by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Winners in life don’t always win, they just don’t give up. This is one of the motto’s of M’Kenzey Ackley.
M’Kenzey is a 5-5, junior point guard for the Oneida Nation High School Thunderhawks basketball team in Oneida, WI. She is Oneida and Chippewa and lives in Green Bay, WI with her mom Sasheen Lawrence (Oneida), stepdad Ronald Lawrence (Menominee/Oneida) and seven siblings: Muriel King, Mya Ackley, Mercedes Ackley, RaeAnna Ackley, Raymond Ackley, Mariah Cloud, and Junior Denny. Her father is Raymond Ackley (Oneida/Chippewa).
Tribal Core Values and Being An Athlete
M’Kenzey addressed how her tribal core values defined her as an athlete: “My core values are Risk-Taking, Openness, Accountability, Love, and Family.”
“Risk-Taking: I didn’t exactly grow up in the Oneida Nation School system,” said M’Kenzey. “But I’ve always supported and looked up to my older sister who went there and played basketball. I went through the Green Bay school system since first grade all the way to eighth grade. I’ve never thought about going to Oneida Nation for my high school years. I always thought I was probably going to go to end up at Southwest High School. A couple weeks before my high school career started, I finally made the decision to go to Oneida Nation HS. It was a huge risk I took because I had no clue how it was going to go and what it would’ve been like. It was a huge environmental change. There were people who doubted and questioned me on making the decision I made but I pushed past all that and did what I wanted to do and thought what was best for me.”
“Openness: New ideas and new experiences excite me! I’ve always liked the ideas of trying new things, doing new things, and even learning new things. I was very excited, yet nervous going to a whole new school with all new people. Mirac Ellis and Sonny Hill are my culture teachers, and they taught me a lot about my culture and even more about ‘life lessons,’ that I never thought I needed or used. I am quick to understand and be open to new things and people. I like change and taking on new challenges every day. I enjoy and appreciate my friends and family thoughts on what I can do better. I’m down to learn from a new experience,” added M’Kenzey.
M’Kenzey continued addressing what drives her to be who she is: “Accountability: I feel free to do whatever I want, respectfully, but I always take the responsibility for the consequences of my choices. I work to get better every day spiritually and mentally. Accountability is huge for me on and off the court, and my teammates are all at different skill levels, but we all have our own strengths and weaknesses. When something bad happens, I try to find something else to fix it. For example, one of their strengths can be one of my weaknesses. Therefore, I would never hammer one of them to perform at higher levels, punish them or even point fingers for their and my mistakes. I do push them to do their best on and off the court! I support and always try to be as positive as I can to encourage them to be the best as they can.
Love is one of the seven Grandfather’s teachings in Ojibwe cultural practice: “I put the needs and feelings of others first before mine sometimes. I always try to deliver more than they expect. I treat everyone the way I would want to be treated. I grew up to always be true to myself and love who I am and have faith in myself. Love makes things easier. At the end of the day, I am a good young woman. I’m not perfect by any means but my intentions are good, my heart is pure, and I love hard with everything I’ve got and because of those things, I am worth it!”
“Family: I cannot thank my family enough for the unconditional support they have gave me since the start of everything and anything. They inspire me to reach the greater heights! They love and support me through the good and bad times. They push me to be the best version I can be of myself. They made me realize to make every moment matters and never give up,” added M’Kenzey.
Putting In Quality Time To Be a Quality Leader
Leadership doesn’t happen with a magic wand. Student-athlete leaders are focused to make themselves better by making others better by excelling on both ends of the court. “Kenzey is a multi-sport all-conference athlete in volleyball, basketball and softball for the past three years,” said Art Skenandore, ONHS Principal and Athletic Director.
“Basketball is her focus sport, and she has the ability to take over a game with her defense first, then her offense. Some players possess the ability to contribute either on offense or defensively. Kenzey has the rare ability to play tough defense and let the offense be created from a steal and open court score!”
“As a senior next year, she will be the court leader in the fall, winter and spring and at both ends of the court, offensively and defensively and hitting home runs for the softball team! She has been an honor student and a leader within our Clan Council which is our student government at the Oneida Nation High School. Kenzey works hard in the classroom and will be a positive influence wherever she ends up in college,” added Principal and AD Art.
Building a Program and Not Only a Team
The Oneida Nation HS Lady Thunderhawks program were led by Jamie Betters for eight seasons. She resigned after last season. The 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons each had a 19-4 record and last season’s team won the Marinette and Oconto Conference while only being in the conference for four years.
Jamie Betters had a career record of 176-43. She was the first native woman to win a regional championship and conference championship. Jamie made it into the Wisconsin Coaches Association when she had 100 wins.
“My first year I drove our team to every game, and we wore softball jerseys and practiced on a sport-court,” said Jamie. “We didn’t play in a conference and had to play anyone who would play us to fill a schedule. We had to play in gyms in Milwaukee where we walked through metal detectors and played in gyms that could not have any spectators due to safety reasons. We had police escorts when we defeated the #1 Milwaukee Vincent team. Proudly built a program that allowed the school to have leverage to fight to get into a conference.”
Prior to being named the head varsity girls coach before this season, Lee Laster was the JV head coach and assistant varsity head coach to Jamie Betters for three seasons.
“I had a good leader to teach me the ropes on game planning, and it is the same as when Jamie was head coach,” said Coach Lee. “The only thing I do different is I use two days before a game practice to condition and take a lot of shots, with plenty of sprints and each lady gets a significant amount of shots on fresh and tired legs.
“As an assistant I made sure I scouted the teams we were playing as well. I loved to make sure there are no doubts on our game plan, and I know Jamie appreciated that big time,” added Coach Lee.
“Coach Lee does follow a lot of the same game plan as I have taught him for high school varsity conference play,” said Jamie. “Run and gun and aggressive defense. I have learned a lot from Dan Ninham. I read his Panthers manual and realized how much possessions count so I started to really look at getting our ladies at 80 and working on percentage and that’s the philosophy Lee has learned as well. We also kill at a shell defense. But focus mostly on aggressive man help side and trapping.”
“The Oneida ladies are quick, and we utilized their speed. Their outlets are a strong point. I have heard from many teams that they usually work on stopping us from transition because we hit the outlet and get the layup,” added Jamie.
“I feel I helped rebuild the middle school level of basketball for Oneida and I was with them for four years as well,” said Coach Lee. “We went to a few championships, lost them all but it gave the ladies the winning aspect rather than a coach just sitting on the bench. I believe right now I have three or four girls that I’ve had since the 5th-6th grade and now they are seniors, crazy.”
Family Support Helps All Athletes
“My mom has influenced me,” said M’Kenzey. “I’ve always looked up to her in so many ways. She has taught me to work hard and do my best but also reminds me to have fun. She has taught me to be positive in difficult circumstances. She has faced so many challenges in life and always chose to focus on the good things and not get weighed down by the bad. She has inspired me to set high goals for myself and work hard to reach them. I know I can always count on my mom through the good and bad times.
Sasheen Lawrence also talked about her daughter’s leadership. She said: “This past summer, M’Kenzey and her Oneida Lady Thunderhawks basketball team played in a summer scrimmage. During the first game, a teammate passed her the ball and by a freak accident, her skin split between her middle and ring finger while she was trying to catch the ball. She did not notice until blood started draining from the site of the wound onto the court. She was taken out of the game and bandaged up. Because of her determination and love for the game, she still wanted to continue to play with her injury. Her coach told her that she could not return to the game, but she still supported her teammates until the end.”
“She is determined to play through any injury she gets during a game with the exception of the concussion, she has played through many ankle injuries.”
“During her freshman year, she was able to play on the Oneida Thunderhawks varsity team. The team made it to the regional championship game with home court advantage. The team was down by two points with approximately five seconds left. The team trusted M’Kenzey to take the last shot. As a freshman, this was a lot of pressure on her but she was able to get the inbound pass, and make it to the hoop and score to tie the game and go into overtime. It was one of the most exciting times in her basketball career not only for her but for me,” added Sasheen.
“She is an inspiration to her younger siblings and other young girls in the community,” said Sasheen. “Community members compliment her game and will tell me how they love watching her play.”
“My stepdad Ronald has made a huge impact in my life,” said M’Kenzey. “The way I see it he’s not a stepdad, but he’s the dad that stepped up. He’s not the one who gave me life, but he’s made my life better is so many ways. He had opened up so many opportunities for me and I wouldn’t be the kind of person I am today. He has treated me as one of his own from day one. I appreciate how he always was there to give me advice and constructive criticism when I sorely needed it. He has supported me in everything I have done, even taken some of my worst days in life. He’s there by my side and know I can always go to him if I ever need him. I cannot thank him enough for always protecting me and my family but also doing whatever he can do to make us happy!”
“M’Kenzey has been an inspiration to many both on and off the court,” said stepdad Ronald Lawrence. “Her dedication to basketball and her team has helped reignite a passion for the team throughout the community. This has helped inspire and encourage youth to aspire to also become community leaders and join school sports year-round. She has younger siblings whom she has provided leadership and encouragement to, who are also becoming standout basketball players and year-round athletes.”
“M’Kenzey takes what she learns at tribal school and at home, to create a sense of family within her team and wherever she is able. Keeping in line with our traditional beliefs, she helps bring the community together, making everyone feel less like a community and more like an extended family. I look forward both to seeing the leader she grows into, and the inspiration she becomes on the court,” added Ronald.
“As her stepfather and sharing the last 10 plus years as part of her family, she has shown me some things about positivity and working towards goals,” said Ronald. “It’s truly an honor, and if even you take away the sports, Kenz is really a great person and a delight to be around.”
Stepdad Ronald continued to talk about M’Kenzey’s leadership: “One of the best on-court memories I have is of the regional championship game her freshman year. The Lady Thunderhawks were down by two points with just seconds on the clock. Inbounding the ball to Kenzey, and she took the ball all the way up the court, moving as quickly as I ever seen her go, zigging and zagging through defenders the whole way. She puts the layup in just as time expires, as the entire gym erupted in cheer, saving the Thunderhawks from defeat giving them another chance to win the game in overtime. The game didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but as a freshman she really stepped up to take the lead and the team on her back and gave it everything she had. Even though they didn’t win, Kenzey didn’t let it get her down, and she used it to add fuel to the fire she has for this game that means the world to her.”
Coach Support Makes Good Players Better Quicker
“Someone who has positively influenced me as a student-athlete was Lindsay Hill,” said M’Kenzey. “She was my very first coach when I started playing basketball in fourth grade through seventh grade. She always pushed me to do my best, go my hardest, and never settle to be less. She helped me understand the sport even when I didn’t think it was for me. She taught me that not every game is going to be perfect and go my way. She was probably one of the best coaches I had when I was younger. She always had my back and put the best smile on my face even through a loss.”
Star athletes often compete on the AAU summer circuit. M’Kenzey played for one of the top 17U clubs in the state, the Wisconsin Blizzard. Head Coach Chase Hawley said: “M’Kenzey is one of the most selfless players I’ve coached in the past seven years. Would rather put the team first and is willing to come off the bench for us when she has the talent to be a starter just to give other girls confidence as a starter. Hard worker and just a great kid overall.”
“Someone else who has influenced me my freshman and sophomore year of high school, was former ONHS Head Coach Jamie Betters,” said M’Kenzey. “She loved the game of basketball and the competitive spirit that came with it. During games she wasn’t just one to sit on the sidelines quietly. Nope, she was on her feet giving us her all, just like she expected us to give us our all. Hard work and dedication were the keys to being successful on her team. There was never a time while on her team that I didn’t feel like I was good enough because even if I was have an off game and she had pulled me, she never said things to further me down. Instead, she gave me ways to fix what was wrong.”
Jamie Betters said: “M’Kenzey Ackley has been a force to be reckoned with since she has had a ball in her hands. Her passion and commitment had been the driving force to her achievements and successes on and off the court. Her leadership rings true to the young ladies she mentors throughout each season. She is a very respectable young lady who shows integrity with every step she takes and keeps her academics her main priority.”
Coach Lee Laster is in first year as the head coach of the ONHS Lady Thunderhawks. However, he was the assistant coach to Jamie Betters the past few years. “M’Kenzey Ackley had two amazing years as a freshman and sophomore and is picking up in her junior year where she left off at,” said Coach Lee. “One of the main highlights of leadership I can recall was during the second round of regionals and the regional finals games last year. Our most vocal lady on the team suffered a bad ankle sprain in that last game of conference play and we were without her for the playoffs. M’Kenzey emerged as the young leader in those two games leading the ladies to the second-round win but coming up short in the regional championship. She played her heart out and led by example in those two games which ended not the way we wanted but was highly emotional for her because she knew she left it all on the court. She scored 26 in the second-round game and 25 pts. in the regional championship, nailing 11 three-pointers combined in both games.”
“Coach Lee has taught me so much, but also went beyond to show love and care for me and my team,” said M’Kenzey. “I know I can be stubborn and irritating at times. He was always work with me to reach the top. Lee has helped me find my weaknesses and turn them into my strengths. I’m thankful for his commitment and willingness to help me grow. His motivation, encouragement, and support constantly inspired me. Lee has led by example, dedication and determined, teaching us teamwork. He challenges me so I can develop to a better player and person. Selecting the right person for the right job is the largest part of coaching. He was the right person and I appreciate the things he has done for my team and I this season so far.”
“As a student athlete, I always stayed on top of my schoolwork and made time for school and basketball,” said M’Kenzey. “Basketball definitely took a lot of time, but the practices and games were worth it. I ended up being First Team M&O All-Conference my freshman year and sophomore years.”
Sharing Advice To Other Student-Athletes
“Some advice I would give a student-athlete would be to learn from your failures and don’t ever stop learning,” said M’Kenzey. “You never want to stay comfortable of where you are at a skill level, and there’s always room for new things. Manage the time you have, don’t take on too many responsibilities you already have. It’s okay to take time for yourself and have time to do things what you want and not have to. As a student-athlete, being a student comes first, so getting to school and doing your work, if you do all that you’ll end up being a greater athlete than you already are.”
Photo Credit: D.King of Images
