For the Love of the Game
By VIVIAN LaMOORE, INAAJIMOWIN EDITOR
What is it that drives some students to succeed in either academics or athletics? Or both? Some youth spend hours in grueling practices and drills, and off-season training dribbling in hours of homework — sometimes squeezed in on a sports bus, late in the evening, or early in the morning all the while excelling in both sports and academics. Certainly, it takes a significant amount of skill, either learned or natural ability, and it takes rather large amount of brain power. Right? Or is it something else?
Deflecting shots on goal, or jumping hurdles and sprinting down the track, or sinking a 3-pointer at the buzzer — these things ignite a fire inside the hearts of athletes that explodes with passion. All for the love of the game.
Several Mille Lacs Band member and descendant students are using the successes of their athleticism and the lessons they learned on the court, on the track, and on the ice combined with their academic achievements as a springboard to college and hope to inspire the younger kids to pursue their own goals in athletics, academics, and beyond. Some Ojibwe students who have victoriously thrived in both academics and athletics include Joe Nayquonabe Jr., Roxanne Emerson, Aiyanna Mitchell, Celleia Simmons-Merrill, and Breya Sawyer.
Being a part of high school sports is not just a game. “Being a part of athletics prepares young people for the game of life as the skills are applicable across platforms such as teamwork, communication, skill development and working through adverse times on the playing field,” said Byron Ninham, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Interim Executive Director of Education.
Ninham is a former high school athlete himself hailing from Red Lake High School, home of the Red Lake Warriors, one of the greatest American Indian boys high school basketball teams to ever dribble a ball. Ninham recalls watching the older kids play game after game in front of cheering crowds with the stands filled on both sides of the court. He paid particular attention to one player who always excelled and averaged 30-40 points per game. That player was Joe Nayquonabe, Jr.
“The teams that Joe Jr. was a part of in Red Lake were legendary, and are still talked about today,” Ninham said.
Joe Jr. reflects back on his student athletic and academic career as the “best time of my life,” he said. Getting into sports was a “Family thing,” he added. His dad, Joe Nayquonabe Sr., strongly encouraged all of the kids to be active. He didn’t push one sport over the other, it was more about each of the Nayquonabe siblings were encouraged to try different sports and needed to find their own niche.
Basketball had always been a part of life for Joe, Jr. “Basketball was my main sport. Where I got lucky was my parents,” Joe, Jr. said. “My dad would run home [after work] and then the only thing on his mind was getting us to be active. That is what started the whole craze.”
But it was his mom who taught him how to shoot, he recalled. Every day after school, Joe, Jr. would go home, go for a run, and then “shoot 1,000 jumpers a day,” he said.
The turning point for Joe Jr. was that Joe Sr. enthusiastically brought him to every St. Cloud State home basketball game just to see a Band member play college basketball. That player was Band member Chad Germann, who is now a successful entrepreneur, CEO and founder of Red Circle Agency, Minneapolis.
During that time period, the Red Lake Warriors boys basketball team played a tournament in Crosby/Ironton. It was Crosby’s home court, but the crowd was 70 percent Red Lakers. “So, there were all of these Indians packed into this gym. You couldn’t even get in. All these people drove down from Red Lake. There were people sitting outside and sitting in their cars listening to the game on the radio. I had never seen that before.”
After finishing his 10th grade season at Onamia High School with a great season, he was hoping to hear from colleges, but he didn’t even get one letter, he said. “No college even knew who I was. I knew, in order for me to go to college and play basketball, I needed a bigger stage.”
After that, Joe, Jr. set his sights on becoming a Red Lake Warrior. Arrangements were made and he moved in with a family in Red Lake and attended school his junior and senior years at Red Lake, fulfilling Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) classes at Bemidji State his senior year all while playing the game he loved — basketball.
Joe received a full-ride academic college scholarship but turned it down because he wanted to play division II basketball. He soon learned that college ball was not as glamorous as his career in high school and shifted gears to concentrate on his academics. Joe, Jr. fulfilled his college education graduating from CLC with his two-year degree in one year followed by a BA in Business Administration while chasing various internships near universities including Washington, Virginia, U of M and St. Cloud State.
“I love to compete. I think that’s why I ended up in business. I want to win. I picked that up from sports and that is very much still in me,” Joe said. “That, and the idea of working within a team.”
His drive to win was amplified by his desire to see his team succeed. “It doesn’t matter how good you are individually. It didn’t matter how good I was. It mattered how good I could make the team around me.”
He reflected on a seventh grade basketball game when he scored 40 points. He was so excited about his personal score and could not wait to tell his dad about it. But, when he got in the car and told his dad, his dad was not so impressed. Joe Jr. said his dad looked at him and said, '“Yeah that’s because you shot the ball every time you touched it. But what about the other kids around you. Their parents were there, too and want to see their kids do well. What about your team?’" Joe Jr. paused and continued, "I carried that with me. To learn that at that young age — it’s not about you.”
Participating in sports as a student not only teaches the practice of discipline and teamwork, but students learn to be confident, learn communication skills, socialization, goal setting, Joe said. Teams become more like family and he applies those concepts of family and teamwork to his business mindset today. “Sports are amazing,” he said. “Because you can see results right away. If you put the work in, you will see results. That is the same in real life.”
Looking back now, Joe Jr. says high school and college sports are a great training ground for life because the stakes are really low. “It is not life or death. Sure, when you are in the moment, that is the biggest part of your life right then and there, but when you look back at the moments you thought were so critical, they really weren’t. Yet in those big moments, they were all teaching you lessons for life.”
SUPPORT IN CLASSROOM AND SPORTS
Delivering support in the classroom and on the playing field as spaces for learning should always be a priority for educators, Ninham said. He fully supports athletics and academics both as tools that teachers, coaches, students, and families receive can last a life-time while maintaining their student lifestyle.
However, athletics programs for many tribal schools, including Nay Ah Shing, face inequities. Smaller class sizes in many tribal schools mean not having the ability to build a full team and compete at the same level as public schools. This often excludes some very talented athletes, or the students choose to attend public schools in order to participate in sports and/or be seen by college recruiters.
“Tribal communities have amazing athletes but sometimes lack the network to be seen at a higher level for exposure,” Ninham said. “This has changed over time with commitments from our local universities to connect with coaches and developmental programs but the lack of opportunity for our American Indian student-athletes persists as equity is not always available in rural communities.”
More recently the Mille Lacs area public schools began a co-operative agreement which extended to all sports between Onamia and Isle public schools with the Mille Lacs Raiders team name. Combining the two school’s sports programs allows for the assurance of having enough players for a full team and compete a a certain level.
Nay Ah Shing Schools seventh through 12th grade has reached out to the Onamia and Isle school districts regarding the processes for the Minnesota State High School League application to include Nay Ah Shing students, to be able to participate in Mille Lacs Raiders athletics. “It is a great opportunity that those districts created for the community,” Ninham said. “But at Nay Ah Shing, we are seeing the continued opportunity gap persist. We have asked the schools what we need to do to be included so that any of our students can have the same opportunities and hopefully all students can work towards playing under the lights together into the future.”
Nay Ah Shing schools have not received a reply from either the Onamia or Isle school districts regarding their inquiry.
Student Athletes Rising to the Top
Roxann Emerson
Onamia High School Class of 2021
College recruiters are beginning to seek athletic talent in rural schools, but they still have a long way to go. Evenso, the long-shot odds of that happening paid huge dividends for Onamia High School class of 2021 graduate Roxann Emerson, when University of Minnesota Morris awarded her a college scholarship.
Roxann was a three-sport athlete, participating in track, volleyball and basketball. It was the support from the people around her that carried her through those years of practice and schoolwork, she said. Her support circle included her friends, family, teachers, coaches, and others. Her volleyball coach and track coach were huge supporters of her, she said. But Marsha Balder, her volleyball coach, was her biggest inspiration. “I give her credit. She has always been there for me no matter what. I can go to her for anything,” Roxanne said.
Playing basketball since she was in fourth grade and volleyball since she was in eighth grade, she says they are a 50/50 split for her favorite sports with amazing memories in each. But one that sticks out in her mind is when she was first recruited by coach Steph Oyler to play volleyball “I remember my first game. I went to go pass and my shoe came off and I ate crap in the middle of the court. It was so embarrassing but I still played. I wanted to cry but I decided to just laugh it off. I just wanted to get up as fast as I could and keep playing. I honestly just love that sport,” she added.
And then she started running. Track and field became her third sport during her sophomore year. They didn’t have track during 2020 due to COVID-19. “So, I was surprised when I got the phone call,” she said. That phone call was from the recruiter at University Minnesota Morris awarding her a track scholarship. Roxann is one of the lucky ones due to encouragement and support from her amazing coaches, she said.
Participating in sports will help in the future — no matter what you do, she said. “In sports you face a lot of challenges. There are going to be times where you get hard on yourself or you get injured and at a point you are going to want to get back on your feet and I you need to learn that in life. Like in basketball when you foul out — and I fouled out a lot — I would get so hard on myself saying things like, ‘why did you do that, you know better than that.’ But at the end of the day, the coach would say, ‘It’s ok. Things happen. Don’t think about it. Don’t hang on to it. Move on.’ Now at track when I am upset about my time, I move on and I tell myself I can do better. And I move on. I think that will follow me through life.”
Her advice: “Grades are always first. Always do your homework. If you can, go to college. You go to college to get an education, but it is not just about that. It is about the experience — the friends you make, the experiences you have. So have the mindset that you can do anything, at any age."
Her biggest influence in life has been her dad, she said. "He has been there always. He was always at my games and always helping me out so that I can be better. When we got the phone call about me being recruited for track me and my dad looked at each other and both said, “What?” But we were both so proud. I don’t need to hear the words, I can tell he is proud.”
Aiyanna Mitchell
Onamia High School Class of 2022
Aiyanna Mitchell is currently playing for the Mille Lacs Raiders girls basketball team and she has been billed as one of the top student athletes excelling as a three-sport athlete all while exceeding expectations in academics. Aiyanna will be graduating this June from Onamia High school with her high school diploma and simultaneously graduating from CLC with her two-year Associates degree as a PSEO student.
Up until her senior year, Aiyanna participated in basketball, (varsity squad since the sixth grade), track, and cross country. But her passion soars in basketball.
“I think the biggest reason I love basketball is because it is a team sport, and it has been in my family forever,” Aiyanna said. She recalled watching her brother, Zac Green, Leech Lake, play basketball with a career high of 1,000 points. She said she wanted to strive to compete like her brother. But the biggest reason she loves the game so much goes deeper. “My dad played basketball and he was very good. My dad passed away when I was very young. I think that stuck with me. My dad was known for being so good and I just always remember that.”
At 5-feet 4-inches tall, Aiyanna is a point guard for the Mille Lacs Raiders. She humbly stated In the last two years she has been the top scorer, top in assists, in steals and deflections. For track, she was happy to be placed in any area, “Wherever the coach needs me,” she said. She enjoyed pole vault, triple jump and hurdles. She was also on the Raiders cross country team. Due to some health issues, she will not be participating in cross country this season and at the time of this writing it is unknown whether she will be able to compete in track.
For Aiyanna, she said that academics always comes before sports. But she humbly stated that academics has always been fairly easy for her. However, juggling three sports while finishing her high school and PSEO classes has been a bit of a challenge. Also during her junior year, she also held a part-time job on the weekends working as a basic care aide at Mille Lacs Health Systems.
“Sports teaches you commitment. Going to practices every day, and still getting your homework done. If you are not committed you are not going to do well. Just like in everything else, if you want to do well, you have to be committed."
Basketball is her favorite sport because it is more of a team sport. Whereas track, while it is still competition as a team, it is more of an individual sport. Basketball is learning to work as a team, becoming better as an individual for the good of the whole team. “Every single person on the basketball team has to do something in order for us to be good as a team. You have to be able to get along with everyone and you have to be able to understand each other in order for us to succeed. That will probably go with me into the future.”
What’s next for Aiyanna? She will be attending Bethal University in St. Paul with a “pretty good scholarship,” she said. She will be pursuing nursing or speech pathology. She hasn’t quite decided.
Her biggest influence in life has been her mom, Ferron Boisjolie, a Red Lake Band member (her dad is the late Tony Mitchell, Sr.) “She has always been a single mom and always been a strong woman. She always put us kids first,” Aiyanna said.
Celleia Simmons-Merrill
Isle High School – Class of 2023
Celleia Simmons-Merrill has a very quiet demeanor but don’t let that fool you. She is a rising star for the Mille Lacs Raiders Girls Basketball. She started playing on the varsity team in eighth grade with some playing time. And now she is fulltime varsity finishing out the year with 216 total points.
This year she played as a forward, but started playing more as a guard. While she prefers the forward position, if it will help her team by stepping into the guard position, “I’ll do it,” she said.
Academically speaking she made the A honor roll last quarter. “I always put academics first.”
Becoming passionate about the game, helped improve her performance. She loves basketball and hopes to continue playing into her senior year and beyond. “Doing well in school helps in sports because if you don’t put in your time with homework, you can’t play. Same for sports — you have to put in your time to be a better player. Teamwork is really what sports is all about. Teamwork helps you win games by working together. I think being encouraging to the younger girls to help them when I can and being humble at the same time, is important.”
Celleia also works a part-time job weekends at the 1991 restaurant at the Mille Lacs Grand Casino. Combining her work, school and athletic experiences is preparing her for her future, she said. "It is all related in a way. It is all about teamwork, perseverance, determination, and problem solving.”
As for college, she wants to play college ball. This summer she plans on giving a lot of time practicing as a guard. “If I want to play college ball, I would probably be a guard because of my height. But I have a lot of work to do to get better in that position.”
Her culture and traditions are very important to Celleia. She and her family attend a lot of ceremonies, round dances, Big Drums, powwows, are all very important to her. “I try to bring the teachings into my everyday life and while playing basketball.”
She started playing basketball in fourth grade. “Basketball was always something just for fun, but now I guess I am pretty good at it. I just love basketball. When I decided I didn’t suck as much as I thought I did, I started to do better. One time I was playing 21 with my brother and I was so close to beating him. That’s my goal. He is really good. So, I just want to beat him once,” Celleia said laughing.
Her biggest inspiration has been, “Wendy Merrill. Her story is really inspirational. She was a teen mom, got her GED, went to college, got her masters, and District II Rep., and got 40 under 40. It takes time, but those steps and perseverance is important. She never gives up and she overcame all those obstacles." She added a shout out to Gal and Terry Oswald, “For working with me during the off seasons since junior high and coming and supporting me at my games.”
Words of advice: “Just go for it. Even if you are scared, there is no harm in trying. You will never know unless you try. My uncle, Carlos Merrill, always says, ‘it is better to say I did that! instead of sitting there wondering what could have been.’”
Breya Sawyer
Brainerd High School Class of 2023
Breya Sawyer is a Junior at Brainerd High School. She is a three-sport athlete participating in soccer, lacrosse, and hockey. Of those three, one could say she may have ice flowing through veins as she eats, sleeps, and lives for hockey.
She started playing lacrosse around sixth grade, because her cousin and her dad both played the game, she said. She also enjoys soccer in the fall because it is fun and it helps keep her in shape before the hockey season.
Because that is where her heart is — on the ice playing hockey. She started playing hockey in the first grade and it soon became more than just a sport. As they say, "It is a lifestyle." And Breya agrees. As with any sport, it is demanding, time consuming and disciplined, she said. “Learning how to skate is hard for people,” she said. “Then you have to learn stick handling and skating at the same time. You have to learn to balance speed and skills and that can be hard.”
She worked on those skills from first through eighth grade. That is really when hockey became her passion. She started playing back-up varsity in the eighth grade. “I got to see what varsity was about and I loved it. It was harder, more challenging and it just seemed the wins were bigger.” And bigger they have become as she has been playing as a starter varsity goaltender since her freshman year.
“I don’t know why exactly. I just love it.” The Brainerd/Little Falls Warrior girls hockey team was on their way to the state championship this past season with Breya as one of the goaltenders. They lost in the first round, but were happy and proud to have made it that far.
Being the goalie, she said, is a lot of pressure sometimes, but she tries to just concentrate on the game in front of her. In fact, she said she feels the “most comfortable” playing hockey as a goalie. She thrives in spite of pressure, accepting the challenge, and playing to win. And her stats proved it. She had 12 wins for the season with a 0.91 save percentage. By the numbers that is out of 536 shots on goal, she only let in 48 and racked up five complete shut-outs.
As a junior in high school, she also participated in the PSEO program this year and will again during her senior year. She has her goals set on attending college, but has not determined exactly what she will focus on.
Breya understands in order to play the sports she loves, she also must do well academically. For her that means a lot of studying and homework completed on the bus to and from games. “I squeeze it in whenever I can,” she said. “If you don’t do your homework and get good grades, you can’t play. Those are pretty tough consequences. I don’t want to risk that.”
Learning the consequences of actions is part of what sports have taught her. “If you want to get better at something, you have to work at it — and practice. You have to work hard. You just have to put in the work to get better. That goes for life outside of sports, too. And I have learned teamwork. You all have to work together to be great team.”
Her greatest influence in her life she said has been Olivia King, a 2019 graduate of Brainerd High School where she played for the Brainerd/Little Falls Warriors, and now in her junior year at U of M playing goalie for the Gophers. “Watching her play was outstanding. And She was always helping the other girls, too. She is just awesome.”
Her advice: “Don’t ever stop working no matter what team you make. Never give up your goals. Keep continuing to work towards those goals no matter what anyone says. Don’t stop giving it your all.”