By Dan Ninham
Another Cass Lake-Bena HS Panther girls’ basketball player is heading out of state to play college basketball. She and her teammates are first looking forward to the 8A section tournament and a second consecutive run to the Minnesota Class A State Tournament.
Krisalyn Seelye is a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. She is also a senior at Cass Lake-Bena High School and plays all positions for the 24-2 Panthers.
Seelye’s mentors are her parents and her uncle Martin, who is also her head coach.
“My mom is my assistant coach,” said Seelye. “She started coaching me and a lot of the girls on our team when we were in the fourth grade. She has been through it all with us. Whenever I have a bad day or bad game, my mom corrects me. She never degrades me for my wrong doings, she helps me fix them. She is my biggest support system, I can run to her for anything.”
“Watching her grow on and off the court has been amazing,” said mom Kristin Brown. “I got to experience a lot with Krisalyn which I know is a parent’s dream.”
“She makes me so proud to be her mother and her coach. She will be moving on to play college ball next year. I truly believe she will do great things, and if you know Krisalyn she has goals both in the classroom and on the court and with her determination she will reach them.”
Krisalyn also talked about her dad being a mentor: “My dad is another one of my biggest supporters. He never fails to express how proud I make him. He loves watching us girls play ball, he’s also watched us grow from the fourth grade. My dad has advice for any and everything, I am extremely thankful for him.”
“Krisalyn has always had the ability to adapt to her surroundings on and off the basketball court,” said dad Nathan Seelye. “Along with all of the other extraordinary qualities that she hold in her possession, Krisalyn is capable of doing so many great things, not only for herself but, for her community and her loved ones as well.”
“I believe Krisalyn is a young woman whose name will soon ring across this entire nation for showcasing her accomplishments of hard work and dedication and that right there is what truly makes me proud as a father.”
“Uncle Martin just started coaching my sophomore year, our first year, and we had a good season,” Seelye said. “Didn’t make it to state, but we knew that was the plan for the following year. Last year we made it to state, and I’ve never seen him so proud. He does a lot for us girls and is truly one of the best coaches out there. He only wants the best for us and he works every day and pushes us to become better athletes and people.”
Seelye recently signed her national letter of intent to attend National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Dawson Community College in Glendive, MT next school year. Romeo Lagmay Jr. is the head women’s basketball coach.
Dawson CC recently lost to North Dakota State College of Science in the NJCAA Region XIII tournament to end their season at 20-12.
Dawson Coach Lagmay Jr. said about Krisalyn’s signing, “Krisalyn is a hooper. Her game is displayed in a variety of ways. She can attack and score beyond the arc, drive and finish on a pass or layup, play very good tenacious defense, and has solid court vision. Knowing that she comes from a winning program and mentality, Krisalyn will fit right in with our style of play and environment.”
“I am from the small town of Cass Lake, MN,” said Seelye. “We all act as one big family and we all support each other in whatever we choose to do. It really is a beautiful thing and I am so thankful to have grown up around such supporting people. My rez will forever be my home.”
“Yes, I am going off to college in another state, but I want to continue to make my community proud. My goal is to show our youth that it is possible to make it out. Hard work and dedication is all it takes.”
