by By Dan Ninham
Neve Redhair is going places. She has also been places. The empowered climb to more opportunities didn’t just start overnight. They may have started seventeen years ago.
Neve Redhair, 17, was born in Tuba City, Arizona, but her family have lived in Page, AZ the past 11 years. She played varsity basketball at Page High School since freshman year. Neve is a senior and will graduate in May 2021.
Neve introduced herself in the traditional way: “Yá’á’tééh, shí éí Neve Mae Redhair yinishyé. Tódích’íí’nii’ nishłį’go. ‘Ashįįhí Dine’é báshíshchíín. Honághááhnii dashicheii doo Bilagáana dashináli. Hello, my name is Neve Redhair. I am of the Bitter Water clan, born for the Salt People clan. My maternal grandfather is of the One-who-walks-around clan and my paternal grandfather is of the White People. I am from the Navajo tribe.”
“I started playing basketball when I was five years old,” said Neve. “I lived in Phoenix and played in the city leagues. I would shoot around at open gyms with my dad too. In third grade we moved to Page and started to play on a club team. Lake Powell Gunners (LPG) was our club team and my dad was the coach.”
“Torrance Begay, Emma Yazzie, Miquedah Taliman, and Nadya Begay, all starters for Page HS, were also on this club team. We played all throughout middle school together and began high school ball with each other too. The same girls I started out with are the same one ones I ended this past season with,” added Neve.
The teams made it to the state championship game the past four seasons and won three championships. Neve was named to the 2019 Lake Powell Holiday Classic tournament, 2021 regional defensive player of the year, and 2021 all-state second team. She also played on the varsity volleyball team as a sophomore and junior, but the season was cancelled this year.
“One of the most important tribal core values I strive to be is resilient,” said Neve. “This past season has definitely been a challenge and not only did my team overcome the adversity, but our entire program did as a whole. This year, the girls and boys team won state championships. I am just grateful to come from such a strong community and proud of my indigenous culture.”
“I believe my love for basketball was passed down through my family,” said Neve. “My dad played for Monument Valley High School and won two state titles, my mom played for the Grand Canyon University women’s basketball team, one of my aunties played D1 basketball, and many of my family members love the game as much as I do.”
“If there was one person I would have to choose that influenced my decisions in basketball, I owe it all to my dad. He has taught me almost everything I know about the game and continues to develop my understanding on how to become a better player,” added Neve.
Neve talked about the influence of her dad in her basketball training: “One of the first things I remember him vividly telling me is ‘defense wins games.’ He emphasized never giving up and always repeated to me ‘The game isn’t over until that last buzzer goes off.’ This one is my favorites.”
“In our semi-final game this season against Thatcher, we were down five points with 14.5 seconds remaining,” recalled Neve. “Some of our own fans even started to leave the gym. I was taking out the ball, and we ran an inbound play for Miquedah to shoot the three. Sure enough, she makes it and we are in a full-court press with time running off the clock. A guard from Thatcher inbounded the ball, turns it over, and it falls short into the hands of Nadya Begay, who quickly passed it to Torrance Begay. About 4 seconds left, she dribbles just past the free throw line on our goal, shoots, and makes it. I was just to the left of her and remember the look on her face, she really wanted that ball to go in.”
“The entire gym jumps up, the buzzer goes off and it is overtime. In overtime, I scored the first four points with a reverse layup and drive from the top of the key. We won that game by seven points. Any other team would’ve thought their season was over and probably gave up. We were coached by the best and are just built different,” added Neve.
“Physically, the main thing that kept me in shape while being quarantined at home, was running,” said Neve. “I went through a phase around March to May 2020 when I was obsessed with going on runs. I think it was because of how perfect the weather is during the mornings.”
“Emotionally, I struggled when the season was starting up. We had our season cancelled three times before it actually began. It was also during that time that college applications were due. So, in a way, I distracted myself with other academic work to stay busy. I think that also ties into how my mental health was during this pandemic,” added Neve.
Joshua Redhair, Neve’s dad, coached her and several other talented athletes barely out of kindergarten.
“Neve has always been a great student with 4.0 GPA for as long as I can remember,” recalled Joshua. “She has always been about defense and doing the dirty work for the team. Always the first to dive and fight for a loose ball. She was the anchor of our defense for our travel team.”
“As her father my favorite moment from her basketball career has to be when she was 11 years old. We were mostly 11 with a couple of 12 year olds playing in a 13U girls tourney. We made it to championship game. It was a rough start and we were down at halftime something like 22-7.”
“Out of the half we came out with a full court press. Neve usually played in the middle of the press to track down passes. We needed something to spark the girls right away and Neve made that happen. In the press she made a read on a high pass, jumped up and caught it, and was knocked down by the bigger opposing player and she held on to the ball as they both fought for it ending up in a jump ball. Possession arrow went to us. The opposing player got up first and she reached out her hand to help Neve up but in a show of fierce competitiveness she turned away refusing the help and got up on her own strength. Normally you would want your kid to accept the help but in that moment I think Neve knew what was at stake and was there to win,” added Joshua.
“On the sidelines I saw the look in all our other girl’s faces and I could see that they all realized that they could compete with anyone no matter size or age,” said Joshua. “That moment gave our team a big boost in confidence. We eventually fought back after that and made it a game down to the wire losing by two points.”
“Whatever Neve does, she works as hard as she can to be the best that she can,” said Joshua. “We know she will continue that when she goes off to college at Stanford.”
“Neve has always been competitive since she was a little girl,” said mom Florinda Tracey. “She would become upset and frustrated if she lost a simple board game with her cousins. I was a little worried that she was maybe too sensitive to participate in any type of competition. However, she began to play in youth soccer and basketball leagues.”
“Once she was able to redirect this attitude to a sport it was properly utilized. This made her a very competitive, strong and determined player to any team sport. To this day, Neve hates to lose. She has a drive to win and succeed, in sports and life. I could not be any prouder to be her mom,” added Florinda.
Nadia Begay-Watson is a former NCAA D1 full scholarship basketball athlete at Boise State University. Years later she returned home to coach at her alma mater. “I wanted to have an impact on our youth regardless if they were Native American. Flash forward years later as a coach I see the triumphant story, struggle stories, and sad stories. Yet to me all these kids are resilient and strong in their own way. I know what it takes to work and get what you want with the help of those around you helping and cheering you on.”
“Neve Redhair is one of those successful triumphant stories but not without struggles and tears I’m sure,” added Nadia.
Neve is a student first and an elite one at that. She was accepted early at Stanford University and will be leaving Page HS a one of the valedictorians in the class of 2021. She has been a member of the National Honor Society since 2019 and received the Student-Athlete Award as maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout high school.
Neve started community college while in high school earning a Certified Nursing Assistant degree from Coconino Community College. She was also a member of student government for three years and a secretary for the PHS Nursing Club.
She will be returning this summer to Vanderbilt University as an Aspirant Summer Biomedical Internship.
Neve was also an elite athlete earning varsity status in basketball four years and volleyball for two years.
She was a member of three state basketball champion teams, was named the 2021 All-Region Defensive Player of the Year and earned 2021 All-State Second Team.
“Neve has done more for her Navajo tribe and other Native American tribes,” said Nadia. “She has shown us that it’s possible to be from a small town of Page, AZ and still reach for things that seem impossible to reach. With her work and determination youth around her community and Navajo reservation can dream and reach for something higher.”
“She is actually a cousin sister to my three daughters all under the age of 9,” said Nadia. “I know in our home we talk about all things Neve has done to be where she’s at. What an example she had been in our home.”
“One summer Neve came to stay with us for a few days. During that time she had a basketball camp and she helped us round up our cattle. She was busy the entire time she came to stay with us. She would have basketball camp all day and then help me with my babies. When she did get free time she helped us with our cattle branding, roping, ear tagging, etc…,” added Nadia.“This was all new to her, but she jumped in there with two feet and open mind,” said Nadia. “She could have shied away and stayed in the truck or been on her phone. But she was willing to give it a try! That open-mindedness to new and scary things is not new to Neve. I know that will serve her well as she embarks on this new adventure at Stanford.”
Photo Credit: Diedre Etsitty
