by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
The 14-11 Fond Du Lac Ojibwe HS boys’ basketball team is finishing it’s regular season soon. The Minnesota Section 7A Tournament is just around the corner.
Conner Barney is a 6-3, sophomore, forward and Jesus Delapez is a 6-1, senior, forward for the FDLO HS Ogichidaag boys’ basketball team. They are enrolled in the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and their Grandmother is enrolled with the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. They live in Cloquet. Their mother Frances Barney passed away in 2011.
Jesus and Conner’s mother was their link to the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. They and their brothers lived in several different foster homes and never got used to staying in a stable spot. So there weren’t many cultural teachings.
Brother’s Noah (19) and Jesus (18) are Conner’s role models. Jesus and Noah started to play basketball with him during his 8th grade summer. They saw that he had ability and they began to push him to improve his game. Jesus is a senior, his teammate and still pushes him and makes him work out in the gym either before or after practice.
Conner loves playing basketball since he started playing two years ago. He surpassed 1,000 points mid-season in just his second year of playing varsity. He currently has 1135 career points.
“Conner has a great work ethic in practice, always work hard, is a great student, and always willing to learn too,” said Earl Otis, head coach of the Fond du Lac Ojibwe HS boys’ basketball team.
“Jesus is a hard worker at practice. He’s athletic and a good student too. The two of them have great basketball knowledge about the game,” added Coach Earl.
Conner applies the seven teachings in practices and games. He believes his respect for everyone on the court shows in how he treats his teammates as equals even while other teams’ players are telling him that he’s the best player on the team. But he is also aware of the talent around him.
“I didn’t get to know and learn much about the seven grandfather teachings but I still feel I have them for what and who I am as a person today,” said Jesus. “I’m respectful of and for the people around me with my surroundings but mostly respectful for myself and for who I am. Love was a hard thing to have in my young years but I still managed to give it out to the people I care about deeply. Being brave enough to start to do things on my own and become an adult much faster then I thought I’d be to take care of my younger brother and me. Keeping myself humble is something I stand much by because I come from a place where we didn’t have what I have and do today. Being honest with myself and accepting what God has given me in my life to ‘survive and thrive’ and to not look down on or to others. It is important to be true to yourself and all other things so you can understand and realize the importance in the meaning of life.”
“Defense is our main priority for the game and Coach Earl got that in our head pretty well,” said Conner. “We do our best in practice in order to be ready for the next games and more and be ready throughout the season. He keeps our head high and let’s us know what we are capable of and what we can do on the court defensively and offensively.”
“I really love the game,” said Conner. “There’s nothing else to do but play basketball. I love and respect my brother a lot because he pushed me to be where I’m at now. I never thought I would get to this point. I love my teammates like my brothers.”
Photo Credit: Jesus and Conner Barney
