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Chemawa basketball):
turning things around
Story and photos by Brent Merrill r
The girl's basketball program at Chemawa In
dian High School has a new direction and a
new attitude.
Head Coach Kristi Daniels (Coeur d'Alene) has
a message for other Tri-River League opponents
"Be afraid. Be really afraid."
After years of losing seasons, things have
changed.
"We have a new direction here at Chemawa," said
Daniels who is in her third year as the coach. "We
have talent and we are gaining momentum."
Daniels is teaching the girls about the differ
ence between success and mediocrity.
"A lot of these kids didn't care if we won," said
Daniels. "It was the same feeling around here if
we won or if we lost. There was no team spirit. It
took me almost until the middle of the season to
get those girls together and understand what be
ing a team was all about."
Talks about pride and privilege became the norm
for Daniel's team. They talk about being proud of
their heritage and how that could carry over onto
the basketball floor. They talk about what a privi
lege it is to be a student athlete.
"I told them being Native American was some
thing they should be very proud to be," said
Daniels.
Daniels said she knows her team faces an uphill
challenge if they are going to be successful. Che
mawa plays in a league where teams have played
together since elementary school and have been
groomed for success. The teams they face play all
year long and participate in holiday tournaments.
"The league that we are in is one of the hardest
leagues in the state," said Daniels. "At least two
of the teams from our league have placed in state
every year. We are an all Native team. These
girls that we are playing against have all grown
up together and have played together since grade
school and junior high. And, we come together.
We are a team. We're a family.
"It's really hard, but I wouldn't coach anywhere
else," said Daniels. "I really love these girls."
Daniels said the team has become close. She said
there is more at work in her program than just
basketball skills. She said the team has built a solid
foundation that gets stronger with each new year.
"For me, I don't think that anyone really real-
izes how good a feeling it is when we win another
game," said Daniels. "Our reputation is that we
are very physical and one of the hardest teams to
play in our league and nobody wants to come to
our gym," said Daniels of why other teams should
take notice. "I think that we have taken it good.
These kids live here."
Daniels wants the girls on her team to make
good choices in life. She wants them to learn re
spect for themselves and others.
"I really believe in respect and respecting your
self," said Daniels who is a single parent, full-time
college student and full-time basketball coach.
"That is my big message to these girls that I preach
everyday."
Boy's basketball is back at Chemawa Indian
High School.
After years of losing, the team now has a chance
to win in almost every game. In the past, blowout
losses were regular happenings and wins were
rare. League wins were unheard of.
Last season, when the first victory came, a seed
was planted.
Momentum began to grow. The idea that win
ning was possible became a reality.
Head Coach Rick Waddell said he tries to teach
the players more than just how to win. He said
the team has regular talks about how to conduct
themselves as men and how to make the right
choices in life.
"Last year was the first game the team had won
in at least four years in basketball," said Waddell.
"This year was the first time in many years that
we won any league games and we won three of
those. We have had several close games and there
were another five games that we probably should
have won."
Part of the rebirth of the team is an outstanding
tandem of seniors center Lloyd Whatoname and
point guard Elvin Lee Fred.
The duo has played well enough to keep the team
in many games they would not have had a chance
in during the last few seasons. Whatoname was
named the player of the week earlier this season
for back to back outstanding performances.
"Last year no one in Oregon had really seen me,"
said Whatoname. "But, this year it's better because
people are seeing what I'm capable of doing. They
try and stop me but they can't. It makes you feel
pretty good."
Fred said the team needed time at the begin
ning of the season to get use to each other.
Students at the school come from all over the
country and for the most part meet each other
when the school year or basketball season begins.
The teams they play against in the Tri-River Con
ference usually have been playing together since
junior high.
"Our season went pretty good. We started out
and we needed to learn how to function together,"
said Elvin Lee Fred. It's the first time Chemawa
has won in a long time."
"Basketball is just one of the things I'm trying
to teach these kids," said Waddell. "I want them
to be successful at whatever they do. If they go
back to the reservation I want them to feel like
they can shoot for the best job available there. If
they don't go back I want to encourage them to
further their education and not accept anything
less than what they are capable of achieving. I
want them to be the best that they can be."
The success of the boy's and girl's athletic teams
has carried over to the rest of the student body
according to Principal Larry Beyers. He said this
year has been the most positive year in a long time.
Youth Leadership
Continued from front page
School, and PortlandSalem Title DC. Tribal Youth
Education Supervisor Lisa Leno said Rainier's en
ergy is truly inspiring to everyone he meets.
"I think the thing about him is the way that he
works I think with people, adults or youth he
just brings you to another level of what you're ca
pable of," said Leno of Rainier. All the staff and
the youth really, really like him. Some of them
had worked with him last year when he was here."
Leno said the course consists of five one-day ses
sions over a five month period. Public speaking
ability, cultural pride and the ability to work within
a group setting are the skills the Youth Leadership
Academy tries to enhance and nurture.
"The idea behind this is to teach youth leader
ship skills," said Leno.
Leno said part of the program is sharing circles
where small groups examine important issues more
intently than possible in a larger setting.
"In every sharing circle there is two youth lead
ers and one adult leader," explained Leno. "The
whole idea of this is really hands-on and pushing
you outside your comfort zone. It teaches you to
be able to stand up in front of a group and tell
them your message.
"The idea is to bring these youth together and
V
One thing our
program is really
trying to do is get
involved with as
many other Native
groups as possible.
Lisa Leno
Tribal Youth
Education Supervisor
make them aware of other Native people where
they are from, the differences and similarities,"
said Leno.
The idea is that they form a coalition of Native
people that will continue to have working rela
tionships and friendships, said Leno.
"We want to get people together for one cause
and that is what the Academy hopefully gives
them," said Leno. "I think what is really interest
ing to me, being involved in it, is that a lot of stu
dents don't typically speak out in class and don't
speak out in groups. However, when you get them
in this kind of a learning environment you see
them seek out and say things that you didn't know
they could because everybody else is doing it.
Everybody is here to gain leadership skills, cul
tural awareness and self-esteem."
Leno has been the youth education supervisor
for grades 6-12 for the last three years. .
"It (the job) is fun. One thing our program is
really trying to do is get involved with as many
other Native groups as possible," said Leno. "It's
working. The kids in the leadership academy are
getting to know each other."
Rainier said he could see changes taking place
in the faces of the young people he spoke with.
"The most important thing I saw, already, is
growth," said Rainier. "Spurts of growth. In
today's world these young people they have so
many questions," said Rainier. "What it really
comes down to is who is teaching what to whom."
Rainier then told a story about a student who
was about to go to law school and needed advice.
Rainier said he told the student to be proud and
do his job well when the opportunity came. He
told the student everything he needed was inside.
"It is right here," said Rainier pointing to his heart.
"Nobody can take that away from you. I don't care
where you go you are Indian. Feel it. Say it.
Defend it. Get out there an act like a warrior.
"The impact is powerful," said Rainier of his
message of pride in all things. "It is powerful."