by By Dan Ninham
There is a saying that “the young get better by playing with the older.” This is getting to be more common during the high school and summer seasons.
Jasmine Olivar, 15, lives in Bylas, AZ on the San Carlos Apache Reservation.
“I play basketball for Fort Thomas HS and NWT (Natives With Talent) in the Arizona Elite Girls Basketball Club 15U Division,” said Jasmine. “I am going into my sophomore year of high school and the class of 2024.”
“I am a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe,” said Jasmine. “I am a part of the K’Abilnago’Teln clan, that translates as Flat Iron Mesa.”
Jasmine was an integral part of the Fort Thomas elementary and junior high basketball teams that had undefeated seasons from fifth to eighth grade.
She was named the 2021 AZ 1A North East Regional Offensive Player of The Year and 2021 AZ 1A Conference Player of The Year. She was also a member of the 2021 Arizona 1A State Championship team.
“My biggest tribal core value is my close family,” said Jasmine. “Natives are known for their closeness and family support, and I am lucky enough to have a great family and the support of my community. I don’t think I can be the athlete I am today without this core value that begins with my parents who support and care about my athletic talent, to my extended family who always has an open door for me to have a place to stay while I am on basketball travel and who helps financially and willing to take me to my tournaments. And of course to my community who give words of encouragement and they are always willing to help me with my basketball dreams.”
“My athletic goal is to get a college athletic scholarship,” said Jasmine. “With the support of my family I am able to travel 130 miles one way to play club basketball in the Phoenix, AZ area. With club basketball, I am starting to receive interest from some colleges and I am hoping to receive more.”
“My mentors are my father Robert Olivar, my older sister Robyn Olivar, and my aunt Megan Olivar-Henry,” said Jasmine.
“My father pushes me and teaches me about the value of working for what you want and that nothing comes easy,” said Jasmine.
“Jasmine is one of the best team players you can have,” said Jasmine’s father Robert Olivar. “She wants to get more assists, she looks for the open person first, sometimes too much. Jasmine wants the team win over personal stats, so she knows when she needs to try and score more.”
“She came into high school with the attitude of wanting to help win a state title. Little did we know, she helped the Fort Thomas Lady Apaches win a state time after a 13 year drought and the third in Lady Apache’s basketball team history. She became the starting point guard and led the team in points and assists. She finished her freshman year with a state title and 1A Conference Player of the Year,” added Robert.
“Now for the summer time, she has the same mentality with her two club teams, N.W.T. (Natives With Talent) and AZ Elite 15U,” said Robert. “Both teams are enjoying winning club seasons. She is also the starting point guard for AZ Elite 15U, and a back-up point guard/shooting guard for N.W.T.”
“She is a very unselfish player who puts the team first,” said Robert. “She is a confident athlete. Jasmine wants to play all the time, and against anyone. Being a Native American from a small town, going to a small school is not a factor to her at all. She isn’t scared to play against and with city girls from bigger schools. Jasmine travels to the Phoenix area almost every weekend in the summer to play or practice.”
“She is 5’6″ and plays as a forward at times, and she’s boxing out girls taller and bigger than her. She knows how to play every position and will play every position as long as she is out on the court. She knows that she can play against and with girls who go to bigger 3A to 6A schools, because she has been. She has out-played and played well with girls from bigger schools. She wants to prove small town, small school girls can play against big school city girls,” added Robert.
“I think Jasmine having basketball talent at a young age is very important for her future,” said Robert. “Only because she lives in rural AZ. For her to get noticed by colleges will take longer than for a girl who goes to a big metro school. She doesn’t get down when rankings come out or because she is playing on younger teams. She goes out there and proves over and over that she belongs.”
“I am positive in the upcoming years she will be looked at as a top AZ recruit in the class of 2024, and a top Native American female basketball player in the country. It will just take longer for her to get the recognition. She is ok with that, and she’s ready and willing to put in the work,” added Robert.
“My older sister is living proof of our father’s influence working, and now she has stepped in also teaching me the values of working hard,” said Jasmine. “I know if I had the exact same life as my sister, I would be happy.”
“We basically grew up together, so watching her growth in basketball every year never ceases to amaze me,” said Robyn Olivar, older sister and best friend. “Every day I would see her outside shooting, dribbling, doing ladder drills, working out, lifting, conditioning, she has had a very big dedication to the sport. I can tell that she loves playing because she pushes herself to do all of these things on her own, at the end of the day it is up to her.”
“I would take her to a lot of her tournaments when I was home, so I have seen the progress she’s made, every time she plays a better game than the year before and it’s starting to show. I could not be any more proud of her and her accomplishments that she’s gained so far, she definitely can be classified as a hooper,” added Robyn.
“My aunt is my basketball person,” said Jasmine. “Since I was young, she instilled in me the love for basketball. To this day we talk daily on anything basketball-related.”
“It has been a real privilege to witness her basketball journey first hand,” said Megan Olivar-Henry, Jasmine’s aunt and godmother. “Starting from her first time stepping on a court, playing in local tournaments, winning numerous MVP and all-tourney awards, playing at the elementary and junior high school basketball, and with club basketball traveling across the US for tournaments, high school basketball, a state championship, and her latest milestone being named the Conference Player of the Year.
“She has a natural talent and ability for basketball, or basically at anything she does or tries. It’s unbelievable what she’s capable of. She’s a fierce competitor on and off the court. Once she finds out she has a weakness, you can bet she’s out on the court working. Her work ethic is tireless and she has a basketball IQ beyond her age. She’s a great floor general, and has excellent ball handles. Her euro-step and spin moves are a sight to see. But she’s also capable of hitting multiple outside shots in a row with her outstanding shooting form.”
“She has a great support system in her family. We’re always there to help in whatever it may be, and she knows she can count on us. Most importantly, Jasmine is very coachable and has a great positive attitude. She truly is a definition of a hard worker,” added Megan.
“My coaches are Lee Haws, Fort Thomas HS Girls Basketball Coach, Jerry Jones, N.W.T. Girls Basketball Club Coach and Colton Walker, Arizona Elite Girls Basketball Club 15U Coach,” said Jasmine.
“Coach Haws has been helping my basketball life since my elementary days by giving support and advice,” said Jasmine.
This is Lee Haws, Girls Basketball & Athletic Director at Ft. Thomas HS.
“Jasmine is one of the best kids I have coached,” said Lee Haws, Athletic Director and head girls basketball coach at Ft. Thomas HS.
Coach Lee Haws called her a Tri-Fold player:
1. Great Teammate
2. Great Attitude and Work Ethic
3. Great Skills
“She is dedicated to the game and being the best player and person that she can be,” said Lee. “Her leadership on the court and with her teammates was always for the betterment of the team. Jasmine is a great kid to have in your program. She is special and she played a big part in our State Championship this year.”
“Coach Jerry Jones aka JJ, has taken a chance on me two years ago and also supports my basketball career,” said Jasmine.
“Jasmine is another one of the humblest coachable young ladies I’ve met,” said Coach Jerry Jones, NWT Club Ball Coach.
“Coming out of a small reservation she’s always been a hard worker,” said Jerry. “She knows when she gets in the game it’s her time to show everyone watching just how dominant she can be. Whether it’s coming up with a huge three-pointer early in a game to locking up someone, Jasmine gets it done on both sides. Her IQ for the game is way beyond her age. You explain a play to her once and she executes it without question added she has one of the best jump shots I’ve seen. She’s going to make a name for herself and I am truly blessed to have been a part of that journey.”
“Coach Walker is my newest coach,” said Jasmine. “He is the head coach of the Gilbert HS girls’ basketball team and is a bigger school than the one I attend. He sees my talent and believes in me enough to make me his starting point guard, and that gives me confidence that if he sees it, college coaches will as well.”
“Jasmine comes from almost two and a half hours away for practices and games down here,” said Colton Walker, Arizona Elite 15U and an Under Armour AAU team in the valley. “It’s honestly incredible how strong her commitment and passion for basketball is. She also plays for another club team, so her life is literally basketball 24/7.”
“She’s a competitor though and never takes a day off. For only being a soon-to-be sophomore, she plays with poise and patience. Rarely does she ever force anything and she knows what’s going to make her successful. She’s got a jolt in her step that a lot of kids don’t have. It makes my job easier, because she can win a bunch of 1-on-1 matchups. Probably the coolest thing about her game is that she makes people better by controlling the pace and sharing the ball. She doesn’t need a zillion touches, she knows how to trust her teammates and pick her spots. On top of that she’s a great teammate. While soft spoken, her teammates respect her and she leads by example. A joy to coach!” added Colton.
“Although I attend a small school and live in a small town in rural Arizona, I have big basketball dreams,” said Jasmine. “I am putting in the work to hopefully become one of the next big Native American names, like the Schimmel’s, Chelsea Dungee, and Ryneldi Becenti.”
“I am happy that two 5’6″ women were in the top 15 picks of the 2021 WNBA draft,” said Jasmine. “This shows me that my height should not be an excuse.”
Photo Credit: Robert Olivar
