by By Dan Ninham
There is a new Chairperson of the “Board”s at Dunseith HS in North Dakota.
Brailyn Davis, 17, was a junior basketball player this past season at Dunseith HS in ND. She is Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. She is the daughter of Wally and Nicole DeCoteau.
Brailyn accomplished what many high school basketball players strive to do. Not only to get to the 1000 point career mark but to get 1000 rebounds in their career.
“Getting my 1000 rebounds was a big thing for me because I’m the first player from my school history to get this,” said Brailyn. “There are only a few lady players in North Dakota history with 1000 rebounds.”
“My 1000 was a big accomplishment because it shows that I also do the little things for my team. I’m always willing to do the dirty work for my team. It gives me pride and I take it as my job to work hard and rebound, and rebounding is just my thing.”
“Brailyn is just one of those young adults that just has that drive to put in work to develop her game and to get better,” said Steve Poitra, head girls’ basketball coach for the Dunseith HS Dragons. “She is always in the gym and is one of the last to leave. She is gifted and always has a nose where the ball is going after shots and she works extremely hard to get there and rebound.”
“I have coached some great players in my day and this girl had the heart, determination and ethic not to mention one of the most coachable athletes I ever had. Her game will evolve and be college ready,” added Steve.
“My parents were a big part of me getting my 1000 rebounds,” said Brailyn. “They were both athletes so they know what it’s going to take and they always told me that a lot of my points were going to come from rebounding.”
Wally DeCoteau wears two hats as the assistant varsity coach and also Dad. “Brailyn is a hard worker and takes pride in rebounding and doing what it takes to help her team be successful. She has always had a knack for rebounding. After she got older, I would always tell her that’s where she would get her shots. So she would work extra hard on rebounding, boxing out and effort. I always told her she needed to be physical and work hard. I always pushed her to do her best and play with a ‘go after it’ mentality. Her effort to rebounding is attributed to her as a person being hard working and dedicated.”
“She is a person who has always been about what she can do to help,” said mom Nicole DeCoteau. “This is where her drive for rebounding has come from. She will fight and work to help her team. She is not only a hard worker on the court but also a hard worker in the classroom. She attacks her classes like she does the glass. She has a 4.0 GPA this school year. That just shows her thinking that she will put in hard work to get what she wants.”
“On the court you always need those players that will do the hard work and dirty work of rebounding and playing defense and she fits the bill,” said Wally.
Photo Credit: Wally DeCoteau
