by By Dan Ninham
Wendell Waukau, Jr., 16, attends Menominee Indian HS in Keshena, WI. His parent’s are Lori and Wendell Waukau, Sr. and the family lives in Shawano, WI.
“My tribe is Menominee, and I am also a Pacific Islander-Micronesian (Chuukese Native),” said Wendell. “I am the Bear Clan and is Awaehsaeh in Menominee.”
“I am a multi-sport athlete but my main focus is baseball,” said Wendell. “My dream is to be a high level college or junior college baseball player. Going into high school I was confident in how I would play against our competition. I achieved an honorable mention conference award in my freshman year in baseball. Through this summer I played for Cavaiani Baseball Training. The season was a blast and, we traveled to compete all around the state and country. I also achieved the Most Improved Player award in basketball.”
“My tribal core values that I live by is respect and bravery,” said Wendell. “Always respect others no matter what, even if it’s you’re greatest enemy. Bravery has taught me to become strong in what I do and to not be scared of what’s thrown at me, to never give up.”
“My high school baseball coaches Karl Peters and Dustin Peters really helped me throughout the season,” said Wendell. “They taught me how to always play with a chip on my shoulder and to always play with heart!”
“Wendell is one of the guys that likes to lead by example,” said high school baseball coach Karl Peters. “He is very good at helping us out as coaches by helping the younger kids with drills. He is one hell of a hitter but that shows his dedication and work ethic. He always finds a way to make himself better.”
“The thing that makes me like him so much is that he knows he’s good and doesn’t brag or boast about it. He is extremely coachable, always listening and trying to be a better ball player and person. As for schooling you never have to worry about how he’s acting or if he’s falling behind and he’s always able to be in the lineup. He is a very talented and respectful young man who will be able to play at the next level after high school.”
“Rick Cavaiani has worked with me for three years on how to improve my baseball career on and off the field,” said Wendell. “We’ve had countless hours of lessons to make sure I can be the best me I can, words can not explain how grateful I am for him.”
“Wendell has been a pleasure to catch the past two and a half years,” said Rick Cavaiani. “His positive attitude and infectious personality have kept our ball team loose and always having fun. No matter if he’s doing well or struggling, he’s always the same and that’s what I love about him. He’s humble in victory and in defeat and he’s always asking for advice and ways to improve his game.”
“I especially love his love and passion for Jesus. He and I have had several talks about how the Lord has helped shape and guide our behavior and how our faith has helped keep us grounded, humble and always searching for him all every aspect of our lives,” added Rick.
“Combine all of those off the field attributes and take his on field ones and you have a very special young man,” said Rick. “His sweet and powerful swing from the left side is a thing of beauty and he has put a ton of work in the last year or so and has drastically improved his defense at first base.”
“Whatever Wendell does down the line, there is no doubt in my mind he will be successful at it,” said Rick. “It’s been a pleasure coaching and knowing him. Who knows, maybe one day he will coach with me down the road. He is a kid who I could see transitioning into coaching one day due to his personality, love for the game and his ability to communicate.”
“One of the things I have learned is that baseball is a game of failure,” said Wendell. “You have to be resilient and to keep grinding when things aren’t going well either at the plate or in the field.”
“My high school basketball coaches James Oshkeshequoam and Aaron Waukau have positively influenced me,” said Wendell. “They’ve taught me on how to be a leader and to never settle for less.”
“Wendell, as an underclassman, deserves a lot of credit for his leadership qualities,” said James G. Oshkeshequoam Sr., Menominee Indian School District, Graduation Specialist and Boys Basketball Coach. “Among many others, his work ethic and attention-to-detail were the most superficial. Both of these are a testament to his family’s commitment and support of Wendell’s aspirations. His father has spent countless hours on Wendell’s craft, which has shown to pay off in his young career.”
“Wendell’s willingness to seek and ask questions has also been critical for his growth. The mind that this young man has is incredible to comprehend his weaknesses and develop a plan to improve them is nothing short of amazing. He wanted to be in better shape, so he began eating better and improved his cardiovascular fitness,” added James.
“Power, explosion, and foot speed were also concerns, so he implemented drills/exercises to improve these aspects of his game,” said James. “Him being on a quest for greatness and a quest for answers has been vital for his accomplishments. Mentally, he’s in a great place. He’s confident, driven and never content all of which are needed for growth. Anyone that has coached Wendell is extremely lucky to have because we all know we can depend on Wendell’s best effort.”
“Wendell’s off-the-the court leadership never goes unnoticed,” said James. “He has been amazing within Menominee Indian HS and exemplifies what it means to be a student-athlete. Wendell has consistently been achieving high honors status. The thing I love about Wendell is his personality. He is very outgoing that compliments his competitive drive and this is a combination that is rare. Both sides of Wendell always seem to find the right time to surface.”
“When it’s game time, we know the competitive Wendell is on display, but when our team is too tense we can always depend on Wendell to ease the nerves. I am honored to have Wendell in our program because I believe he will continue leading our program in the right direction. Our program will be in great hands in the coming years with him being a foundation and a key contributor,” added James.
“There is zero doubt Wendell is going to continue to grow,” said James. “He has an amazing work ethic and focuses on the little things. He understands that it’s these little things that make the big things happen. He has amazing family support, the passion and commitment to become everything he’s dreamed of. His journey through his next few years of high school will be incredible.”
“I’ve coached Wendell for two years and known him for a lot longer,” said Aaron Waukau. “He’s been very committed to baseball over the past few years and it’s definitely showing. When he’s in season for different sports he always makes time for his baseball workouts. Our basketball practice would be from 3:30-5:30 pm. Right at 5:30 pm Wendell would leave and go to his baseball workouts. Basically he was doing two-a-days. That’s the commitment you need to make a difference for your reservation.”
“Wendell is a very vocal leader who always motivates his peers at the right times. He’s had D1 looks for baseball, still remains humble and grinds. He bought into doing this for the reservation and not just for ‘Wendell’ and that’s what makes him work harder than ever,” added Aaron.
“My biggest influencer is my father,” said Wendell. He has been my biggest supporter since day one. He’s always believed in me and never doubted me. He taught me to be accountable, strong, and confident, and family always comes first. I wouldn’t be anywhere without these great influencers in my life.”
“Wendell prides himself on being a great teammate and developing positive relationships with his teammates,’ said dad Wendell Waukau Sr., Superintendent, Menominee Indian School District. “Over the years his coaches have shared with his mother and I that he’s very coachable, has a great attitude, is fun to be around, and is a positive influence on his teammates. He knows that leadership is a lot about being able to influence people.”
“First and foremost Wendell is learning the importance of an education and getting good grades especially if he gets an opportunity to play at any college level. He has struggled at times but that’s a part of the journey. Like many student-athletes, he is also learning how important it is to balance his time wisely between school, sports, and social life. We tell him that college coaches want well-rounded student athletes who can handle the pressure of playing sports while attending school so being in balance in your life is important,” added Wendell Sr.
“Growing up I always had my family there for me,” said Wendell. “I feel like the older I get, the more I realize family means everything. Just from looking into the stands seeing both of my parents and siblings that was the best feeling. For them to watch me work toward my goals and for them to support me every step of the way was huge. I’ve always wanted to make a name for my community, and I’ve always wanted to show people that there is talent here.”
“My biggest motivator is to play at a higher college level,” said Wendell.
Photo Credit: Wendell Waukau, Jr.
