Hockey is not a common passion for someone who’s grown up living in Edmond, Okla. However, for Memorial senior William Brenner, this is not the case. Brenner has grown up with a passion for this sport and currently is utilizing Virtual Edmond courses to play in The United States Hockey League (USHL) for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in Iowa. He has also received awards for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) 2022 All American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year.

Since he can remember, Brenner was spending hours at local skating rinks in the OKC metro area and started playing hockey when most children were starting kindergarten.

“I have been playing hockey since I was 4 years old. I grew up skating at Blazers Ice Center.  I have been playing hockey for 14 years,” Brenner said.

These years of training on the ice have translated into a life of hard work and dedication for Brenner. He still practices hockey every day, but now he is practicing for an even bigger stage.

 “One thing that I have taken into perspective is that you need to show up everyday ready to get to work. Nothing is handed to you in this league. You have to work your butt off constantly and not just when you feel like it,” Brenner said.

Furthering the fruits of Brenner’s diligence in hockey is the ability to have a direct impact on the hockey community in Edmond. Brenner is an inspiration for kids in the Oklahoma metro that have dreams of playing hockey at all levels.

“My greatest achievement has definitely been being able to give back and be a role model for the younger kids back in OKC that have the desire to play high level junior hockey, D1, and on,” Brenner said.

Due to his hockey career, it became difficult for Brenner to attend Memorial. Thanks to Virtual Edmond courses he will be able to graduate as a Bulldog in the spring.

“We usually practice in the mornings. They run till about 2 pm, so we usually have the rest of the day to do school,” Brenner said. “There have definitely been challenging moments with balancing both for sure. The key is to have proper time management and get your stuff done on time.”

Since taking his career to the next level Brenner has been able to develop his game in different ways and experience things that the average highschooler can’t say they’ve experienced, like playing hockey on a national stage.

“My best experience with hockey has definitely been being able to represent and wear the USA jersey at National Camp back in 2019,” Brenner said.

Adding to that list of experiences, he has enjoyed playing with the RoughRiders and has found an unbeatable sense of comradery on the team.

“This might sound a little cliche but just being able to go to the rink everyday with some of your best friends and play the game we all grew up loving is so special to me,” Brenner said. “I have made friendships that will last a lifetime.” 

Brenner’s main goal at the moment is to play hockey at the Division I collegiate level and eventually make it to the professional league.

“I would love to reach my potential and play in not only Division 1 hockey but also play in the National Hockey League (NHL). That has always been a long time goal of mine,” Brenner said.

Brenner is an extremely hard working scholar and athlete and that is proven through his achievements. He has already used his talents to do so much at such a young age, and he won’t be stopping anytime soon. 

Contact Jamison Joyce at [email protected]