FIELD TWP — Most high school athletes who continue sports at the next level have to make a choice.
North Woods senior Brynn Chosa didn’t.
Chosa signed last Thursday to continue her academic and athletic career at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, where she will play volleyball and basketball. A 1,000-point scorer on the court and a key leader on the Grizzlies’ state tournament volleyball team last fall, Chosa now gets the rare chance to carry both sports forward.
Two-sport college athletes are uncommon, particularly from small schools. For Chosa, the opportunity reflects not just ability but a simple truth.
“I’m just really grateful I get to play both sports because I really don’t think I could choose if it came down to it,” Chosa said. “So, I’m happy I got recruited for both, and I’m just really excited to play there at the next level.”
That kind of drive has been years in the making.
“I’ve really built a good work ethic with all the teammates I’ve been around and the coaches I’ve had,” Chosa said.
North Woods volleyball coach Kaileen Redmond said Chosa’s impact goes well beyond numbers.
“She plays any spot I’ve ever put her in and she plays it to the best of her abilities,” Redmond said. “She’s taking all the feedback she can, and I think she’s just an all-around extremely coachable player.”
That versatility, Redmond said, is matched by consistency.
“Her accountability is really unmatched,” she said. “She shows up for every event, every game, every practice — she’s a year-round athlete and it really shows.”
That combination is exactly what Chosa’s future program is looking for.
Central Lakes head basketball coach Krystal Brodeen said Chosa’s signing carries added meaning.
“Definitely full circle, something I have not had before — Brynn will be my first from my old alma mater,” said Brodeen, a Cook native and North Woods graduate.
Brodeen understands the demands of a two-sport college athlete firsthand. After graduating from North Woods in 2012, she played both volleyball and basketball at Vermilion Community College and later returned to coach both programs.
“I was a multi-sport athlete, so I know that it’s possible,” Brodeen said. “When you have a love for both sports, it’s kind of hard to choose one or the other.”
That background, she said, shapes what she looks for in athletes like Chosa.
“I think she’s a great character player,” Brodeen said. “That’s what I’m looking for, somebody that can really bring high character to our team and just good leadership.”
Chosa plans to study exercise science while completing prerequisites for nursing school, as she considers careers in nursing or athletic training.
Balancing two sports and academics at the college level will bring new challenges, but it’s something she feels ready to handle.
“It probably will be a little tougher balancing both (in college), but I think I’m prepared for it,” Chosa said. “I’ve been doing it for the last six years.”
For Chosa, the biggest decision is already behind her.
“I’m just really grateful I have the opportunity to do this,” Chosa said. “And I’m excited.”