You might call Mustang High School junior Parker Simonsen an athletic rebel.

“When I was young I started playing soccer but I would spend more time in the driveway shooting hoops than working on my soccer moves, “ laughed Parker.

So her parents got her involved in basketball as well and soon after she was also playing AAU summer ball. But by the time she was 13 it just got too hectic and she had to choose between soccer and basketball. And fortunately for coach Katie Smith and the Lady Broncos crew, she chose roundball.

“She was just one of two freshmen that made varsity her first year,” said Smith. “She didn’t play a lot, but she learned plenty and now she’s one of the hardest working kids I’ve ever coached. She stays after in practice all the time and is always pushing herself to be the best.”

Last year she was surrounded by four seniors in the starting lineup as Mustang made it to the Class 6A state tournament. But this year those four seniors have all moved on to play collegiate ball and Parker is the lone returning starter as the 2022 season unfolds.

“Last year I just followed along with the seniors since it was my first year to start but this year, I want to take what they started and pass it along to others. They created a family-like mentality and formed relationships outside of basketball and that really made a difference and that’s how I want to lead as well.,” said Simonsen.

In addition to her work ethic, Smith discussed another valuable aspect of Parker’s game.

“I think the best thing about Parker is not her scoring ability but her defense in an era when scoring is all that matters to a lot of players.”

That might be something she picked from her role model University of Connecticut All-American guard Paige Bueckers.

“I started watching her when she was in high school. My dad and I would watch her highlight films and we watched her last year at UCON. I like that she doesn’t just rely on her scoring abilities but she’s also a good play maker and creates for others around her-the ideal point guard,” said the Bronco point guard who is also involved in student council, the National Honor Society, is vice-president of her class and is on the Bronco tennis team.