by By Dan Ninham
University of Central Florida Knights head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson welcomed a new recruit late last fall. “We are super excited about Raychael (Harjo). Raychael is very versatile and can play multiple positions for us,” said Coach Katie in a press release.
Raychael Harjo, 18, is a senior in the class of 2021 at Moore HS in Oklahoma.
“I am enrolled Chickasaw, descendent Seminole and Cherokee and a member of the Tallahassee Band,” said Raychael.
“I started playing basketball at local recreational leagues at age four,” said Raychael. “I started playing competitive AAU basketball in the third grade.”
Raychael had a productive senior season. She was named COAC All Conference-1st team, OGBCA All-State, OCA All State, and OK Native All State.
“My core values revolve around resiliency, hard work, and determination,” said Raychael. “I work very hard to represent my family, community, and the Native American community.”
“My family, my AAU coaches Lee Shannon and Eric Gooden, and high school coach Brent Hodges positively influence me,” said Raychael.
“Coach Lee Shannon believed in my abilities to play at the highest level and gave me the opportunity to play on a higher stage in front of D1 college coaches,” said Raychael.
“Raychael Harjo is one of the most hardworking players I have ever coached in all of my 18 years in the sport,” said AAU Coach Lee Shannon. “A competitor who never backed down to a person or challenge on the basketball court. She is a very technical and skilled athlete who is a Jill of all trades on the court. Her length, ability to score from all three levels, and knowledge of the game separate her from her peers.”
“What really makes her special is she has always been willing to put in the time and effort to be the best version of herself on the court. While most players get in the gym and use the time to get up a few shots at half-speed as well as take shots for social media posts, she’s truly working hard on specific parts of her game. Whether it’s simple form warm-up shooting or a regimented and exhausting ball handling drill she’s wanting to get the most out of her time in the gym. She’s not there for the fluff of it, she’s there to get better, period,” added Shannon.
“I know Raychael is very proud of who she is and in her Native American heritage,” said Shannon. “She’s a great role model for the community and has shown kids that they can accomplish anything by working hard and doing your absolute best with the time you put in.”
“UCF is getting a great person in Raychael Harjo,” said Shannon. “She’s a high character kid who is a great teammate, and an even better person. I’ll cherish the years I got to coach her can’t wait to watch her continue to shine in the future.”
“Coach Eric Gooden was my first AAU coach and coached me to be tough and to fight hard every game,” said Raychael.
“Raychael is one of the hardest working young ladies I’ve had the privilege of coaching,” said AAU Coach Eric Gooden. “Her work ethic is top notch, but what sets her apart is her desire to learn. She is a student of the game and made my job super easy coaching her. Also, she has one of the smoothest jump shots you will ever see, which is a testament to her work ethic. Looking forward to see her play at the next level!”
“Coach Brent Hodges coached me from my sophomore year to my senior year and has always supported me fully,” said Raychael.
“Raych is one of a kind,” said Coach Brent Hodges. “Her drive for excellence is something very rare to see. On days we were off or in season, I would get a text, ‘can I get in the gym?’ After practices she’s always working on her own and a lot of days doing extra conditioning on her own. She was a true competitor and one of the nicest players I’ve ever been around.”
“My father is my mentor,” said Raychael. “My father trained me all my life and taught me the game of basketball.”
“At a very young age I noticed that Raychael had a very uncanny ability to shoot the basketball well,” said father Ronnie Harjo. “She learned the basic fundamentals and mechanics of shooting and she worked very hard at developing and mastering her shot. She loved watching video of great shooters like her hero Larry Bird. She is usually the first one in the gym and the last one to leave.”
“Raychael is focused on holding herself accountable. She will not leave the gym until the standards she set for herself are done. Our family is inspired by her every day and if she is able to empower others with her story then she would say all the hard work is well worth it,” added Ronnie.
“My mom supports me by teaching me valuable life lessons, sacrificing herself to watch my games and cheer me on, and filming my games,” said Raychael.
Raychael’s mom Tracy Harjo talked about her daughter and home life and basketball: “Raychael is every parents dream. At a very early age she demonstrated a high level of commitment and determination. I have never had to ask her if her homework or chores were done. She is extremely organized and focused on her goals. Her basketball journey hasn’t always been pleasant but she never avoided the difficult tasks.”
“She understood that to be the best she must seek out the best and challenge them. This allowed her to identify any weaknesses and work to change that. She is aware of the statistics of Native American’s playing sports at high levels so the responsibility and the representation she takes are very serious. We are very proud of her and look forward to watching her play in college.”
“I’m continuing to stay in shape by running and lifting weights at school before I report in June to my college,” said Raychael.
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