GREENVILLE- Since Brooke Netzley was a little girl, singing in front of a large crowd has become second nature to her. 

Belting out the Star Spangled Banner at Sater Diamonds to doing it at the fair before the start of the races and more recently, performing with the group Foreigner Sunday night at the fair, Netzley has set the bar for herself. 

Reaching and holding that bar is the goal the 16 year old has in mind. 

“The first time I sang in public, I think I was five years old and I sang at the baseball diamonds,” said Netzley. “I think I was nine or 10 when I first sang at the fair.” 

Since her debut at the fair, Netzley has also sung at Eldora Speedway 

Recently, Netzley and the Wavaires traveled to New York and the bright lights were shining on Netzley’s bar. 

When the youngster returned to Greenville and once again performed at the fair, Netzley talked about her plans after high school and her emotional state as a sophomore at Greenville. 

“Things have been very exciting and I am excited about my future,” Netzley said. “We went to New York and that was a great trip. We performed at the Jazz Lincoln Center, St. Paul’s Chapel and the Chapel at Ground Zero. I was excited about being able to perform at these places because it’s an honor to be able to go there and do this and we are the only choir to be able to do that.” 

When our country was attacked on 9-11, Netzley was extremely young at that time but standing on Ground Zero brought something to her emotionally. 

“Standing on Ground Zero gave me a very eerie feeling,” said Netzley. “I really can’t explain it. It was very sad and all the emotions of that day was there and I could feel it.” 

After graduation, Netzley knows what she wants her next step to be. 

“I want to go to the Julliard School of Music,” she stated. “I hope I can get an audition and get accepted there. After that, I want to sing on Broadway but if that doesn’t happen, I will do something else that I love. I love to dance so I will probably minor in dance but who knows.” 

No matter what happens to Netzley after high school, the soon to be 16 year old said she will not forget her roots. It all started at the baseball diamonds then the fair and Eldora Speedway. 

“I have to come back and visit the fair,” Netzley said. “This is where it all started.”