Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 4, 1987)
PACE 6 Dccember-1, 1987 Warm Springs, Oregon Spilyay Tymoo Spilyay Tymoo SPOM Elimination tourney draws crowds "I he annual I hanskgiwng fclim ination tournament held at the Community Center November 26. 27 and 28 was won by the Oregon Travelers team which consists of A V .... ,' . Coaches Editors Note: This is part IV of a ! six part series on Indian Basketball players who fade out of sight after high school. These articles were run in the Billings Gazettes, also in a five part series. Permission was given by the Gazette to run these articles in the Spilyay Tymoo, as these same conditions could apply to this reservation on "Indian bas ketball players fade out of sight after high school." We have had some outstanding college mate rial for basketball but where did they go? A lot them end up playing in these so called two bit Indian tournaments where no one ever hears or sees them but the few who go to these tournaments. by Dave Trimmer of The Gazette Staff Mike Harkins said college bas ketball coaches recruit to win. That's enough pressure. Montana basketball fans who have seen Indian high school play ers wonder why more of those out standing athletes aren't helping take the pressure off of college coaches. It would seem Indian players are perfectly suited for the college game. They generally play an untempo game, shoot well and are used to winning. Unfortunately, that isn't enough. Harkins, who coached at East ern Montana College for 17 years compiling a 288-158 record, said it was a combination of adjustment factors athletic, educational and social. Bruce Hoffman, long-time jun ior college coach at Sheridan, Wyoming, college, was more blunt. "I have been in Sheridan for 21 years and not one (Indian) player has stayed in school," Hoffman said, "1 really feel for the kids, but they have trouble staying in school five days a week, going by team rules such as no alcohol and do poorly in the classroom." Harkins said many players from small schools, not just Indians, have a hard time adjusting to the education demands of college, accepting the social pressure of col lege life and becoming a former star on a team of former stars. He said of the 20 best high school basketball players he has seen in his almost three decades in Montana, five or six were Indians. But take away the academic and social demands, and the athletic adjustment is enough for any player to tackle. "College basketball is sophista cated. that's why you'll see more and more junior college players." Harkins said. "If those junior col leges on the reservations become viable. t will help. They'll also get the chance to adjust socially and academically." ,wV players from throughout the North west. They met the Valley Panthers for the championship play-off. At the end of the first quarter the score was 24-24 and it appeared to hesitant to Junior college also allow for an athletic mid-step. "JC kids can play right away," Harkins said. "In the cities, in Montana that means the Class AA schools, competition is a factor. In small schools, the star can be the only athlete on the floor. At small schools, one athlete can dominate things. They can dominate the ball, don't always have to play defense and they can take bad shots. You can't do that in college. At college, you have to play a role. You have to do the job and do it well. Eve rybody can shoot." College coaches agree that every year there are several Indian play ers who have the athletic ability to play at the college level. "Indian players could make an impact on the college level if they would only stay in school and work at the game and work on their aca demics. Every coach I know is afraid to recruit them," Hoffman said, admitting that he no longer recruits Indian players very hard. He also agreed with other coaches that Indian players would increase interest in his team. It is no secret that Indians support their high school teams better than most other fans. Lewiston coach Lynn McMillan, who coached at Plenty Coups for four years and had several players who could have continued a higher level, understands a college coach's reluctance to recruit Indians. "The coaches that have recruited Indian athletes have not had good results keeping these students in school," McMillan said. "The coaches, in many cases, do not know that the Indian students could get funding and they don't want to waste a scholarship on a player Jr. High notes Madras Junior High has released the names of students making the honor roll foi the first quarter, they are: Seventh Grade Top Honor Roll (3.50-4.00) Travis Bob, Carrie Burtis, Hea ther Clowers, Scott Delamarter, Charity Dubisar, Becky Frazier, Niki Forman. Spencer Gerke. Mer risa Grimm, Thomas Hansen, Kevin Hopps. Jessica Jacks, Pamela Jasa, Laura Jones. Gary King. Alyssa Macy, Heather Martin and Julie Morse. Thomas Norton. Cristin Orcutt, Anne Pinkal, Nathan Pollard. Jason Potampa. Roopa Puri. Tami Rask, Emily Ray, Armando Rios. Jen nifer Runge. Sara Runge. Ofelia Santos. James Sites, Susan Skav be either teams game but in the second quarter Travelers James Scott showed the crowd just how the basketball should be handled and scored 21 points; that along recruit Indians that might go home the first day of school. Coaches have not coached Indian players and do not recruit them because of 'horror" stories heard from other coaches. College coaches do not want to coach a player they feel they cannot control. Indian players play more like black play ers from the ghetto than like the WASP players they like on the team in this area of the country." Don't get the wrong idea; there have been some outstanding Indi ans on college teams. Luke Spotted Bear, who played for a McMillan championship team at Plenty Coups and was named MVP of the state tournament, is the first PCHS graduate to com plete his college education. He is now a coach at St. Labre. Harkins had Pete Conway, of Browning, earn All-America honors at EMC in 1 975 and he also pointed to standouts Darrel Hill and Ken Pemberton. Currently, Jonathan Stands and Leo Goodluck are on the EMC roster as walkons. Three Indians, Larry Anderson of Ronan and Jess Wetzle and Bob Howard of Browning are in the Western Montana College Basket ball Hall of Fame. Casey Keltz, the WMC coach, said Bulldog fans could quickly name eight other standout Indian players from years past. Bill Straugh was the WMC coach from 1940-68 and is a member of the NAIA Coaches Hall of Fame. Still a resident of Dillon, Straugh said. "They rank with the best in this college's history. We treated them no differently than whites, blacks or other races. They were scholars and athletes an integral aspects of our programs and not looked upon as minorities. Admit lan and Wendy Smith. Seventh Grade Honor Roll (3.00-3.49) Marcos Arizmendez, Chad Cas ady, Direlle Calica, Diane Cavalli, Terry Courney, Daren Earnest, An drew Gilbert, Russell Graham. Reed Grote. Mark Harris, Carla Hile man, Shilo Hindman, Angie Hyatt, Vangeline Jack, Angela Kelly, David Lange, Audra Lyon and Nicolas Medrano. Jennifer Mollman, Dyann Rog ers, Benita Serrano, Heidi Stephens. Tamara Teal, Adam Telfer, Tresa Towell, Raelynn Waldow, Mindy Walker, Molly Wallace and Jason Williams. Eighth Grade Top Honor Roll (3.50-4.00) Latina Black. Kimi Buslach, San with Chuck Fremont also of the Travelers scoring 12 points and Jerome Davis with eight points the score at halftime was the Travelers 65 and the Valley Panthers 37. In the third quarter of the game the Panthers attempted to rally with players but the Travelers team had found the combination and scored 32 points totaling 97 for Travelers and 62 for Panthers. The Panther team fed the ball to Ted Walsey ( 1 3), Lonnie Sammaripa ( 1 3), Forest Elwcll (10) and Jr. Meninick (2) for a total of 38 points to add to their score giving them a game total 100. The Travelers team managed an easy 33 points, they ended with a final score of 1 30 more than enough points to take a berth in the Holi day tournament held in December. Second went to the Granger Val ley Panthers, third place winners was the Blackwolf team from The Dalles and fourth went to Levi's SOI. Named to the all-star team were: R. McConvilIe(BIack Wolfe), Bret Whipple (Running Rebels), Larry Scott (Roadrunners), Eugene Bigback and Frank Smith of Levi's 501 , Carl Tewee (Black Wolf). Lon nie Sammaripa and Ted Walsey ot Valley Panthers, James Scott and Jerome Davis of Travelers. Chuck Fremont, Oregon Travelers was selected as the "most vlauable player" of the tournament. tedly, they were fewer in numbers, but in no way any the lesser in quality." Keltz and Dan Conners, the coach at Miles Community College, a junior college in Miles City, said, Indians have an advantage in that they can get both federal and state financial aid, which isn't charged to an athletic budget. However, some former Indian players, includ ing Conway, said the aid is not as readily available as it once was. Keltz added, "I have personally recruited many Indian players dur ing my 18 years at Western but have signed very few and for no apparent reason that I can pin down. Other coaches have expressed similar sentiments to me. We simply don't have the answers." Hoffman said, "As much as I or any of the other college coaches would love to have some Indian players on our teams, you proba bly will not see them being recru ited very hard until they can solve some of their problems." He pointed to motivation in the classroom, the desire to stay in school without extended weekends at home and follow training rules as major stumbling blocks. "Colleges and coaches have a lot of money, time and school records invested in their programs," Hof fman said. "They must kow that if they recruit a player, he or she will be there in the end and they will make it as a student and athlete. At the present time, it's too much of a gamble with your whole program to depend on the Indian kids mak ing it in your program. If they don't stay in school, you are short a player or players on your team. "I hope in the future they can turn it around. We would welcome them with open arms. students' achievements dra Carroll, Melinda Casady, Arlin da Duff, Margie Durette, Amanda Fine, Luanne Foltz, Jeannie L. Ford, Hope Galan, Ryan Grote, Shahin Henrikson, Anne Jasa, Kris tina Johnson, Erika Luce and Susan Marston and Susan Marston. Joel Nielson. Ronald Palmer, JoAnne Parsons, Troy Phifer, Laura Sahme, Jenifer Samsel, Michele Simmelink. Jennifer Sinnaeve, Orlando Stevens, Misty Summer haldcr, Alan Wildow, Juanita Wick ham and Bradford Wright. Eighth Grade Honor Roll (3.00-3.49) Kevin Abenschcin, Dawn Beh rend. Ryan Boyle. Eric Craig. Eric Creelman. Rebecca Dodson, Jes sica Dreger. April Ellis, Michele Gregg. Cory Hamilton. Kevin Har- Team wins titles The Waim Springs Tribe Co-ed volleyball team won two champion ship titles during the month of November, Macy's Market spon sored the team for both tournaments. The team traveled to Granger, Washington to take part in the Cook Road Renegades 1 2-team Co-ed tournament November 7, 1987. In their first match the team lost to Lettig of Yakima. They then played and won six consecutive matches to make it to the cham pionship match. The Warm Springs team, in the final match against Lettig, was victorius. According to player Rodney Mitchell, the team had to come through the "back door" to win, playing a total of 21 games. Tournament play started at 10 a.m. and lasted until 1:45 the next morning. Players for the team were Rod ney Mitchell, Gorkey Mitchell, Chaz Mitchell, Derek Plummer, Leonard Ike, Tonya Mitchell, Robin Mit chell, Louise Katchia, Deanie Smith and Bridgette Kalama. Cassie Kat chia managed the winning team. Second place honors went to Lettig, third to Grando Rounders Students attain honors ALL STAR HONOR ROLL Freshman Justin Chester, Darla Cooke, Byran Hopps, Kristine King, Todd Mobley, Melanie Orcutt, Car a Spears, Karen Stevenson, Monica Telfer, Christa Vibbert, Allen Wick ham. Sophomores Julie Kester, Jan Osborn, Marty Schmith, Ryan Simmons. Juniors Teddi Anderson, Traci Ander son, Amy Bowden, Kris Delamar ter, Essi Edgmon, Debra England, Jeffrey Hawes, Donald Mobley, Victor Muniz, Marie Rufener, Julie Simmons, Amy Spofford, Shan non Sumner and Mitzi Tunison. Seniors Rosita Bezzon, Sherilynn Cooke, Steven Cordill, Sharrie Crossan, Robin DeWhitt, Bonnie Dunlap, Tory Garcia, Valerie Luce, James McConkey, Susanne Obert, Link Olson, Amber Ramsey, Alison Thorpe and Julie Wright. REGULAR HONOR Freshman Emmett Ashley, Eldo Badten, Kristine Benson, Susan Boatman, Michael Charlie, Jacob Coochise, Phyllys Crask, Chad Duff, Tina Garcia. Kelly Glenn, Jennifer Hack- man, Kenneth Hart, Brian Huff, Michele Huntington, Scott Hur ley, Oliver Hyder, Rhonda Ike, Merle Kirk, Heather McColm. Cai non McDonald, Lance Mitchell, Christina Moses, Eric Peterson, Derek Rogers, Aaron Runge, Anthony Smith, Rebecca Soliz, Cory Spofford, Shannon Springer, Todd Sullivan. Sophomores Lucinda Binder, Daniel Comin gore, Rachelle Cooke, Nikki Court ney, Todd Earnest, Cheryl Elliott, Russell Ensign, Michelle Graves, Jason Harris, Marcy Hawes, Steven ned, Drista Hill, Rosanna Jack son, Benny Jakobsen and Jeremy Lagers. Cecilia Madrigal, James Moran, Scott Moses, Marcie Pinkal, Dean Rask, Cole Ratliff, Oscar Sauceda, Boy's freshmen basketball V.S. LaPine Warm Springs Community Center Tuesday, Dec. 8, 4:30 p.m. from Grand Ronde, Oregon, fourth to Inchclim of Nespclcm, and fifth to a Pendleton team. Winning the most valuable player award were Gorkey Mitchell and Deanie Smith. Named to the all-star team was Derek Plummer. On November 28 they traveled to Toppenish to play in the "Lisa Hitchcock eight team Co-ed Vol leyball tournament." Players for the team were Rodney Mitchell, Gorkey Mitchell, Derek Plummer, Tonya Mitchell, Deanie Smith and Pixie Sanders. With their first game at 11:30 a.m. against the Lisa Hitchcock Memorial team, the team took the match in two games. They then played Gary's Gang and won that match in two games. The team was then matched against the White Swan Indian Club. Again, Warm Springs won in two games. The Lettig team was waiting for the team and Lettig won the first game of the match. Warm Springs went on to win the second 15-12; the third game 15-8 and the fourth same 15-4 for the championship. Continued on page 8 Hileman, Joseph Hogge, Kahseuss Jackson, Kerra Jones, Angela Krue ger, Bonnie Lathrop, Kclsie Mor lan, Amelia Nielsen, Angelic Raines, Joey Ratliff, Nacho Rodriguez, Sa mantha Rolfe, Shawn Smith, Tama ra Stephens Henard, Jennifer Stubbe, Phillip Telfer, Jennifer Thorn ton, Sean Vibbert, Gabriel Wymore. Juniors Shawn Bell, Jay Blessing, Ellen Blincoe, James Boston, Alice Bow den, Oliver Cates, Jennifer Cavalli, Shawna Chichenoff Myers, Saph ronia Coochise, Jeffery Cordill, Curtis Cosgrove, Shauna Craig, Christopher Earnest, Dennis Elli ott, Leslie Freeman, Trissie Fuentes, Dolores Galan, Brian Gallagher, Dana Gephart, Tracy Graves, Melis a Grijalva, Anthony Hackman, Cimberly Harvey, Matthew Hicker- ;on. William Irwin, Randall Jasa, Amy Jolstead, Nathan Kowaleski, Chris tel Leonard, Jeanette Lindgren, Casey McKenzie, Kelly Mennealy, Cynthia Millard, Donald Moore, Angela Namenuk, J.B. Palmer, Mark Parsons, Brett Patterson, Tracie Quam, Robert Rios, Alana Rogers, Rhonda Ruhl, Kristina Sampson, Aaron Schneider, Angela Selam, Sigvald Skavlan, Laura Snow, Cynthia Stephens, Lori Switz Ier.Todd Thawley, Bronson Utter, Leslie Waldow, Gwen Wallace, Lee Wallace, Rhonda Warstler, Janel Wiles. Curtis Williams. Seniors Annette Archer, Keith Benson, Stacy Boatman. Robin Bush, Evelyn Crask, Melissa Donaghu, Laura Friend, Danielle Gauthier, Cheryl Hamilton, Timothy Hileman, James Hutchens, Brooke Hyder, George Ike, Owen Lewis, Timothy Mar tinez. Todd Shaver. Eric Steven son, Debra Stillings, Aaron Sum mers, Mark Younger. SPECIAL HONOR ROLL (students enrolled in independent living) Andrew Cooke, Donnie Farley, Walter Wainanwit and Deeann Watson. Jonathan Smith, Kenneth Smoldt, Craig Stevenson, Daphne Tingle. Nikki Werner, Richard Weston, Gregory Williams, Tammy Wilson, Joseph Zachary.