by Dan Ninham, Contributing Writer
Racquel Stillday is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. She is a senior at Red Lake HS and she plays basketball for the Warriors.
Stillday earned the Hardest Worker Award for team last season. She was also named to the 2023 Honorable Mention team for the Northwoods Conference.
“I value my Ojibwe culture,” said Stillday. “I have danced since I was a little girl, I am a jingle dress dancer. I travel to various powwows, and I believe dancing and staying fit helps me stay in shape for basketball.”
Stillday knows that to be at the best of her performance she needs to put in the quality time to get better. She said, “I been working out and putting in extra time on basketball court by putting up shots and getting in the gym whenever I can.”
Randy Holthusen, head girls’ basketball coach at Red Lake HS, is Stillday’s main mentor. She said, “He has always believed and encouraged me to work as hard as I can. I am grateful to have him as my coach.”
Stillday was voted last summer as one of the Top 100 Minnesota girls’ basketball players. Coach Randy Holthusen said, “Raquel has built confidence. She overcame adversity personally, and she became a captain, that is well deserving. She improved so much as a person mentally, and it rubs off on our teammates. Her maturity and leadership are her strongest qualities, and she has great humor as well.”
Racquel Stillday has expectations from her coaches and teammates to lead the team this season.
Photo: Tara Graves
