volleyball and competed in track for Shoshoni, and was off to basketball practice immediately after the signing. The Lady Blue qualified for the state basketball tournament and, after a brief practice, were headed to Casper to prepare for a 10:30 am contest with Sundance.
Metzler’s high school softball career has been more a challenge to play than playing itself. Fremont County didn’t have a softball program until this spring, when Lander Valley High School fields a team for the first time.
Metzler and many other Fremont County girls drove to Worland to play. Worland was the closest school with softball, and a caravan of high school girls traversed the Wind River Canyon throughout the last few spring softball seasons just for a chance to play.
This year, though it’s only at the JV level, she’ll make the shorter 47-mile trip each afternoon to play with the Lady Tigers.
She had other schools look at her.
“Arizona Christian and Colorado Christian and a handful of JUCOs,” Metzler said.
The JUCO route wasn’t a great choice since she’ll graduate with an Associate’s Degree from Central Wyoming just before she graduates from Shoshoni High School in May.
Metzler is the class valedictorian and carries a 4.0 grade point average. It’s a much higher weighted average when college courses are added to the calculation.
Though it’s a smaller community than Riverton, Metzler was impressed with Chadron.
“The community is very supportive of college students,” Metzler said.
Her activities outside high school athletics read like an alphabet soup mix of organizations.
She is active in the student council, National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, FBLA, Skills USA, Leader in Me, Upward Bound, and she’s the Lighthouse team chairman.
There’s not much time to waste for a girl as active as Brenna Metzler.
“I’d first like to thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity,” Metzler said. “My parents for spending countless hours at the ball field and everyone that has supported me through the years.”
She’d like to play catcher at Chadron. There is a junior starting catcher at present. She may play some outfield as well.
She plans to major in Elementary Education and should graduate after her sophomore year, so you’ll pursue a Master’s Degree while having two years of eligibility remaining.
She is the daughter of John and Missy Metzler.