FEBRUARY 15, 2001
Smoke Signals 13
Chemawa's
Lisa Young Bear
S0U A Kt;
Stands Out on
the Court and
;
..' "S
1 miM-
i
in the Classroom
YOUNG BEAR: Proud, shy and talented.
By Chris Mercier
A glazed look seeps over her eyes.
Her shyly tense body is packaged
into a supple frame and her hands
grip the basketball deftly, as if it is a
mere extension of her arm. Danc
ing methodically around the
baseline, almost rhythmically she
sways to and fro, dribbles the ball
between her legs, drives, halts, and
rather mechanically lobs a spot-up
jumper at the net.
Swish.
I now know what Lisa Young Bear
was talking about only minutes be
fore. -' "I block everything out," she says.
"And have a fun time."
Although a senior at Chemawa
Indian Boarding School, and the
starting point guard for the girls bas
ketball team, Young Bear is im
mensely shy. She appeared almost
meek during the interview, clearly
not used to the direct attention, nor
of having to elaborate on herself.
Yet put a basketball in her hands
and she just melts.
The reason is simple: Basketball
has become, through the years, her
muse. History has shown us many
other examples, like Elvis Presley
and his guitar, Tony Gwynn and a
baseball bat. Larry Bird, though no
idol of Young Bear's, once mused
that he was a far dif-
ferent person on the
court than off. Some
people, once placed
in their desired ele
ments, leave them
selves. Add Young Bear to
that list.
"Whenever I worry
about something or
when I get home
sick," she said. "I
play basketball."
Basketball ceased
being simply a sport
years ago for Young
Bear. Thousrh 18
mental, social and emotional
stagnation.
"It's boring there," she
said. "There's nothing to do."
Young Bear speaks of the
reservation in the same man
ner that a root canal patient
reflects on his or her last den
tal visit. She smiled uncom
fortably and occasionally
winced while recounting a
childhood on the reserva
tion. Boredom, clearly, is an
underlying theme of her life
there. The residents of Pine
Ridge struggle just to re
main entertained.
And so, she said, the people
are inclined to drink, do
drugs and perform many
other methods of self-destruction.
Ambitions are lost.
"Our schools there were
very low," she reminisced.
Basketball became a
method of escape. It entered
her life at a young age, when
her dad gave her a ball as a gift. He
was once a talented player in his own
right, but was disabled by kidney di
alysis, the same ailment that kept
him from working. He taught her
the basics, and she absorbed them
hungrily, ultimately turning to it
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backfired. Lisa found the religious
tone of the school not to her liking.
"They made us pray and go to
mass," she said. "For a school, that
didn't seem right."
When word of Chemawa reached
her through a friend, it suddenly be-
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years of age now, her life the first
15 years is worlds away.
The daughter of Mary and
Lawrence Young Bear was but one
of six full-blooded Oglalla children
growing up in the small town of Por
cupine, South Dakota. The town is
nestled quietly in the folds of the Pine
Ridge Reservation, a place Young
Bear likened to "a poor country."
South Dakota itself is reputed to
be bleak, yet its barrenness is of par
ticular exception on the reservation,
an environment all but conducive to
while she tuned reservation life out.
In hindsight, those summers and
afternoons spent helping Lisa refine
her court skills were some of the best
times he could have spent as a fa
ther. While she turned to basketball
for sanctuary, many of her friends,
disinterested in school andor work,
made the descent into alcoholism and
drug abuse. Her parents, though
never themselves victims of those af
flictions still feared for her education
and future, elected to enroll her in a
Catholic school, a move that almost
came a viable option. And her par
ents were entirely supportive of the
prospect, even though it would take
her nearly 2,000 miles away from
home.
"My mom told me I had a much bet
ter chance in the real world than on
the rez," she said.
Besides, too many of her friends
had opted for the well-worn path.
"I knew there was more opportu
nity outside, away from the drugs
and alcohol," she said.
The transition wasn't terribly dif-
RAISINGTHE ROOF
Senior Point guard Lisa Young Bear
leads the Chemawa Braves girl's
basketball team on the court, a
floor affectionately known as
"Moccasin Square Garden," and
sets an example for all young
Native women by her accomplish
ments in the classroom as well.
ficult. But make no mistake, it
wasn't easy either.
"We didn't always see eye-to-eye
when she first came out here," said
Kristi Daniels, Young Bear's coach.
"But she has really matured a lot."
"I wouldn't have labeled her as a
bad kid," she said. "But it was obvi
ous she had issues to deal with. . . she
was a bit of a rebel."
What Daniels has been fortunate to
see is the evolution of a young woman.
Young Bear, who has played at the
varsity level all three of her years at
Chemawa, has become a campus ce
lebrity; a friend and peer to everyone.
"Not only is she a great basketball
player," Daniels continued. "But
she's an excellent student."
And it is her skills on the court that
have drawn attention. Chemeketa
Community College is presently re
cruiting her for their women's team.
"She can play all positions,"
Daniels said. "I've even put her in
at center and she does great."
With that said, it should probably
come as no surprise that Young
Bear's favorite player is Scottie
Pippen of the Portland Trailblazers.
Pippen, who won six NBA champi
onships with Michael Jordan and
the Chicago Bulls during the 1990s,
is considered by fans and experts
alike to be one of the best all-around
players ever. Young Bear adores
him, admitting she loves browsing
through his numerous web sites
while on-line. It makes perfect sense
that her game is eerily similar to his.
"Honestly, not until she missed a
game did I realize what she brings
to this team," Daniels added. "And
how much we missed that."
Yet no trace of arrogance could be
found when Young Bear discussed
herself.
"I think I average from 12 to 18
points a game," she said, and paused
to think. "And I don't know how
many assists I get."
She is probably too busy enjoying
her life to worry about stats. For the
time being, Young Bear is content to
hang out with friends, listen to mu
sic, and still play her almost compul
sory one or two hours of basketball
every day. She entertains thoughts
of studying law or maybe nursing.
And she clearly is not alarmed by the
uncertainty of her future. Fate has
been good to her so far.
"I made a promise to myself once,"
she said. "I'd go wherever basket
ball would take me."