Jesse E., 16, participates in Sacred Hoops, a basketball program which provides opportunities for South Dakota youth to develop skills, travel, and compete. In order to participate in such a program, students must fund their own travel expenses. Jesse reached out to Native Hope for support in her mission to improve her game.
Dear Native Hope,
I joined Sacred Hoops to work on my skills and gain more confidence in basketball. This will help me develop into a better teammate, travel, and also push me to meet a lot more people. Since, this pandemic last year, I’ve been mostly at home not being as active in organized sports.
I feel this opportunity will give me opportunities and push me into shape not only for basketball but for all the other sports that I love to play. This will keep me in shape because I’m a year round athlete student. So far I learned so many things in Sacred Hoops like ball handling skills to being better at post position. Sacred Hoops has helped me increase my basketball IQ in so many ways not just in basketball, but in other sports too. It will teach me to be enhancing my communicational skills as well and meet a lot more people by traveling from tournaments and to different states.
Then, what I really enjoy like doing on my free time is playing volleyball. Basketball is what I need to improve on and I feel might have a chance at a scholarship for both sports if I put in the effort. Since I have a lot coaches pushing me to improve my game in both areas I hope to one day reach my goal. But academically I enjoy math but love reading. I adore reading twilight, chicken soup, and teenage nobles basically. On my free time I relax and listen to my music and paint and do art in my room.
However, my true passion is playing volleyball and hopefully I can get a scholarship to play in college. I love playing volleyball because it brings joy and excitement like how basketball does. I like to pursue in education to teach in Kindergarten leaning. I like teaching kids because they are so gentle and everything that gets taught to them is exciting. I will like to become a coach to teach high school volleyball as well.
How Sacred Hoops can help my future because there’s college scouts looking at players, and I can get recognized by colleges. This will help me improve my skills for next year’s basketball season and learn to be more confident person. This will give me a good chance for scholarship because a lot of college scouts look out and follow these tournaments.
Lastly, my biggest goal is to pursue my dreams to help my community in Lakota Language and culture. I feel using sports in culture is great way to keep it involved by keeping your mind, sprit, and body healthy. A lot of my peers use alcohol and drugs and don’t get the same opportunities that I have because they don’t have a good support system and someone pushing them.
Pilamayaye,
Jesse Rose
Empowering young people to reach their goals remains core to our mission of dismantling barriers.