by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Ricky Garza, 18, is enrolled in the Seminole Tribe of Florida and he is from the Panther Clan.
“My Indian name is Paheche and my parent’s are Robert and Tisha Garza,” said Ricky. “I am from the Big Cypress Reservation in South Florida.”
“I’m a senior at Riverside Indian School and I play basketball,” said Ricky. “Family plays a tribal core value in my tribe and we never signed a treaty or walked away from a battle. We all treat each other as family on and off the court and we always put up a fight no matter what. When I’m away at school I treat my teammates like they are my own family and it just makes this really close bond on and off the court. They can ask for anything and we’ll do it in a heartbeat and we’ll all be there for them.”
“Growing up my big brother Anthony Balentine, and my cousins Deforest Carter and Josie Balentine positively influenced me to be who I am today,” said Ricky. “My big brother is a role model to me. You know how every younger sibling looks up to the older sibling. My brother and I did everything together, we went to eat together, went to the gym together and he was always giving me dribbling drills to do. He used to tell me about how successful he wants me to be in basketball.”
“My cousin Deforest Carter influenced me by showing me how he can go to college, hoop at the college level and break college records,” said Ricky. “He sets an example for all natives growing up on the ‘rez’ and he’s paving the way for us young hoopers with big dreams.”
“My cousin Josie Balentine is a role model to me,” said Ricky. “We used to go to the gym at 7 am during the summer to do drills, work out and run games. He pushed me on and off the court too and I loved watching all my cousins play. Josie was so smooth and shifty. Deforest was so fast, has good vision and can finish. My big brother Anthony was fast, can shoot, and handle the rock. I used to try to play like all three of them. I loved watching them hoop in tournaments together.”
“I would go through pregame warm-ups by myself and go through plays in my head,” said Ricky. “Late game scenarios and other things like that to be ready for it. Before practice I stretched, and did jump ropes and after practice I got up shots, went to lift weights, stretched, then took an ice bath and after the ice bath I would eat supper at the cafeteria.”
“During the pandemic, I’m at home doing home workouts and going out for a run every now and then,” said Ricky. “I’m washing my hands, taking lots of showers and hand sanitizing after I touch something. One game I had the flu and had to play. I was so dehydrated, I was coughing up blood, my nose was bleeding, could barely breath but I didn’t give up and kept pushing myself. The game was tied 80-80 and then I hit the game winning three-pointer in the corner and we ended up winning the game.”
Photo Credit: Ricky Garza
