by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Middle school wrestler and lacrosse player Nelson Joseph Ninham is a leader as a student-athlete. He is also the lead captain of his wrestling team.
Nelson Ninham recently completed his wrestling season at Franklin Middle School, Green Bay, WI. His father is Nelson Willie Ninham of Green Bay and mother Trisha Ann Gutierrez also of Green Bay. Nelson’s Oneida name is Kaheliyo:se (nice corn stalks).
“Going to ceremonies such as the sweat lodge gives me the right mindset and determination to place mind over matter,” said Nelson. “Chopping wood helps me with conditioning. Understanding the value in respecting my elders, my peers and myself is important. I carry that mentality with me in my everyday walk of life. Appreciation for the things I’ve learned and for the time that has been given to me is not replaceable. The way people conduct themselves around the ceremonies whether it’s the longhouse, sweat or yuwipi helps me with my leadership skills.”
“My father Nelson W. Ninham, Sr. kept me disciplined and taught me right from wrong,” said Nelson. “Taught me to work hard and if you were want to succeed bad enough you have to work twice as hard. Taught me how to be respectful, responsible, and how to be a good sportsman. I guess you could say he taught me how to be a man.”
“My lacrosse coaches Dana Isaac, Butch Summers, and Nicole Reiter are all honorable mentions in my student athlete achievements,” said Nelson.
“He played field defense when coached him,” said Dana Isaac. “Decent talent with a ‘D’ pole.”
“I first coached Nelson Ninham, Jr. in the spring of 2017 on Oneida Community Lacrosse’s U11 team,” said Nicole Reiter. “I remember very well when he first joined and believe it was his first year playing lacrosse for a team. He was a very quiet, shy, and laid-back kid with eagerness to learn the game. He didn’t say a whole lot in the beginning of the season, and he simply came to practice, shook his head when he understood what was being asked of him, and worked very hard at it. You could tell by the way he practiced that becoming a great player was something he really wanted. Anyone who has worked with youth at this age knows that getting their full attention and getting them to do practice drills at 100% isn’t the easiest task, but this kid did it every practice. Without even knowing what he was doing, he set such a great example to his teammates. I could always count on him to guide and assist the other players on defense during a game. He was very coachable. He picked up learning the game quickly, and grew into becoming one of my best defensive players.
“I got lucky and was able to coach him the following season because the age groups for lacrosse changed from odd numbers to even numbers. I teamed up with Coach Ernie Stevens III that year and coached the U12 team. This meant I had majority of the same players from the prior year. He once again worked very hard on being an all-around great player, excelling again in his defensive game. He was still that quiet, laid back kid, but you could see his confidence shine in the way he played. It was amazing to see his growth throughout two seasons,” added Nicole.
“My teacher Mrs. Fiestedt teaches at Franklin Middle School in Green Bay. She influenced me to be a better student in the classroom, being responsible, and also held me accountable for my actions.”
“Nelson is the student that will brighten anyone’s day with a positive attitude, a smile and a witty joke to tell,” said Mrs. Fiestedt. “He will happily collaborate with any student and always keeps an open mind when learning new things. Nelson is a cheery addition to any classroom and demonstrates the characteristic of perseverance.”
“Franklin MS Wrestling Coach Josh Dart taught me to stick with the sport I love,” said Nelson.
“Nelson was a fantastic leader for our wrestling team this past year,” said Coach Josh. “He excelled in all areas we ask our team to focus on, including being a good student, being a good teammate, and being a good person. Nelson took that very seriously, and made everyone around him better in doing so. Nelson focused on growth and hard work when on the mat this past season. He never stopped learning and continually pushed himself to be better every day. The hard work and dedication led to an undefeated wrestling season this year. Nelson has a very bright future ahead of him.”
“My dad was the wrestling assistant coach for our team this year,” said Nelson.
“Seems to me that Nelson’s drive to become a better athlete in lacrosse and wrestling comes from his drive of wanting to improve and be better,” said dad Nelson, Sr. “He’s a very kind hearted and responsible person. Carries his responsibilities of being a student, son, brother, and helper very well. He has the mentality of never giving up.”
“When working out you can see his curiosity for wanting to learn and get better. Eating healthy is becoming more important to us as I try to keep white breads and unhealthy sugars out of the daily diet. While at home here Nelson will practice different drills in the yard for lacrosse season. He is a defender with a “d” pole. Occasionally he’ll be called upon to play goalie. Nelson is laying some fine foot steps next to mine for his little brother Wahalu’?yo:t^. He also is starting to wrestle at 4 years old. You can see Nelson’s ability to teach others. He’s always looking for that extra edge and pushing harder to find his breaking point and improve on it,” added Nelson, Sr.
Mom Trisha Gutierrez said: “It has been a privilege seeing Nelson grow into the leader he is today. Over the years, he has persisted and remained focused on his goals even when it was very difficult at times. Teachers and coaches have commented on his good attitude and willingness to work hard. He is known for having a big heart and does not hesitate to lift up others. At 14 years old he has reached many accomplishments, we are looking forward to supporting and encouraging him toward his bright future.”
“Perseverance, dedication, and determination to be better,” said Nelson, Jr. “When I was in 6th grade I first came to the sport knowing nothing at all. I knew I wasn’t that good. For my very first wrestling match my opponent pinned me in 15 seconds. From that point on and for the rest of the season I strived to be better even if it was not getting pinned or not losing by points or trying to go all 3 periods. Kept my head held high and took it all in stride. Then came 7th grade and I had some experience. So I thought I was going to do better, which I did. I won half of my matches that year. I went 3-3 against kids who where bigger, better, and stronger than me. And proved to myself that I could achieve my goals. Then came 8th grade. I felt I had a good amount of experience. I was prepared. Never doubted myself in my abilities. In my matches I found that I had better technique and ability than my opponents and felt I wanted it more than the individuals I faced. Overall I proved to myself that I could be better and that I could persevere. Proved that I can work hard for the things I love. All in all at the end of the regular season for middle school I went 23-0. This will fuel the fire for my freshman year.”
“I also get to go to Green Bay on empowerment trips, classes and seminars for being a good role model in the learning place,” said Nelson. “My dad also taught me that being a student first is priority over athlete.”
Nelson, Jr. gives support for others who want to succeed: “My advice would be to never give up on something you love, maintain good grades in the classroom and have a sense of hard work and dedication to set goals for yourself. This is even if you start out small and work towards something bigger.”
Photo Credit: Nelson Ninham, Sr.
