by By Dan Ninham
Jalen Merrick, 17, played his last basketball game for Walthill HS (NE) this past season. He will be a walk-on freshman on the basketball team at Haskell Indian Nations University next school year.
“My Indian name is Nonka gthezhe, and it means spotted back,” said Jalen. “I am an enrolled member of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and I come from the Tapa (deer) clan. Although I am enrolled with Omaha Tribe, I am also of the Dine’ and Hopi tribes.
“My biggest athletic accomplishment was being a part of a team that made it to the state basketball tournament,” said Jalen. “We brought the pride back to our little school and our hometown, as well as bringing in the fans who love the game.”
Jalen also scored his 1000th point during the season. He scored 39 points during this milestone and that made it especially significant.
The road to being in the state tournament and to scoring his 1000th point started when he was a student manager as a seventh grader. He said: “I had the opportunity to travel to state with the team of 2016. This exciting experience inspired me to take my ‘rez’ back to the state tourney.”
“I do know some of my core values are authenticity, commitment, compassion, consistency, courage, dependability and honesty,” said Jalen. “Although I am of the Tapa (deer) clan, I was raised knowing more about the Inkesabe (buffalo) clan who had the role of making sure all staples were divided up evenly amongst the people as well as assisting the Honga clan with prayers.”
“The Inkesabe were who lit the fire for the one offering the prayers of wellbeing for the people. So when I tie in my core values with who I am as an athlete, I believe that I have shown commitment, consistency and dependability with being a part of the team and working hard on the court both in a game and in practice. Being a teammate, you can’t help but feel like you are family, and with that comes compassion and honesty shown with your brothers when life hits and having the courage to step up and do what you can to show that they are not in this alone.”
Student athletes have goals and set objectives how and when they are going to get there. When they reach a goal they set another one and the pattern continues.
“As an athlete, I am striving toward my goal of playing basketball at the next level, but it’s also about obtaining a degree in Human Services,” said Jalen. “I know that these goals aren’t going to be easy, it’s going to take a lot of determination, grit and self-discipline but I know I can get it done.”
“My mentor is my dad, John Parker,” said Jalen. “He is not only my mentor but my coach. He took the time to teach me and guide me on the court, on the field and in daily living.”
“I watched his journey from the beginning of his career until now,” said John Parker, Jalen’s dad and coach. “He wasn’t always the most athletic kid out there. He made himself the player he is today with hard work and determination, he wanted to be the best player he could be. I would always tell him ‘hard work beats talent any day of the week’ and he took that mantra and ran with it.”
“I am so proud of him and the journey he decided to take. As for his ability to adapt in the college ranks, I think he will fit right in and flourish. He knows what it takes to make it, he has a great head on his shoulders,” added John.
“My other mentor is my Grandpa Andy Merrick,” said Jalen. “He helped shape me into the athlete that I am by giving me every talk that I needed to hear, and showing me workouts and drills to do.”
“A big obstacle that I came up against is the doubt that people had about me,” said Jalen. “With the encouragement and belief from my family, I’ve worked hard at what I needed to do, to get to where I am today.”
“You always hear about how native people were oppressed by the majority, yet we as native people still practice this against our own today. So with the verbal tests thrown my way, I feel I have proved to myself that with determination and hard work, I can surpass any goals that I set for myself,” added Jalen.
“Although life isn’t fair to all, life is what you make it,” said Jalen. “Always stay true to yourself and never get comfortable. It is up to each individual to create their own destiny. You are the author of your own story, so always make sure you’re happy and content with every decision you make.”
Photo Credit: Edward Van Etten
