Big Bear Basketball Youth Camp Coach

***District I Community Center youth basketball camp provides coaching for youth and mentorship both on and off the court.***

Emerging young leaders give youth something to look forward to

By MASHKODE-BIZHIKGAHBAW BENJI SAM

The game of basketball may be an old sport, but around Indian Country, there is a growing love and appreciation for the game. The hardwood has been a place for many to call home, including recent graduate and standout in the Mille Lacs area, Eldayshun Big Bear, who has found his calling within the game of basketball not only as a player, but now as a coach.

The Isle Huskie alum, who achieved the career assist record in his time on the hardwood, grew into an appreciation of the sport, the process, and the camaraderie in his last few years of high school basketball. Big Bear believes the game of basketball can change people's lives and brings more people together. “I met two of my best friends, Mykal Garbow and Cedric LaFave, who I now consider my brothers, because of it [basketball],” said Big Bear.

As a part of growing the game locally, Big Bear, with the help of Garbow and LaFave, has started with a vision of giving children some role models to be able to learn from and observe on and off the court. “Growing up, we didn’t have many role models to learn from and I realized that I wanted to be able step into that role for kids through the game of basketball,” he said. ”That’s why I started wanting to put on some basketball showcase camps for kids to be able to learn from a few players who have been changed by the game."

In late November and December, Big Bear and company put on two basketball showcase camps for Mille Lacs Band members at the new District I Community Center. Big Bear’s vision was to perform skill assessments through drills, game play, and performance review. “We gave each of the kids an evaluation card with three of their strengths, weaknesses, and three players they can look up in their own time to refine their skills,” said Big Bear.

At each of these camps, kids were engaged, eyes focused on the game, the approach, the knowledge being shared. Onlookers took note in how involved the kids were and how eager they were to learn. When coaches were talking, no basketballs were bouncing, no side chatter was heard, and all eyes were in attention. The kids were all in.

That is exactly what Big Bear hoped for — to give tribal youth something to look forward to, be someone they can look up to, and using the game of basketball to get there has always been his goal. “Memories like these are everything to a tribal youth, getting any opportunity to show your skills, learn something new, and be able to hang around someone you can relate/look up to. I take a lot of pride in relating to these kids,” Big Bear says.

“I also want to give credit to District I Representative Virgil Wind for helping to make this happen,” Big Bear said. “He helped organize and get this together and believes in the process.”

When asked about why a camp like this matters, District I Representative Virgil Wind says, “I would say that the devotion and willingness to give back like this is what is really needed to help entice our youth to participate. The ability for our young leaders to connect with the youth is also an integral part of these being a success,” he said.

Keep an eye ahead for more youth camps in the future as basketball continues to grow within our community.