By Derrick Smith

Teachers can have a big impact on our life. Not just by teaching us things, but also by being an influence on us and helping shape us into who we are going to be. Brittney Grissam says that one of her teachers taught her some lessons that cannot be found in a school book.

“Coach Penner would have to be my favorite teacher,’ Brittney said. “She taught me that people actually saw potential in me. She helped me realize that I could actually go somewhere in life and that it would take work but it would be worth it.”

Grissam is a junior at Chickasha High School, where she plays point guard for the basketball team. She has played the game for about twelve years and still loves it as much now as she did in the beginning. She says that over that time, she has invested a lot in order to grow into the

“It’s taken major focus and execution and the ability to know it has to be a want to get better and not a need.”

Grissam has had a lot of people that have been a part of her life over the years. She is thankful for each of them but she also knows that there are a few that have made a bigger impact on her.
“My parents, team, coach Johnson, and coach Craven have all been big influences on my life,” she said. “They push me to be a better person. They make sure that I’m always trying to be better than I was the day before.”

Her teammates hold a special place in Brittney’s heart. She said that while the last year has been tough for her and her family, her teammates have been amazing.

“In January, I lost my father,” she said. “I also lost my passion to play. But my teammates were the light in one of the darkest times of my life. This group of girls is the one thing that brought me back. They are amazing and any team would be lucky to have any of them.”