by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
“My name is Autumn Arseneau. I am 22 years old and I recently graduated from Lake Superior State University with a B.S. in Criminalistics and an Associate’s in Law Enforcement. I’m part of the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.”
“I am from Gould City, Michigan,” said Autumn. “My father, Lloyd Arseneau, is also part of the Chippewa Tribe and lives in Newport, Michigan. My mother is not Indian and she lives in Gould City, Michigan.”
“I joined the track team when I was in 7th grade, and the volleyball team in 6th grade. I slowly succeeded in both. I was moved up to the varsity track team when I was in eighth grade. I went to the U.P. Finals every year from eighth grade until I graduated high school,” added Autumn.
“I received a few MVP awards and the best offensive player award in volleyball while I was in high school. I also broke four school records; block kills in a match, block kills in a season, kills in a match, and kills in a season, all broken in 2014 during my senior year,” added Autumn.
“I tried to boost attitudes when the team would get down on the volleyball court due to us being down a few points,” said Autumn. “I tried my best to bring a positive attitude in volleyball and track, especially when certain teammates were having an off day. It’s important to remember that we are all human beings and we all make mistakes. I exceeded in volleyball and track in high school, but I never let it get to my head. I continued to be the humble person I was on and off the court and track. I enjoyed helping others improve in areas they were weak in.”
“Leadership and integrity are very important to my tribe,” said Autumn. “I tried my best to be a positive role model to my teammates, especially our underclassmen. When I would mess up, I would own up to it. For example, our volleyball team was playing at a tournament and I had spiked the ball and received a point from it. I hit the net with my hand, but the referee didn’t notice it, so I told the referee and the opposing team got the ball back. This displays the integrity I kept while competing, as well as good leadership.”
“I am currently employed as a correctional officer in Kentucky,” said Autumn. “I plan to obtain a federal job working in crime scene investigation in the future. Athletics helped me stay on the right path throughout the course of my life, especially in college. It was nice to have a schedule that pushed me to do what was right and appropriate. My teammates also helped me mentally when I was down about certain life events. I was grateful to have those people to rely on. Teammates are like your extended family.”
“My dad has positively influenced me over the course of my track and volleyball career,” said Autumn. “He drove hundreds of miles just to see me compete. He was so proud of me and supported me in any way he could. He picked me up when I was down on myself, when I thought I was competing poorly.”
“My college coach Rob Gallinger, also helped me out a lot. He was there for me during my recovery from my knee surgery. He saw me struggle and was there to help me out when I needed it. He pushed me to do better when I thought I couldn’t.”
“I think Autumn’s most interesting story has to be her making a recovery from knee surgery, and then leading off our team’s outdoor conference 4 x 100m relay team, said Rob Gallinger, Lake Superior State University head cross country and track and field coach. “She earned that spot near the end of the year after our team time trial and then showed that she was one of the best out of the blocks so it was a great fit for her. Her recovery was a process of rehab, becoming a smarter athlete and finding the determination to get back to competition health and strength. I’m incredibly proud of what she was able to accomplish and how she got to end her collegiate track and field career.”
“My high school coach, Howard Hood, also seen me struggle and always pushed me to do better. He was the “tough-love” coach and when he thought you weren’t giving it your all, he made sure you knew it, and that you did your best the next time, all while maintaining a positive attitude.”
“I had knee surgery on my patellar tendon, which was hanging on by a thread, and came back to compete my senior year of college on the track team, leading the 4x100m relay team at outdoor GLIAC’s at GVSU,” added Autumn.
“My biggest college athletic accomplishment would have to be earning my spot and competing in the 4x100m relay even after my knee surgery 6 months prior,” said Autumn. “Being able to compete after my knee surgery was a big deal to me.”
Autumn shared her life changing experience: “Before I graduated high school, I went through a traumatic experience that set back my life and my drive to become someone. Since this happened, I didn’t put in the effort I should have pursuing my volleyball and track careers. I went to college after I graduated high school, but I did not try out for the team until my sophomore year. I made the track team and began high jumping and sprinting again. I realized that collegiate level sports were much more competitive and challenging than high school; I wasn’t at the top in any event anymore. I had a lot of health issues due to track, such as shin splints and various knee troubles. I missed a few track meets throughout the years because of these issues. My junior year, I had almost completely tore my patellar tendon. This was in December at our first indoor meet of the season. I was high jumping and I felt something pop in my knee. After eight months and three MRI’s, they finally called me and said that my patellar tendon was torn and they scheduled surgery. They were initially supposed to perform a knee arthroscopy to scrape it out, but it ended up being worse than they expected; my patellar tendon was hanging on by a thread. They had to repair it. It was a six-month period for a full recovery. I had the surgery in September of 2018. Due to these issues, my coach took me out of high jump completely and placed me in javelin, since I could still do some arm workouts even after surgery. After I was cleared to run again, my coach asked me if I wanted to try out for our 4x100m relay team, and of course I wanted to! I was able to make the relay team and compete at 2 or 3 different meets in the relay team as well as javelin. I did not expect my collegiate track career to be so harsh, but I had the support of my team, coach, parents, and friends, which ultimately helped keep me motivated and to keep pushing.”
“Autumn had many great achievements in both volleyball and track,” said her mom Sherry. “She broke records front the 1980s at her school for blocks and block kills. She received MVP at a few different tournaments, as well as games. She placed every year in State Finals for track. He events were the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, 400 meter relay and high jump. She went on to do track her sophomore year in College where she was mainly throwing Javelin after a knee surgery ended her running. She was an outstanding athlete as well as a great student.”
“Ever since she was young, she always tried to be her best at what she did,” said her dad Lloyd.” “She always pushed herself for good grades and most everything she did get into. We always let her know what ever she done we were behind her. If she got an A or an E as long as she tried her best that is all that mattered. She did a lot of things growing up and cheerleading was her first interest, and band and art in school as well. Once she started track and volleyball, it just seemed to come almost natural. One time at a track meet she was doing the high jump and I watched her and she really never warmed up and it was neat to watch. She just ran up and jumped and did well. I asked her later about her warming up and she just said to me it just felt she was fine without warming up. I must say she did do better on that day than I would of expected. One time I just watched her jump in place on the other side of the fence and I would swear she was getting her feet up higher than the fences was tall. She always strived to be her best at everything. In volleyball she could jump and get over that net and it was great to watch her. She had broke her school record in the 200 meter one weekend and her classmate which was her good friend and a track runner beat her time the very next meet. Sad cause she never got up on the board at school. But she was ok with that and that competitiveness gave her more push into doing better. In her volleyball time she had that ability to jump and get up in the air to make her a great slammer. I heard a coach one time say to his team, “Watch that Arseneau.” She always played with heart. If the ref called her for a foul and she knew she did not that would make her mad but when she did foul and they didn’t call it she would even be honest about it and say she had. She played with heart and had a great heart towards her team and her opponent’s.”
