by By Dan Ninham
Oneniotekó:wa Maracle is going places. He’s been to places but he is continuing to go to new places.
“My name means ‘The Great Standing Rock,’” said Oneniotekó:wa. “I am 18 years old. I am from the community of Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. I play for my high school team Westtown Lacrosse, and I am a senior.”
“I am a member of the Mohawk Nation of the Haudenosaunee and also known as Onkwehón:we, or the Iroquois Confederacy,” said Oneniotekó:wa.
“My biggest accomplishment so far has been committing to play NCAA Division 1 lacrosse at Lafayette College,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “I am the first person in my family to play lacrosse at the NCAA D1 level.”
“I have had a lacrosse stick in my hands since I can remember,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “I have grown up in the game of lacrosse. The game and my culture go hand-in-hand. I feel like I still have so much to learn when it comes to my culture and how it determines who I am as an athlete.”
“Ever since I was little I was always taught about the cultural ties my people have to the game of lacrosse,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “We invented the game and lacrosse is bigger than just a game to my people. I play the game with the knowledge and recognition that I am playing this .game for the entertainment of the Creator.”
“It is also important to me that I keep in mind they key principles of the game that are to always have fun, keep a good mind, and to remember that the game is bigger than just me as an individual,” added Oneniotekó:wa.
“The Creator gave us this game to teach us to keep a clear mind in high pressure situations, and to give our communities medicine by watching the men play Tewaaraton (Lacrosse),” said Oneniotekó:wa. “These are things me and most Onkwehón:we children are taught about playing our game.”
Oneniotekó:wa has goals as a student-athlete with lacrosse to play at the highest level. He knows where he was, where he is now, and where he is going as a lacrosse player and a college student. He is determined to keep climbing.
“I am currently in my senior year at Westtown School, and this is a boarding school just outside of Philadelphia,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “I am committed to playing lacrosse at Lafayette College, and my hope is to get a degree in environmental science so I can return my knowledge back to my community.”
“I also want to get drafted into playing both professional leagues of lacrosse in the Premier Lacrosse League and National Lacrosse League,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “I want to be able to play lacrosse as long as I possibly can.”
“I have had quite a few mentors in my life, the biggest one being my father Brent Maracle,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “He was always the person I wanted to be when I was a little boy, my father was a real life super hero to me. He also was the person who taught me the most about lacrosse. He had a lacrosse stick in my hands ever since I can remember, and he put in a lot of time and effort into my lacrosse career.”
“I have always enjoyed his creativity on the field,” said Brent Maracle. “From when he was a young player, he always had a unique way of approaching the game that set him apart. When people ask him about what lacrosse means to him or why he plays, Oneniotekó:wa always explains that he plays for the Creator, and I believe this is why his approach to the game is so creative. It goes beyond just the sport and it is an art.”
“Many people I have shared the sideline with have said they really like to watch Oneniotekó:wa play because of the way he moves and finds his way to the goal. During one playoff write-up, Bostonlax.net highlighted his ‘wizard-like stick skills’ and Matt Rambo’s review of him was this: ‘His shot selection is near unpredictable, always changing release points and the plane of his shot making him an absolute nightmare for goalies,’” added Brent.
“Mark Burnam has been a big part of my growth as a lacrosse player,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “He helped me figure out how to transition to the next level of play, whether that be timing cuts, or just being more of a scrappy gritty player. Mark is also a family friend and he has been able to help me understand the game at a much higher level.”
Mark Burnam, U19 Iroquois Nationals Head Coach, said: “Oneniotekó:wa Maracle is the son of a former teammate of mine Pastor Brett Maracle. He now has a devotion to Jesus, family and friends. Oneniotekó:wa who everyone calls ‘O’ met me many years ago when his dad brought him around to play for my club team Road Warriors . He was a young and scrappy little guy with a definite will to get better!”
“He was always asking questions about this or that, when this happens, what’s better, should I try this or you think try that? He would be so serious I would tell him just go out and play. You can tell the ones that want to get better and have that desire to do so. ‘O’ always had very good stick skills and seemed to copy many of the older guys and their moves. ‘O’ grew up in the Boston area but would always come back to play box lacrosse for the summers in Akwesasne. Brett got him out to one of our Road Warriors tournaments and ‘O’ did very well. I told him to stay in touch so ‘O’ could continue playing for us throughout that summer as well as his younger brother. He did and continued to play and I noticed he was learning and getting better each time he played for us.”
“Well I remember this one time ‘O’ asked me after a game if he was good enough to play D 1 lacrosse. Now as a coach you get this question many times and have to answer it as honestly as possible. I said if you listen more to your coaches, train very hard on and off the field, yes, you could actually become a D1 player.”
“I will never forget that look ‘O’ gave me because something clicked. Fast forward about three years now. ‘O’ has gone on to do just that. He went away to Westtown School and got very good grades and is training very hard.”
“I started getting calls from college coaches asking about ‘O’ and what I thought about his play. So one night the phone rings and it’s ‘O’ saying he just committed and will be going to a very good D1 school Lafayette College. Moral of the story: Listen to those who been there with the will and determination ‘O’ exemplifies with it and if you want it bad enough it will happen!”
“Malcolm Chase is someone who I have become good friends with, and he has become someone who trains me to be a top level performer,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “I trained with him at his facility RPM, and he not only has enhanced my game physically, but mentally as well. Tweaking every little thing in my game down to make sure I can be the best player I can be.”
Malcolm Chase, founder of RPM Athlete Performance in Newton, MA said: “Oneniotekó:wa has been a pleasure to train with at RPM. He and his brothers and his father frequently work together with our performance coaches. The positive energy that follows the Maracle family flows into our space and throughout the facility.”
“Oneniotekó:wa, as the oldest, leads his brothers with quiet determination, and an unrelenting work ethic. You can see in his eyes and in the effort he brings to every set, every rep, that he is focused on being the absolute best he can be. He is not a total introvert, however, and will offer a joke, a passing playful chirp to a friend or one of our coaches on a water break between sets.”
“He has been good at maintaining contact throughout the year away at school, and on a mission in Alaska. Oneniotekó:wa will text me highlights and asks great questions about workouts, drills, and anything he can do to give his performance a boost as he makes his way to the college ranks.”
“Oneniotekó:wa will play for my friend and fellow Mainer Patrick Myers at Lafayette. Pat and his brother Nick, Ohio State head coach, are two of the first Maine born lacrosse players to play at the professional level. Nick and I used to battle in high school and all three of us in summer leagues when Pat reaches Ohio State as a player.”
“Much like Oneniotekó:wa, Pat played with determination and not always quiet and would outwork his opponent on and off the field. This blue collar mentality has paid off for the Myers as I am confident it will for the Maracles. I believe this player/coach dynamic will be challenging and awesome for each other, the team, and the program as a whole. They will have much success and compete with the best programs in the country. They will win together, just as they have always done it, through quiet determination.”
“At prep school Coach Shane Morel, helped me build my confidence on the field,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “Whenever I doubted myself Coach Shane would always be the first person to tell me to just go for it. I really felt like Coach Shane trusted me, and it helped me with my self-confidence on the field.”
“I had the privilege of coaching Oneniotekó:wa the past two years,” said Shane Morel, head coach at Westtown. “The word that comes to mind when thinking about him is dedicated. In a world full of social media it’s tougher than ever to find kids who want to actually put in the work to be successful. ‘O’ is one of those kids.”
“There are plenty of examples where he showcased this, but one example that stuck out was after we had a poor performance against an inferior team. He called me and we talked for an hour plus, going over situations that happened in the game. The message that came through from him repeatedly was, ‘Coach, what can I do to help us be successful as a team?” He took the loss so personally I could feel it through the phone, showing just how dedicated he was to bring out the best in his teammates. He was the captain of our squad and always led by example.”
“Carl Starkey is the person who encouraged me to come Westtown,” said Oneniotekó:wa.
“We call Oneniotekó:wa ‘O’ and he was a senior captain for our varsity team at Westtown for the 2021 season,” said Carl Starkey, head lacrosse coach at the Westtown School. “He played right side attack and averaged 3.7 points per game and 2.7 goals per game and was named to the All League Honorable Mention list.”
“Passion is ‘O’s super power,” said Carl. “He has never been the biggest or the strongest on the field but he will out-work those around him as he is driven by a passion to represent his people, his family, his school, himself and the game of lacrosse.”
“On and off of the field he displays the same passion. His first year at Westtown he and Teiohniserathe ‘Kryen’ Lazore, junior Mohawk attackmen presented to the entire school in an assembly about what the game of lacrosse means for their people. During the ceremony they presented a fellow teammate Dan Lugo, a Taino Native, with a traditional wooden stick. This was completely student-led and exemplified the passion that ‘O’ has for the game and his teammates,” added Carl.
“He plays the game with speed and tenacity, he leads the cheer in the huddle, he rides to get the ball back and all that he does is driven by the same passion for lacrosse,” said Carl. “It is encouraging and inspiring.”
“As a coach I have en”joyed the times that ‘O’ will come and sit down to talk through something that comes up,” said Carl. Whether it is improving as a player, growing as a man or being a better teammate, ‘O’ will not avoid having a tough conversation and I see that as just another part of his passion.”
“Desi Gonzalez helped me a lot with dissecting film and helping me fine tune the technicalities of my game,” said Oneniotekó:wa.
“Anthony Joaquim gave me a lot of perspective on the things to do to be a leader for my team,” said Oneniotekó:wa.
“Oneniotekó:wa is a great lacrosse player and I’m excited to see what he does at the collegiate level,” said Anthony Joaquim. “I had the pleasure of coaching him the past two years at Westtown. One positive attribute that sticks out to me over those two years would be his dedication and commitment to becoming the best lacrosse player.”
“Almost after every game, win or lose, or practice he would come up to me and ask for things to work on that would improve his game. He had that internal drive to be the best version of himself. That positive attitude rubbed off on his teammates as well. You could see everyone else raising their level of play! From his first day at
Westtown to now, he has had tremendous growth not only as a lacrosse player but as a young man,” added Anthony.
Oneniotekó:wa is building his story each day he goes to sleep and wakes up, goes to and from classes, gets on and off the field, and wherever he goes.
“Ever since I was little I carried my lacrosse stick everywhere I went,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “Whether it was into a store, a restaurant, you name it anywhere you saw me you saw my lacrosse stick. My love for the game has always been present in my life.”
“Growing up, I spent most of my time going back and forth between Boston and Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “My family is Kanien’keha’ka (Mohawk) and Tyendinaga is where we are from.”
“My father works in Boston, so we have always gone between the two places, and that made it hard for me growing up to figure out where I belong,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “Wherever I went I always had the game of lacrosse. I couldn’t control whether I was home or in Boston, but I was always able to control the love and energy I put into lacrosse.”
“Even though I have other passions and interests like fishing, camping, and hiking that have enhanced my perspective on life, it is the game of lacrosse that has sharpened my mind, honed my attitude, and improved my approach to life,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “It has molded me and shaped me, and it has saved me.”
“From when I was a boy, lacrosse always cleared my mind of any stress and brought me great peace,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “As I grew older, that freeing of my mind only became more important.”
“In high school I was faced with hardships that I would not have been able to surpass without lacrosse,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “During my sophomore year I suffered two major concussions that negatively affected my lacrosse and schooling. Most teachers failed to follow the concussion protocol outlined by my healthcare providers, so my grades spiraled downward and I along with them. I fell into a deep hole of depression and was overwhelmed with fear that my dreams of becoming a Division 1 lacrosse player were over. As the school year progressed, I fell deeper into depression after I was moved to the junior varsity team, which crushed me beyond what I thought I could recover from.”
“A family friend suggested that I apply to private college preparatory schools to get back that year of schooling I had lost due to my concussion,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “Unfortunately I was rejected by every one of them because of my grades that were poor because of my concussions. I felt despondent. I wondered if I should give up on lacrosse entirely, but I simply could not put down my stick.”
“Lacrosse was such an ingrained part of me, and I knew from tough experiences on the field that I could not stop trying. It felt like it was the fourth quarter and I was down by one. I visualized myself on the field, summoning that extra energy and drive to come back and win the game,” added Oneniotekó:wa.
“A friend of mine mentioned Westtown School, so I applied,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “They listened to my story, took seriously the struggles I had endured, and appreciated my desire to pursue my dreams.”
“In the spring of 2019 I was accepted and given the opportunity to attend one of the most academically rigorous schools in the country,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “However, this decision came with hardships.”
“I was faced with having to leave behind my family and friends back home to further my academic and lacrosse career in order to achieve my life-long goal of playing NCAA Division I Lacrosse,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “When I got to Westtown, I knew I was going to have to work my hardest in every aspect to ever be considered for a spot on a DI roster. Everyday I’d wake up with the desire to be the greatest person I could be, and for the first time I fell in love with learning. I was surrounded by teachers who clearly wanted to see me succeed.”
“My grades skyrocketed, and I found myself doing homework every night, not just because I had to but because I loved what I was learning in class. When not in class I spent my free time either in the weight room or with my stick in my hands,” added Oneniotekó:wa.
“Playing in Philadelphia, a competitive and lacrosse-rich region, meant that I could not just rely on my talent to get me to the next level,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “It also took discipline and a commitment to continue to evolve as an athlete.”
“Though I was grateful to be in such an elite and prestigious environment, I did not want being at boarding school to change my intentions,” said Oneniotekó:wa. “I want to be able to get the best education I can so I can come back to my community to give back and grow.”
“I intend to study Environmental Science and be able to return not just to my home reservation but also expand my ideas and knowledge throughout all of the Haudenosaunee Nations, so that my people may be abundant with love and knowledge for Mother Earth,” said Oneniotekó:wa.
“I’ve kept this goal at the forefront of my mind throughout my time at Westtown and have made the necessary sacrifices to return home and visit with family,” added Oneniotekó:wa.
“I always made sure to do it because I did not want the elite environment at school to blind me to the needs of the community that gave me the game of lacrosse,” said Oneniotekó:wa.
Oneniotekó:wa is going places. He’s been to places but he is continuing to go to new places.
Photo Credit: James Quinn/BQPictures.com
