by By Dan Ninham
Mah-Le Jim confidently said: “I’m a ball player first and my name is Mah-Le the Wind. I come in the game strong ready to take down what your team has built. Blocking shots down to drawing a lay-up or screen for my teammates and sweeping the floor with all I can bring you. My school is Riverside where we build on dreams of new beginnings some bad some good but a dream. We strive to be better then ones selves ever day. One day I hope to make my dreams come true. But for now my dream is to grow as a player and like the wind does blow away right to where I want to be above the clouds itself. I want to be a star!”
Mah-Le’s parents are Gina Thompson and Dennis Jim, Jr. She will be in the 10th grade at Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, OK.
“Being part of the Choctaw and Coushatta tribes, I learned the tribes represent honor and respect for the elderly and military and being true to your people,” said Mah-Le. “I try to implement that respect in my day-to-day and in the game. So when I do play I carry that in with me wherever I go and when I play any sport. But more so on the court.”
“My greatest influence is Mr. James Kelly, Riverside Indian School head girl’s basketball coach,” said Mah-Le.
“Mahle has grown a ton over her freshman year and surprised me,” said Coach James Kelly. “As a coach, you always look at the freshman to see what type of possible players will fit into the program the following season in order to begin to nurture their mentality and skill development. She had the size but shown to have guard skills and can even shoot the ‘three-pointer’. At her height that’s a huge advantage.”
“Mahle rebounds well and is aggressive and that is what allows her to tap into what talent she has. She started at the power forward spot for the freshman team but eventually was able to develop into a stretch-four position and can also drive. With her type mentality she will develop for certain,” added James.
“During the season it took her a bit to adjust to the new system but as the season went on I noticed her getting comfortable,” said James. “At that point I moved her up to JV and practiced her with the varsity to see if she could adjust. By the end of the season she started for us. If she finishes here with us, I can almost guarantee she’ll be a collegiate level player, most likely at the D2 level. Her ceiling is really high and she doesn’t even know it.”
“Attending Riverside and being a part of this team I have learned so much about being a team player over the years,” said Mah-Le. “Coach Kelly showed me how to work hard and work beyond what you think you can do. Being away from home you form a bond with the coach and the team players. You don’t get this when you’re just at home playing for a home crowd. There’s something different in the air that makes you play with heart out here. I thank our coach for making us feel we are more than just players on a team. We are family.”
“Spiritually I would say I live with God in my heart every day,” said Mah-Le. “With sports I play knowing he is in my heart wherever I want to go be it college or WBA. I go in the game with nothing in my head and a clear view of what I have to do and do it. I keep myself focused on the goal at hand being the best and it means working out like the best every day working out.”
Photo Credit: Rhonda Freie
