by By Dan Ninham
Nicholas Valencia, 19 years old, is a freshman on the basketball team at United Tribes Technical College. He is from the Fort Mc Dowell Yavapai Nation in Arizona. He is also an enrolled member in the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community.
“I began playing basketball at the age of six years old when I was in kindergarten,” said Nicholas. “My mom got me playing in a mini-basketball league at the Boys and Girls Club. Funny story she always tells is: I was so mad because I didn’t want to play basketball, and I was into wrestling at that age. I didn’t want to attend tryouts because I didn’t want to miss Monday Night Raw, and that day she forced me to go, all mad and all. I never looked back from that day on.”
“I feel in love with the game,” said Nicholas. “I went from not wanting to be in gym, to now you can’t get me out of one. I only play basketball at a competitive level. Some of my athlete accomplishments are playing AAU basketball starting at age 12. I was the only Native American kid to play on the circuit.”
“From 2012-2014, I played for the top AAU basketball team in the nation, the West Coast All-Stars. I’ve played against some of the top recruits in the class of 2020. We traveled all over the US from California, Georgia, Ohio, Texas, Louisiana, Oregon, to Washington DC. In 2012 we won the EYBL National Championship. We fell short at Nationals that year but won almost every tournament we entered,” added Nicholas.
“After my time with the West Coast All-Stars I continued to play on the AAU circuit,” said Nicholas. “I played with AZ Power and AZ Diplomats, also local teams here in AZ. In 2018, our team the FMD Boys were runner-up in the 2018 NABI National Championship. We won the 2019 NABI National Championship. Due to Covid we didn’t get a chance to defend our title in 2020.”
“I also played 6A high school basketball for the Mountain View (MV) Toros in Mesa, AZ,” said Nicholas. “My experience in HS was not great because I didn’t fit into the program, but I chose to stick it out. I learned a lot about myself those four years, mentally and physically. Because of my experience at MV, I’m a stronger player. I know how to work hard and be a team player. I’ve won multiple all-tourneys and MVP throughout my junior high and HS school career, along with multiple championships playing with my team, the FMD Boys.”
“As a native athlete representing your tribe plays a big role in how we define ourselves,” said Nicholas. “For me, my tribes always preach stay in school, stay away from drugs and alcohol, be a role model for the younger generation, and when you travel or play in tournaments have good sportsmanship. As an athlete, I always remember these things and make sure when I’m playing, I’m not only playing to win but also playing for my people and remembering all these things they preach.”
“Playing basketball has kept me away from drugs and alcohol, and it also keeps me focused on school. If not for basketball, I would probably be out doing stuff I shouldn’t be doing. Drugs and alcohol are big problems on every reservation, basketball is an outlet for me, and it helps keep me away from all those bad things. Because of my tribes’ core values, I am a better person, a better athlete,” added Nicholas.
“My mom Ernestine Kill and stepdad Tyson Lewis are positive influences for me,” said Nicholas. “They both have been there since day one. My mom is my biggest fan, she pushes me to work hard both on and off the court, and she knows the game very well. I can always count on her to let me know what I’m doing right in games and also what I’m doing wrong. My stepdad is the same way as my mom. He has also been my coach since the beginning, he is my agent, and he is always looking out for me. They both keep me grounded and I know they always have my back.”
“To get ready for college Nick worked with his trainer Ephraim all summer,” said mom Ernestine Kill. “They did early morning workouts and also evening workouts at different parks in AZ. His dedication to working out and bettering himself is amazing. He would be at the park getting a workout when it was 110 plus degrees outside. He also spent some time with his step dad renting out a shooting machine to get some shots up.”
“Because of Covid, Nick had limited access to a gym all summer. Nick also ran the mountain trails behind our house along with our dog Kena. As far as getting ready to be not only an athlete but also a student-athlete, Nick did research on the college he was going to. There were lots of conversations between both him and I about college life. The one thing I stressed was time management. He was not only there for basketball but to also get an education. Keeping up with his schoolwork and getting good grades are just as important as basketball,” added Ernestine.
“We also talked a lot about making good choices,” said Ernestine. “This is his first time away from home so I was a little worried about him having all that freedom. But so far he has managed just fine. Nick is a great young man with a good head on his shoulders. I don’t know how I got so lucky with him. He is majoring in education with an emphasis in physical education and recreation.”
“Nick is great with kids so he wants to work in the recreation field here on the reservation when he finishes school. He worked summer youth program one year at summer camp with younger kids. Those kids loved him, because he is so big, they called him a tree and would be climbing all over him,” added Ernestine.
“Nick is my step son and I raised him since he was one year old,” said Tyson Lewis. “He is a very hard worker. He loves to interact with younger kids on our reservation and they look up to him as a role model. He started playing basketball in third grade and he’s been working with a special trainer every year.”
“Growing up we always played up two grade levels so that’s what made him better and work harder. I told him when he gets to the college level it will pay off. This boy is a hard worker and he’s come a long way. He’s had to pass many hard obstacles his high school years and he loves the game of basketball. I always told him education comes first and without the education you get no play,” added Tyson.
“My mentor and trainer ‘E’ Ephraim Sloan is also a positive influence in my life,” said Nicholas. “I’ve been training with him since I was 13 years old. Ephraim has taught me so much about basketball and life. I can count on him for anything, and he is always there for me too. Ephraim has brought my basketball game to a whole another level, he showed me what it means to work hard, and how to put in work training my skills so I can be the best me.”
“Nick’s always been a kid that you never had to really worry about when it came to academics or working out,” said Nick’s trainer ‘E’ Ephraim Sloan. “You can credit his mom and family for that, just unbelievable support system that he has. I’ve worked with Nick since he was about seventh or eighth grade, and it took one session together and the rest is history.”
“Hundreds, if not thousands of hours, we spent in the gym at 5 am, late evenings on Sundays or early morning summer conditioning workouts and he was there. He’s the type of kid that would drop anything he was doing, just to work out or play in a tournament,” added ‘E’.
“One time I had a gym slot for a couple hours one evening at 6:00 pm,” said ‘E’. “I had only one other player coming that evening. The road to the gym goes by Nick’s grandma’s house and is less than a mile away. As I pass, I decide to call him and see if he wanted to come work out, by then it was about 5:50 pm. He answers, I ask what he is doing, and then he replies ‘I’m at Walmart with my mom, why?’ I said ‘Oh, okay then, was going to see if you wanted to work out with Shante’ right now at 6, but you’re at Walmart’, he replies ‘Naw, I’ll be there!’ Before I get to say anything else and before he hangs up, I hear him tell his mom, ‘Mom, we gotta go, I’m going to work out with E right now!’ then the phone hangs up. Then Nick comes strolling into the gym about 6:08 pm. That’s one of my favorite stories to share talking about work ethic and dedication to get better.”
“Watching him first hand over the years, his development and game IQ grew a lot,” said ‘E’. “Although there is still a lot more room for improvement, he is right where he needs to be. Like I said before, him being a student-athlete, I never had to get on him about his grades. He always knew that had to come before hoops. Going into college, I knew that was something that he’d adjust to very easily. Now that he is at UTTC in Bismarck, ND, when he comes for visits, the first text I’ll get from him when he lands on the plane is ‘When can we get a session in?’”
Pete Conway, head men’s basketball coach at United Tribes Technical College (ND) said: “When I first saw Nick play down in Arizona at NABI, what caught my eye was how well he used his body and moved at his size. He has really good footwork so he can attack on the block and get to the foul line, take bigs’ out to the perimeter and stretch defenses with his shooting. The fact that Nick can play inside and out will really help him in today’s game. As he continues to develop his perimeter skills he is going to be a really tough matchup for other teams. What I also noticed about Nick as I got to know him here is how well he treats his teammates. He is always positive and encouraging others. He gets along with everybody and is very coachable. I believe with his work ethic and other qualities his potential is extremely high!”
“Preparing myself during this pandemic has been hard,” said Nicholas.
“Physically I go running around my rez,” said Nicholas. “Whenever I can find a gym I go and get some shoots up. I meet my trainer ‘E’ at parks to do workouts. Right now, we get gym and weight room time at UTTC, so I go every day.”
“Mentally, I just keep myself focused, and working out helps keep my mind clear,” said Nicholas. “I go for massages which helps decrease stress. I keep myself on a schedule: school, workouts, homework.”
“Emotionally, I do not let things get to me,” said Nicholas. “If I’m feeling down or feel like emotionally, I’m not right, I usually call my mom. She always makes me feel better.”
“Spiritually, I always pray every morning and night,” said Nicholas. “I have my eagle feather that keeps me safe.”
Nicholas Valencia is at the right place at the right time. His support will always continue to guide him as a UTTC Thunderbird basketball student-athlete.
Photo Credit: Tyson Lewis
