Henry Boucha honored, documentary in the works
By Dan Ninham The Warroad community was invited to honor hockey legend Henry Boucha on December 29, 2022 at the Warroad Hockeytown USA Classic prior to the Warroad vs. Orono boy’s hockey game. Twin Cities PBS (TPT) and Boucha Films have partnered to create “Boucha,” a documentary about the life of Henry Boucha to be […]
Distance runner Fairbanks is influenced by the running journey
By Dan Ninham Douglas Fairbanks, 74, member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, has had a passion for running for the past 62 years of his life. Fairbanks said, “My passion with running began at 12 years old. Since then, I ran 63 marathons, eight spiritual runs of 400 miles or longer, the 38+2 […]
Indigenous Bowl provides showcase for promising Native athletes
by Matt Sepic/MPR News Student-athletes representing dozens of tribes played at U.S. Bank Stadium Dec 11 in the fifth annual Indigenous Bowl. The game is part of an effort to highlight athletic talent from schools that might otherwise escape the notice of college recruiters. The players – all high school seniors – split into two […]
Three Generations of Ninham Triathletes in KWESTRONG Triathlon
By Dan Ninham KWESTRONG started in the spring of 2012. Founder Lisa Skjefte talked about the beginning of the indigenous women’s fitness movement with the multi-sports event: “I was on my first long run, and it came to me, gifted like a vision. I could see Native women on the lake all gathered together claiming […]
Robert McClain Jr.: Red Lake’s first NCAA D1 male basketball player
By Dan Ninham (This post had the wrong author on it. The correct author name has been updated.) Robert McClain Jr., 22, is an enrolled member of the Muscogee Creek Nation and descendant of the Red Lake Ojibwe. He is a former student-athlete of University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and recently graduated with […]
Native Americans in Sports – Ben Strong
By Dan Ninham According to media reports, the last game of the 2021 NBA Finals series featuring the Milwaukee Bucks beating the Phoenix Suns 105-98 drew 12.5 million viewers. Ben Strong, 34, is a Red Lake Nation member and his growing extended family of fans were among the viewers. However, Ben was notified that his […]
Jayson Shaugabay: Warroad Warrior Hockey Player is 1st Round Draft Pick
By Dan Ninham One of the top hockey players in Minnesota has been drafted in the first round in two major hockey leagues. He still has two more years to improve his skill sets and make his high school and tournament teammates better. Jayson Shaugabay, 16, will be a junior next school year at Warroad […]
Lauren Sheets: Committed to Concordia-St. Paul University
By Dan Ninham Lauren Sheets, 17, is a junior lacrosse player at Lakeville South High School in Lakeville, Minnesota. She has committed to play at Concordia-St. Paul University. “I am a descendent of the Prairie Band Potawatomi tribe on my mother’s side,” said Lauren. “I have played lacrosse since fifth grade and play the attack […]
Lexus Eagle Chasing comes up big for the Uof MN-Morris Cougars
By Dan Ninham Lexus Eagle Chasing was a 5-8, junior guard on the University of Minnesota-Morris basketball team this past season. She is enrolled with the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe. Lexus was named to the First-Team UMAC (Upper Midwest Athletic Conference) All-Conference, finishing second overall in points per game with 17.3. She was also selected […]
Gaabi Boucha: Gaabimasiget in Warroad High School
By Dan Ninham Gaabi Boucha is a sophomore at Warroad High School in Warroad, MN. He is a three-sport athlete in football, hockey, and baseball. “My Anishinabe name is Gaabimasiget and translates to The Sun Rises Each Day,” said Boucha. “I’m Atik (Elk) Clan and an enrolled member of the Northwest Angle Band #37 in […]
Sophia Morin: Senior Captain of Bemidji HS Lumberjacks Soccer Team
By Dan Ninham The Minnesota State High School League adjusted their 2020-21 winter schedules to curb the spread of the COVID-19. The fall high school sport season was completed for high school soccer. College-level soccer was canceled during the fall season. Sophia Morin, 17, is a multi-sport senior athlete at Bemidji High School. She is […]
Coach Darrell “Son” Shaugabay committed to helping kids
By Dan Ninham Historically, Warroad, Minnesota was a large Ojibwe village on the Lake of the Woods at the northwestern tip of the state bordering Manitoba. The Dakota invaded the area to attempt to take over the wild rice fields on the lake. The Ojibwe and Dakota would battle on the “war road” that ended […]