Brenner McDougal is a senior on the Ponca City High School tennis team. Although McDougal’s only been playing tennis for a year and a half, he’s the No. 1 single player on the Wildcats team. Regardless of playing the best in the state at 6A, McDougal has a .500 record this season. McDougal played soccer for a couple of seasons before making the switch to tennis. And in his short time on the court, McDougal has impressed his head coach Brad Larimer.
“Brenner is a very determined young man,” Larimer said. “He sets his goals high and tries to achieve them. It is good to have a person like that, especially considering he has only been playing for two seasons with the first one cut short from COVID.”
Outside of athletics, McDougal has a 4.0 GPA and is involved in NHS and student council. McDougal is being looked at by a tennis coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville.
“He is a well-mannered bulldog on the court,” Larimer said. “Off the court, he is a very positive person and fun to be around. “He is a great role model for younger kids. He is the steadiest person on the team. The highs aren’t too high, and the lows aren’t too low. Brenner is a well-rounded individual and will be successful in anything he chooses to do.”
Wherever McDougal attends, he wants to study to become an audiologist go into ministry.
“I have family members who have been teachers and pastors before,” McDougal said. “I’d also like to specialize in ears and work with kids who have hearing disabilities because I actually have cochlear impacts myself. So, I’d like to help them since I’ve been through it all.”