by By Dan Ninham, contributing writer
Jude Thomas will be a senior at Navajo Preparatory School next school year of 2023-24. He also plays for the Navajo Preps basketball team.
In the past basketball season, Thomas’ team won a district championship and reached the final four in the playoffs. This was the second time in school history, and second time in the past three years.
“Individually, I won Navajo Times Co-Player of the Year, Farmington Daily Times Player of the Year, District MVP, and New Mexico 3A First Team All-State,” said Jude Thomas.
Indigenous athletes in practice and competition utilize their indigenous core values to maximize their performance. Thomas said, “I incorporate my indigenous core values on the court by upholding the traits of my ancestral leaders and values they carry. I lead in the best interest in the team, and remember that we are best as a team when we are collaborating.”
“Whenever I am training, I also remember that my ancestors never gave up and always remained fighting. It reminds me to keep working, and when I feel like giving up or stopping, I continue to push through,” Thomas added.
“Putting on a Navajo Prep jersey reminds me that I am representing not only my school, but the whole Navajo Nation when I’m playing,” said Thomas. “I have to be a figure that not only kids look up too, but teammates and opposing players.”
“My indigenous core values have enhanced not only the way I play and compete, but the way I hold myself on and off the court,” added Thomas.
Summer off-season is considered in-season to continue to prepare and improve individual and team skills. Thomas said, “I am preparing for the next upcoming basketball season. I doubled down on my high school team and played my summer travel ball with my high school team. It’s one thing to play with top talent from across the country and Navajo Nation reservation for the summer, but I’d rather make history and win a state championship at Navajo Prep.”
“Long-term, I am preparing to hopefully play college basketball. I work every day towards this goal, whether it’s weight room, skill work, even to the little things like watching film,” said Thomas. “Whether it’s my own film or film about a specific player, I try to find those little details that make a player go from great. I’ve specifically been working on my conditioning. I was told the thing that makes a good player ‘great’ is that they never get tired. At the end of the season, my team needs me for the full 32 minutes of the game, and my goal is to reduce the fatigue factor. At the end of the day, you can only control what you can control.”
Mentorship is crucial to encourage athletes to strive to not only be better and to make others better on the court. It also means to be a better person and to make others better off the court too.
“My main mentor is my coach, Matt Melvin,” said Thomas. “He is my main mentor because he has helped to teach me to never set your goals to high. Whether its shots after practice, or an extra late night gym session he’s always been there for me.”
“Everyone needs that coach that believes in them to give them the faith and confidence to have within themselves. Coach Matt Melvin is that for me. He’s also emphasized to me the saying ‘Everything you want is on the other side of work’,” added Thomas.
“Coming out of COVID, it was really tough for me and there’s been moments where I’ve felt like giving up,” said Thomas. “Nevertheless, Coach has been there for me time and time again. I wouldn’t be here without him. Furthermore, he’s also taught me skills that apply outside of the sport, rather to the real world. From teaching me how to use the weight room to teaching me the importance of the little details, I will always be thankful for my coach.”
Matt Melvin has been Jude’s coach during his high school years. Coach Melvin said, “I have known Jude since he was about 10 years old. From the first time I saw him play I knew he was a different guy. An early memory was during his eighth grade year in the Basin championship game he was playing a much better team than his team was. But the kid just hates to lose and he left everything on the court and played an amazing game.”
“All I knew was that when the games are the biggest he plays his best. Not a lot of guys can say that. From his freshman year on he has worked harder than any player I have ever seen than had to reach the level he is at today. Before his first week of high school basketball my assistant and I were talking about what our team would look like that year and I told him we have a freshman that I think will make varsity. By the end of the week he said he might be our best player. I just looked at him smiling. That’s Jude Thomas,” added Coach Melvin.
“I am very proud to be a part of his journey,” said Coach Melvin. “He has one year left and he has very big goals for our team and for himself. The most impressive thing with Jude is he has done and won many awards and been recognized for a lot but he’s not done. I can’t wait to see what he can do his senior year. I’m lucky because I have the best seat every game he plays.”
Jeffrey Tome, Navajo, is the boys’ assistant basketball coach. He has known Jude since his fifth grade.
“First, Jude not only excels in athletics but is also a high achieving student,” said Jeffrey Tome. “I first seen Jude play basketball when he was in fifth grade at a local elementary aged tournament. I’ve always known him to control the pace of the game.”
“At a young age and currently, when his team is down, I’ve always thought to myself ‘There is still a chance, because Jude is playing’. He has brought his team back many times in his career. Whether it was with his left hand layup, step back three pointer or his assist to a wide open player, he gets it done. Besides all his basketball awards he received and will receive, he will go down as one of the best high school players I have seen. Always a pleasure watching and coaching Jude,” added Coach Tome.
Photo Credit: Steven Bortstein/Sports with Steve Bortstein
