GROWING THE GAME
By Mashkodebizhikigahbaw, Benji Sam
Few things bring people together more than organized sports in this country. And as sports have continued to grow over the last few decades, opportunities for youth in the realm of sports continue to grow with it. Never have we seen the level of accessibility to training, group sports, courts, and competition for the youth of today. A group of young Band members have bonded together over the course of time around the game of basketball and continue to grow the game they know and love. Lead by Eldayshun Big Bear, recent graduate from Isle high school, these young men look to continue growing the game of basketball in the greater Mille Lacs area.
Big Bear, a former Isle Huskie point guard, prides himself on molding his life to reflect the career he carried in basketball. In his time with the Huskies, Big Bear set multiple school records that will stand against history as the leading single season assist record and all-time career assist leader. Big Bear also traveled around the region competing at multiple levels of high school basketball as well as Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball for both the Minnesota Heat and Minnesota Comets. These programs are renowned for bringing together talent from across the corners of Minnesota. Like his career in basketball thus far, Big Bear’s vision for growing the game of basketball is being passed off to the next generation, but this time, through the lens of a coach.
In his first year as a coach, Big Bear has taken on his first coaching assignment with the Mille Lacs Raiders Boy’s C-Squad team and an assistant coach for the varsity level. With the new-age Mille Lacs Raiders program, Big Bear and others have worked towards building the game of basketball in this community. “This has been a great learning experience. Seeing the players take steps and progress week to week has been so rewarding,” he said. “We want to build something special here. We want to build something these kids can be proud of.” Something special, like the new District I Community Center in which the court features one of the most beautiful hardwood floors in the state, is building around Mille Lacs area basketball.
The last few years, Big Bear, along with basketball family members Cedric LaFave, Mykal Garbow, and Joseph Benjamin, have created a culture around the sport that has ignited a fire around the game of basketball for our youth. “We have hosted dozens of camps in the last year or more and hold open gyms every Saturday for kids to come in and work on skills, shooting drills, and just playing some basketball,” said Big Bear. He added that any given week, there are from 15-20 regular attendees to open gyms, and some weeks there have been almost double. On top of running camps, open gyms, and working with the local high school program, the vision of growing the game in Mille Lacs is about to get a whole lot bigger.
These four young men are holding tryouts this month for the inaugural season for the new Mille Lacs AAU team which will travel the major boys’ basketball circuit throughout the state of Minnesota and the Midwest. These inaugural teams will span across four age levels to feature players from across the Mille Lacs area, both tribal and non-tribal. These tryouts are open to all qualifying-age players. The goal is to bring four age groups into competition, including a 13 and under, 15 and under, 16 and under, and a 17 and under team. “We have received questions from parents and players across Minnesota from Hinckley to Fond du Lac. We are going to field the best, most competitive teams possible and give our youth a chance to compete for something more,” says Big Bear.
This tryout will be open for all and will come at no cost for participants at the DI Community Center on March 16, 2024. The coaches do want to urge participants that if a player makes a team, there will be a $400 participation fee that covers jerseys, travel costs, and tournament fees. This team fee is a non-refundable deposit and will secure your place on the Mille Lacs AAU team. For more information please follow the Mille Lacs Basketball Camps on Facebook.
With each step forward, the youth in the Mille Lacs area have been given another opportunity to not only grow as individuals but also as a culture — a basketball culture. A wave of energy moves on the Reservation and the surrounding community because this is going to be something special. “I think it’s important for kids to see someone who looks like them and was raised where they were succeed. That’s what we’re hoping to give to our youth. Maybe one day they can help give that to the next group,” said Big Bear.
