by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
MorningRose Tobey, 23, is an enrolled member of the Assiniboine/Sioux tribes in Fort Peck, MT and she is Red Bottom Clan.
“My Indian name is Waca To Winyan meaning Blue Flower Woman,” said MorningRose. “My parents are Kelly Smith and Allan Tobey, and I live in Las Vegas, NV.”
“I played college basketball for the University of Nevada Reno for three years, and one year at Fort Lewis College (CO),” said MorningRose.
“I transferred because I was selected to be the Nike N7 intern in Portland, OR,” said MorningRose describing why she left the University of Nevada to go to Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. “I had gotten a new coach my junior year and she told me she thought it would be best if I stayed to do summer workouts instead. I was the one N7 intern selected out of thousands of students applying for 200 Nike internships so I wasn’t going to let that opportunity pass me by. So at that point I had taken it upon myself to find another school where I would be able to play immediately, which is why I chose Fort Lewis. It was also an N7 school and populated with a big native community so I was happy about choosing them. My family was really supportive about my choices and I don’t regret making those decisions for my future.”
MorningRose attended three high schools in three different states including Spanish Springs HS in Reno, NV, Blackfoot HS in Blackfoot, ID, and Billings West HS in Billings, MT, where she was a varsity starter at each school and three-time team captain and played for coaches Merle Smith and Charlie Johnson along the way.
At Spanish Springs HS, she earned High Desert all-conference honors and was named the Spanish Springs Offensive Player of the Year (10.3 ppg and 2.7 steals per game). At Blackfoot HS she was twice named to the High Country all-conference team, Idaho State Journal first team, Post Register team, was a two-time team MVP, and was selected to the Bingham all-county team her junior year and was a NABI Girls Nationals MVP. As a sophomore she averaged 17.2 points per game and as a junior averaged 21.5 points, 4.3 assists and 3.2 steals per game. Her senior year at Billings West, she earned a preseason all-state selection and averaged 18 points per game en route to being named to the all-conference and first team all-state teams, along with serving as team captain.
MorningRose was also a Great Falls Tribune Super-State selection and placed on the All-USA Today Montana Girls Basketball first team and McDonald’s GPOY nominee. She was a three-sport athlete in basketball, softball and volleyball.
MorningRose holds the Idaho state home run record for softball. She was named the Post Register Softball Player of the Year as a sophomore and earned an all-area first team selection as a junior. Played AAU ball for the Idaho Flash Liberty and Jam On It in Nevada, where her team made it to AAU Nationals under the direction of Matt Williams.
“Tribal core values define who I was as a student-athlete as being open-minded and diligent,” said MorningRose. “Patience and leaning on my culture and spirituality daily as a practice.”
“Watching my uncle Magic Smith in high school influenced me as a competitive athlete at a young age,” said MorningRose. “He was the smoothest basketball player I had ever seen and had the most relentless determination on the court. Matt Williams was my AAU coach in Reno and had me playing up with older girls and challenging me, and that made me a competitor going against the older girls. My mother and grandfather Merle Smith worked with me developing my game every day and believed in me the most as a basketball player. Their knowledge, heart, old film and stories, brought out the fighter in me and elevated my game to another level.”
“My physical training includes lots of lifting to gain more strength,” said MorningRose. “I’ve always been taught to play hard from start to finish, known to never give up and push myself to the best of my physical abilities. There is always room for improvement on your game, so I constantly work on my weaknesses on the court in my own practice time. My mental wellbeing includes staying positive and having the ‘next play’ mentality. Fatigue and pain are mental and emotional barriers that will hold you back if you let it so I was taught to fight to the finish and have the Mamba mentality, and always block everything out. Before I play I always pray and put sage in my shoes, and I think of the game as a healing tool for my people bringing happiness and joy. The game of basketball is like watching our modern day Native warriors out in battle and it brings our people together.”
“During this pandemic I am working out at home, lifting and practicing yoga,” said MorningRose. “I also go to the court when it is safe and no one is there. Other than that I’m working on my powwow outfit and beading with my mom and brother.”
“People always see the success that I’ve achieved throughout my career, but didn’t know the struggle behind it,” said MorningRose. “In the beginning of my college career I dealt with negativity from parents and other players, and non-native people. At the end of my college career I was told to stop playing due to health-related issues because it was affecting my heart, but I’m not a quitter and I refused to redshirt to play my senior year.”
“We all have choices in life, and despite all the negativity and physical health problems I faced, I still chose to fight and finish with my degree in Public Health. Since then, I have regained my health with my hopes and dreams still alive,” added MorningRose.
“You never know what’s going to happen next but all I know is I’m happy to be back on the court strong and healthy again,” said MorningRose.
Photo Credit: MorningRose Tobey
I for one of many are very proud to see a young native girl succeed an never gave up. Keep up the good work an u are a awesome athlete.
blue crew baby….