King/Drew senior point guard Amari Metcalfe is an established leader on campus. She has been the team captain of the Golden Eagles girls’ basketball team since she was a sophomore. She played on the varsity squad all four years.
Becoming captain was a tough experience, she had to be patient and encouraging while being an example to the team. Her head coach and the vice principal at King/Drew told her how the other members of the team look up to her.
“It definitely taught me a lot of leadership skills, especially at an early age,” Metcalfe said. “I know that they’re looking up to me and so I can’t be down, I got to hold my head up at all times.”
Her leadership guided the Golden Eagles to a second-place spot in Coliseum League rankings with a 7-3 record. Then she led them deep into the City Section Division I playoffs. Soon after, Metcalfe helped King/Drew reach the second round of the Division V State playoffs.
“We’re well put together, we definitely have good relationships within each other,” Metcalfe said. “We know how to work hard, we’re very giving, very passionate about what we play.”
The best advice Metcalfe has heard from a coach is that she can achieve anything she wants if she puts her mind to it.
“I can play [division I] if I want to,” she said. “Just having that encouragement, uplifting words, it helps a lot on the court.”
Success for Metcalfe extends beyond the hardwood as she earned an academic scholarship to Biola University.
“Since it’s a Christian school, I really related to what they asked me to write about,” she said. “I think that really helped my application.”
Attending Fellowship with Christian Athletes camp helped her deepen her faith because they discussed the Word of God in a way that’s relatable to teenagers.
A key to being a successful student athlete is keeping a main focus on academics. Study hall and supportive teachers help Metcalfe excel as a student.
“Study hall helps before practice,” Metcalfe said. “If I have to put in the hours that night, then it’s just what I have to do to be able to succeed on and off the court.”
Metcalfe enjoys her AP Psychology class, she learned about the impact sleep has on the human body. If class time must be missed because of a game, Metcalfe knows her teachers will help her get on track.
“They definitely understand the pressures that come with being a student athlete,” she said. “You have to go to games, you can get the work that you missed, take tests if you missed them.”
Outside of basketball, Metcalfe is a college peer counselor who assists her fellow classmates through the college admissions process and gives weekly presentations.
She also is a member of peer mediation, aiding students at King/Drew resolve conflicts before it goes on their record.
As a junior, Metcalfe was a member of the Careers program at King/Drew. That allowed her to be a teacher’s assistant at local school.
“I did that because I want to major in child psychology or child development,” she said. “It was a great experience, it taught me a lot.”
