by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Lexus Eagle Chasing is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota-Morris. “I play basketball and softball for the Minnesota Morris Cougars,” said Alexis. “I am a guard in basketball and I play shortstop in softball.”
“I am from Sioux City, Iowa. I am from the Cheyenne River Sioux and Omaha Nation. My father is James Eagle Chasing and he is from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. My mother is Lourdes Parker and she is from the Omaha Nation Tribe,” added Lexus.
“I bring lots of positive energy to the team. I strongly believe its very important to be a team player, so I try to get everybody involved in any way I can. If someone is having a bad game and get down on themselves I try my hardest to pick them back up.
“As a Native American woman I fight through adversity almost everyday, so strength is very big for me,” said Lexus. “My strength comes from my heart which helps me to keep going. Being a two-sport athlete can be very tough. There are days where I’m busy from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep but I just keep pushing through because I remember where I want to be in the future.”
“Being in athletics has taught me that if I really want something I have to work hard to get it. After undergraduate school I’m really hoping to get into Vet school. I really love animals and I want to be able to help them in anyway I can. There is a 10-15% acceptance rate to getting into veterinary school so right now I have to work hard to get there,” added Lexus.
“Lexus had a very good freshman year for us,” said Tim Grove, Minnesota Morris head women’s basketball coach. “She is a terrific athlete and a very good all-around basketball player. I look forward to her continuing to make an impact on the court for us this season. In terms of her leadership, she really does that with how she plays the game. And although she is a relatively quiet kid, I think she will develop into a vocal leader for us down the road, too.”
“It’s hard being a Native American woman in this society and to get any kind of opportunity that will help me succeed,” said Lexus. “My former high school coaches Michael Brooks and Travis Swartz have had a positive influence on me. Without them and the trust they invested in me I wouldn’t be at Morris today. Whenever I was in a slump they would pull me aside and just talk it out and help me to understand that I’m going to have bad games and when that happens there are other ways in which I can help the team. I am beyond blessed to have had them as coaches.”
She is one of a kind.
Great job, kid!!! Way to represent that talent.