July 11, 2012
Sptlygy Tyrooo, W arm Springs, O regon
P3ge 6
4
Stacona playing for Team Concept
By Duran Bobb
Spilyay Tymoo
M ariah Stacona, already
known in Central Oregon as
a top basketball player, has
recently been chosen to play
for Team Concept’s Sun team.
Team Concept provides
deserving players the oppor
tunity to demonstrate their
abilities in front of college
recruiting scouts.
A great majority of Team
Concept’s players have gone
on to receive athletic schol
arship assistance to continue
their playing careers at the col
legiate level, making, the col
lege dream a reality.
In com parison, Shoni
Schimmel played for Team
Concept’s Fire team in 2007,
with many of the games be
ing attended by college re
cruiting scouts. Abby Scott,
MHS grad and now a New
Mexico State Aggie, also
played for Team Concept.
Rare opportunity
“My goal is to get better
in the sport, get exposure, get
my name out,” Mariah said
recendy.
Team coach Michael
A braham said, “Mariah is
truly one of the gifted ladies
in our program.”
Last week, the Johnson
O ’Maliy Committee partially
approved a request to assist
in Mariah’s ambitious goal.
Mariah is the daughter of
Andy Stacona and Blanca
Plazola. She is the stepdaugh
ter of Leticia Becerra.
“Team Concept has helped
young athletes get college
scholarships,” Mariah told the
Mariah Stacona
JOM Committee. “I’m hop
ing that one day, I’ll be there
as well. As a tribal member,
I would represent the tribes.
And I’m a firm believer that
education comes first and
foremost. It would be a great
honor to represent my people
this way.”
Tryouts, by invitation-only,
began at the end of the last
high school basketball season.
“There were only 50 girls
hand-selected,” Andy Stacona
said. “I believe Mariah was
the only one chosen from
Central Oregon. She’s now
playing in front of hundreds
o f college coaches and
scouts.”
The cost for one student
to participate in Team Con
cept is $4,000. The organi
zation requested only $2,500
from the JOM Committee,
“It really is an exciting op
portunity,” JOM Committee
Chairman Deanie Smith said.
“This is part of the reason
the JOM Committee exists,
to assist with these types of
requests.”
Mariah began showing an
interest in basketball as soon
as she was able to walk.
"She’s following in her
sister’s footsteps,” Andy said.
“Brianna Stacona was big into
basketball, too. She went on
to get a scholarship and now
plays for the C hem eketa
team.”
For the most part, Mariah
is self-disciplined. She goes
to school, works hard, main
tains a 3.50 GPA, goes to her
games and practices, does her
chores and homework with
out being told.
“It’s not that tough to find
time for basketball and get
good grades,” Mariah said.
“Sometimes I would miss
school, but that was because
I had already g o tten my
grades up. I’m a firm believer
that grades come first.”
“I believe a lot of that is
in the child herself,” Andy
said. “They have their own
ambition and intentions on
what they want to become. I
talk to her a lot about how I
used to be, and I really think
she listens.”
Family and friends have
show n m uch su p p o rt to
Mariah.
“Leticia attends a lot of the
games with her own siblings,”
Andy said, “and they all do
most of the cheering! So I’m
very thankful for all of the
support the family has re
ceived.”
Much of the support be
gan with Tony Holliday.
“She started out playing on
his team,” Andy said. “He has>
been a huge part of her life,
like her second dad during the
tournaments, her family on
the road.”
JOM will provide $2,000,
requiring Mariah’s family to
raise the remaining $500.
“We are planning some
fundraisers,” Andy said. If
people would like to donate,
they can drop off their con
tributions at the KWSO-
Spilyay office.
“The JOM Committee is
also working with other stu
dents,” committee member
Roberta Kirk said. “We’re
helping one student go to the
canoe journey. Another stu
dent will receive assistance
going on an ambassador trip.
We also help with tutors,
placement for kids, contrib
ute to the snack program.
We’re going to help with the
baçk-to-school barbeqUe,
school supplies, and helping
the litde league with the state
tournament. So JOM is re
ally in place for the student.”
“We invite everybody to
atten d JO M m eetings,’’
Deanie said. “Anything that
has to do with students and
education, th at’s first and
forem ost on our agenda.
They must be 509-J or Wasco
County, enrolled with proof
of enrollment, or having es
tablished themselves with ser
vices for Native Americans.
Requests must be made well
in advance.”
T he JO M C om m ittee
meets every other week. The
next meeting will be held on
July 19 at the Tribal Admin
istration.
“Just be yourself,” Mariah
says. “Get good grades, be
respectful, stay humble and
keep your love for the sport.”
For more information on
Team C oncept, go to
tchoops.net
Dave McMechan/Spilyay
Abby Scott, her dad James and family stopped in Warm
Springs on the way to Portland Airport. Abby, 2012 MHS
grad, was on her way to New Mexico State, where she
plays for the Aggies. New Mexico State, in Las Cruces,
is in the Western Athletic Conference.
S a lm o n C a m p in A u g u s t
The Tribal Salmon Camp
this summer will be August 6-
10 near Pendleton. The
camp is a chance for youth
to:
Learn about the science
and lifecycle of salmon;
Work on salmon restora
tion projects, and explore
traditional ecological knowl
edge;
Meet tribal professionals
working in the field, and gain
unique and valuable hands-on
experience.
For more information con
tact Katherine Walker, tribal
workforce development co
ordinator, Columbia River
Inter-Tribal Fish Commis
sion.
She can be reached at 503-
238-0667.
Or email: walk@critfc.org
Go to www.critfc.org for
application materials.
I BUY
OLD BASKETS
Navajo Rugs
and Related Items
475-6317
Open Wednesday thru Saturday
1 0à .m .to 6 p .m .
u o u n e sy ot tsutcn uavia.
The Madras High School girls basketball team attended the basketball camp recently at Oregon State
University.
Ph. 541-553-1041
At Warm Springs St. & Hollywood Blvd.
\
__ _______________/
Tarty Cite Candks
Running for lives: The Squiemphen Pack
Vernon Squiemphen led
the Wolf Pack in a touching
gesture for life, and in the
memory of those who have
moved on.
“This is really something
th a t can inspire o th e rs,”
LaDonna Squiemphen said
of her husband.
Vernon ran 63.5 miles in
12 hours in the Relay for Life
2012, getting the Top Male
Runner and Most Miles Ran
in the Relay for Life.
H is grandson, Lennox
Lewis Picard, ran 30 miles
along with Caleb Hererra and
Anthony Metamoros.
Their run was dedicated to
Atwais M adeline Q ueah-
pama-Spino, Mary Tsumpti
and survivors Carolyn
PaiuteGirl Johnson, and uncle
Alvin Picard.
The relay for life began in
May 1985, when Dr. Gordon
come to Jefferson County on
July 14.
For more information on
how you can becom e in
volved, see relayforlife.org.
Ron Green, Consultant
k
V
Candles & Home Accents
Illuminate your spirit
Relax w ith wax
' (541) 553-3120 (541)777-7345
— by Duran Bobb
Lennox Lewis-Picard, Vernon Squiemphen, Caleb
Hererra, Anthony matamoros (from left), Team Wolf
Pack.
Klatt of Tacoma wanted to
help his local American Can
cer Society office.
He spent 24 hours circling
the track at Baker Stadium,
running more than 83 miles
v
and raising $27,000.
In the relay, members of
each team take turns walking
or running the track for the
duration, of the event,
The Relay for Life will
High 225
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L odge
Assisted Living Lacilitq
/
rotpugersl@yahoo.com
2321 O llgllie Làne (PO B oxò)
W arm Springs, OR. 97761
Call 541-553-1182