Author: Kim Kalliber

Operation Heart to Heart: Delivering smiles and promoting inclusion 

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

A cargo van and a school bus were filled with high school students from Marysville Getchell High School. On the morning of February 11, they were enroute to a number of different schools located within the Marysville School District. Their mission, to bring smiles to their fellow students by way of songs and gifts, was officially underway and has become an event that hundreds of special needs students and MSD faculty look forward to every year. 

Operation Heart to Heart has been in effect over the past several years and is an amazing way for the MGHS students to show love to special needs classrooms each Valentine’s Day season. The participants are all members of either the Marysville Getchell Native American and Friends Club or the Leah’s Dream Activity Club, or both. 

MGHS Senior Charley Dick, President of the MG Native American and Friends Club, shared, “It’s nice to be able to go see everyone and to see all the smiles on everyone’s faces. It makes me feel like our club is doing good things and positively affecting the community, because we’re all about inclusion, building community, and making a good impact.”

The club members were warmly welcomed at each school with hugs and high fives as many students recalled engaging with them at previous gatherings. Operation Heart to Heart also gives the special needs students a break from their classroom settings as they greet their visitors in their school’s hallways or on the playground outdoors. 

At each school, after brief salutations, MGHS special needs instructor, Jim Strickland, retrieved his guitar from its case and kicked things off with a classic country song that many students knew and clapped and sang along to, “You are my sunshine”. Following Mr. Stricklands ballad, MSD Native liaison, Terrance Sabbas, led a traditional Lakota song on a hand drum, which was met with an uproar of applause from the kids, many of whom couldn’t contain their excitement and jumped up and down with joy upon hearing the cultural jam. 

The students were then gifted goodie bags with items such as coloring books, stuffed animals, bubble wands, fidgets and paint kits. The backpacks were tailored to each student’s sensory needs, making the experience even more heartfelt and personal. 

Amy Sheldon, Tulalip tribal member and MGHS Special Education Native American liaison, expressed an overall excitement to see inclusivity celebrated by students in today’s school system. During the Heart to Heart event, Amy beamed with pride as she watched the club members interact with the students at all eight campuses, which included Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary, Grove Street Elementary, Totem Middle School, and Marysville Pilchuck High School.  

Said Amy, “We started doing Heart to Heart because the Native American and Friends Club wanted to be able to give back to kids who are in self-contained classrooms, and it’s continued to grow over the years. We want to make a difference and bring a change of the culture, you know, inclusion and acceptance of everybody. And we like to see the joy on everyone’s faces. The club worked after school to get everything packed and ready to go. This year, we were able to give out 255 bags through the whole Marysville School District for all the self-contained classrooms.”

Operation Heart to Heart relies solely on donations for the gift bags, and unfortunately this past year there were not as many donations as in previous years. Thankfully, Leah’s Dream Foundation was able to pitch in some funds to ensure that each student walked away with a Valentine’s Day party favor. So, if you are reading this and would like to contribute to next year’s initiative, you can do so by visiting LeahsDreamFoundation.org.

When asked how it felt to see all the smiles throughout the day, Amy stated, “It makes me really happy. My daughter has autism. She’s 28 now and I wish she had stuff like this when she was younger. There is a lot of negativity going on in the world we live in now and to keep giving back to others is so important, so everyone knows they matter. I think we’re making a difference, like with bringing unified sports to our schools. We’re doing a lot of amazing things, and I think it’s important to highlight the good.”

In total, the clubs visited five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. Both of the clubs will continue to host events and activities for the remainder the school year. Be sure to follow the MG Native American and Friends Club and the Marysville Pilchuck High School Facebook pages for more information. 

“This is really important to me, because I just want to make sure that everyone feels included,” expressed Charley. “It’s really nice to know that we’re making a lot of these kids’ day. It’s important to let them know that they have a community, that they have people who care about them, because a lot of students do face bullying. Knowing that they’re included in activities like these and knowing that when they do go to middle school and high school, that they have people who are there for them and who will give them that safe space is important.” 

Pinning their way to perfection

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

In the world of high school sports, true dominance is rare. Maintaining a season-long undefeated streak? Even rarer. But this ‘24-25 school year, the Marysville Pilchuck wrestling squad didn’t just aim for success, they aimed to rewrite the history books. 

Culminating with a dominant 62-15 match victory over archrival Marysville Getchell, the Tomahawks did just that. They finished the regular season with an unblemished 17-0 record and, in doing so, cemented themselves in school history as the most formidable team to ever step onto the mat.

From the very first match versus Shorewood, when they dominated 67-12, it was clear that this team was something special. They opened the season with a statement victory, setting the tone for what would become a relentless march toward perfection. Match after match, they took down all opponents, including incredible shutouts over Archbishop Murphy, 84-0, and Kamik, 81-0. Over and over again, the M.P. boys outworked and outlasted every competitor who dared to stand in their way. With a combination of lightning-fast takedowns, relentless chain wrestling, and impeccable mat awareness, they dictated the pace in every dual meet.

Tomahawks head coach Marcus Haughian has been leading M.P.’s program for six years and knew early on that this squad had the makings of something historic. “A lot of these kids I’ve coached since they were wrestling in youth program. I knew we really had the makings of something great when many of them decided to come to M.P. and continue wrestling together,” he said in the immediate aftermath of the Berry Bowl victory. “It feels amazing. I’ve seen first-hand how much time, dedication, and hard work this team has put in day in and day out. They deserve all the accolades for coming together as a real team and accomplishing something historic.”

Among his coaching staff are two Tulalip tribal members, Tony Hatch and Sam Davis, who, as history would have it, coached Marcus when he was an M.P. wrestler years ago. Coach Marcus couldn’t praise their efforts and guidance enough as being instrumental to the program. “Tony meant so much to me when I was a high schooler. I still call him coach even though we are colleagues now. And having Sam as a lead youth wrestling coach be here and offer his insights from coaching several of our wrestlers since they were just little kids in invaluable. We have a bunch of tribal kids in this program. They are some of the toughest kids I know. Being able to further develop the connection between Tulalip and Marysville through our wrestling program is something we, as a coaching staff, are proud of.”

While wrestling is the ultimate individual sport, this Tomahawks team thrived on unity. Each wrestler contributed, but a few standouts rose to the occasion time and time again. Senior captain Danny Vergara dominated his 175-pound weight class with a series of flawless headlocks, fireman’s carries, and picture-perfect double-leg takedowns, securing crucial victories in high-pressure situations.

“For me, being a captain is all about showing everyone that’s younger how to practice the right way, how to work hard, and how to practice good sportsmanship regardless if you win or lose,” shared Danny. “This team know how to work hard. We sweat our butts off, literally, to maintain our wrestling weight and practice every day to make each other better. It’s all that hard work that drives us to be perfect.”    

Meanwhile, 120-pound phenom Garrett Turner has stunned the competition with explosive ankle picks, powerful tilts, and relentless riding time, proving that the future is just as bright as the present. In fact, it’s widely assumed by his coaches that Garrett (33 wins) will break former M.P. icon Drew Hatch’s all-time wins record (42 wins) either this post season or early next year.

“The wins have been great, but for me the real highlights of this season have come in practice,” shared Garrett. “Our biggest and best competition is in this locker room because we know what’s on the line for us. Our practices have been full of blood, sweat and tears, and maybe a curb stomp or two, but that’s because iron sharpens iron and we’re always grinding to get better.”

One of the most thrilling moments of the season came when 106-pounder Javohn Henry executed a textbook cradle in the final seconds of a match that seemed up for grabs. The Tulalip senior secured a dramatic fall that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. Proving this team isn’t solely relying on talent, they have the grit to persevere and overcome as well.

“Most people have no idea how much discipline it takes for us to maintain our weight through an entire season. Every pound matters for us and you can miss weight just by weighing in a couple ounces heavy,” explained Javohn who in also known as the heart and soul of Tulalip Heritage’s defensive unit on the football field. He seamlessly transitioned from his bulkier safety/linebacker build to a lean, mean 106-pounder on the wrestling mat. 

“Playing football for Tulalip and now wrestling for Marysville, it’s cool to see all the community and support who follow just sports in general. Of course, it helps when the teams are good, but I know for me I feed off that positive energy,” continued the dual sport 17-year-old. “I’m proud to be adding to this history of Tulalip tribal members who showcase their athletic talents as Tomahawks. We got a bunch of Tulalip representation on this team and now we’re a part of the greatest team in Marysville Pilchuck history. How great is that? It’s a legacy to proud of. That’s for sure.” 

Seasons come and go, but undefeated records are forever. With the regular season over, the focus now shifts to the postseason where several Tomahawks intend to become State champs. Given what they’ve managed to accomplish to this point, there’s no telling just how much more history they are going to make.

Clash of tribal titans. Round 3

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Tulalip vs. Lummi. Hawks vs. Blackhawks. Round 3. For the Northwest 1B District championship.

First, a quick refresher. Round 1 went to Tulalip at home, 68-63, in a thrilling game that saw the Hawks overcome a 15 point 4th quarter deficit. Round 2 went to Lummi at their place, 74-79, in another instant classic. In that game, Heritage jumped out a 13 point lead in the 2nd quarter, then trailed by 17 points to start the 4th, before falling just short of pulling off another comeback.

Both early rounds went to the home team. Both also featured a Tulalip team digging themselves into double-digit deficits in the 4th quarter before going into high gear and producing incredible scoring barrages. But now, we’re in the championship rounds. What would round 3 have in store?

In front of an estimated 500 excited basketball fans filling a jampacked Lummi gymnasium, chants of “Tulalip power!” rang out early as the Hawks found themselves down 0-5 ninety seconds in. Trailing 0-7, Amare Hatch splashed a 3-pointer to put Tulalip on the board, 3-7. 

After the offense was slow to produce, trailing 3-12, Heritage’s defense stepped up and forced four Lummi turnovers. Those defensive gems jump started the Hawks offense with high-speed transition buckets. With that infusion of easy buckets, Tulalip took a 15-14 lead into the 2nd quarter.

A figurative lid on the bucket resulted in the boys unable to knock down a 3-pointer after getting several quality looks and being unable to convert. Six minutes into the 2nd quarter, Tulalip had yet to score and trailed 17-24. Davien Parks finally broke the seal with a nifty elbow runner with ninety seconds to go until halftime. Lummi immediately responded with back-to-back buckets of their own. Another Heritage 3-point attempt clanged off the rim as the halftime buzzer sounded. Tulalip trailed 19-29 midway through.

On their second possession of the 3rd quarter, guard J.J. Gray pushed the tempo and found forward Davien in the corner who quickly shot and splashed a much-needed 3-pointer. Five minutes later, Lummi called a timeout to get their players a breather while leading 38-27. 

All the missed 3-pointers from Tulalip allowed Lummi to settle into a 2-3 zone defense, which basically begged the Tulalip boys to keep shooting from outside. With the offense still struggling, it was again the defense the made for a highlight. J.J. managed to steal the in-bounds pass and took it coast to coast for a layup to cut the deficit to 10 points, 32-42.

Entering the 4th quarter down by 10 points marks the third straight game vs Lummi where our boys trailed by double-digits and looked to make an epic comeback over the game’s final eight minutes.

The fighting spirit took hold early in the 4th as freshman Peyton Hatch showed his touch with a beautiful up and under reverse layup, followed by his brother Amare converting an and-1 on the very next possession. With the brothers cutting the deficit in half in mere seconds, 39-44, the crowd was electric and chants of “Defense!” roared from fans who did their best to fire up the Hawks. After forward Ziggy Miles cleaned up a miss with a well-timed offensive rebound and put back layup, he tightened the game at 41-44 with only four minutes left to play. 

Unfortunately, that aforementioned lid on the bucket continued to stymy Tulalip who kept shooting away from deep and just couldn’t buy one when it mattered most. The game was all but over with 11 seconds to go when a 3-pointer by J.J. finally found nothing by nylon. His bucket made the final score 48-52. The 48 points marks a season-low in scoring for Heritage.

With the loss, Tulalip can still take solace in a 2nd place finish at Districts and an automatic advancement to the Tri-District tournament. Early odds makers predict Tulalip and Lummi will meet again at Tri-Districts. Round 4?! Get your popcorn ready.

Captain Kirks smoked salmon, part of General Council gift giving

By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News

For generations, fishing, hunting, and gathering have been essential to sustaining Indigenous communities throughout the seasons. The coastal natives of the Salish Sea, for instance, mastered the art of smoking meats, extending their food supply while preserving traditional practices.


What was once a natural aspect of daily life transformed into a struggle as Indigenous peoples fought for their fundamental rights to fish in the waters that have nourished them for generations. The Boldt Decision in 1974 marked a significant turning point, restoring rights for Tulalip and many other tribes to reclaim their cherished fishing and hunting locations.


In the spirit of collaboration and community, tribal elder Kirk Jones, a lifelong fisherman and advocate for the Tulalip Tribes, is partnering with the Board of Directors and a select group of Tulalip small businesses. Together, they are creating unique offerings for upcoming General Council gifts, reflecting their shared commitment to the community.


Join Tulalip News as we explore the stories behind these small businesses in a six-part series that highlights the work enriching their lives and strengthening the broader community.


Becoming a small business owner is no trivial pursuit. While transitioning from a 9-to-5 job to owning your own business may seem to mean working around the clock, the freedom to provide for yourself and your family brings genuine joy, especially as you see your dreams materialize.


Kirk learned the art of smoking salmon at a young age by observing his relatives. “When I was young, I would watch my uncles hang the fish to smoke after chum season. Around age 10-12, I gained a true appreciation for fishing and what it takes to curate the fish,” said Jones. He recalls, “Back then, all anyone used was salt or rock salt, which made everything salty and dry like jerky, almost like leather.”


As a young adult, he took on more responsibilities and experimented with different flavors and styles of smoking through trial and error, incorporating technological advancements like the Big Chief Smoker. He used honey, brown sugar, lemon, and homemade brines, a mixture of salt water. Today, Kirk uses a smoke shack, a small shed with a fire pit on the floor. He brines and coats his salmon before hanging them up to be smoked.


Living off the land has been an essential aspect of Kirk’s life, shaping his existence through berry picking, hunting, and fishing. He says, “I have my boat and crew, and we fish whenever we can, smoking the fish we catch. I find other sellers to keep my stock up when I’m low. I truly enjoy the life I’ve built; doing what you love hardly feels like work.” Kirk’s expertise in smoking salmon and his dedication to his craft exemplify the hard work and passion in the Tulalip community.


This dedication extends beyond Kirk’s work to other Tulalip artisans whose creations reflect tradition, creativity, and innovation. Explore the creative world of Amoreena Anderson’s enchanting sugar scrubs, elevating self-care. Discover Elishia Stewart’s vibrant jams that tell sweet stories. Experience the beauty of Jen Tracy’s majestic orca paintings. Enjoy Bibianna Ancheta’s nourishing homemade chapstick, and the rhythmic elegance of Walter Moses’s Cedar Clappers, blending tradition and innovation.


This year’s General Council gifts are more than mere gestures—they are a showcase of Tulalip craftsmanship and entrepreneurial spirit. Designed to celebrate the resilience and creativity of the community’s artisans, these offerings provide a unique connection to locally made products. The gifts will be distributed at the General Council meeting on April 12, ensuring that each recipient takes home a piece of Tulalip tradition and artistry.


If you would like to enjoy some of Kirk’s smoked salmon, you can purchase it from him on his Facebook or call him at (425) 346-1769.

Hawks soar past Highlanders, 73-28

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

After routing Grace Academy by 42 points, 69-27, in the opening round of the District 1B boys basketball tournament, the Tulalip Heritage Hawks (16-1) hosted Providence Classical Christian (7-7) on Saturday, February 8.

Dawning their white home jerseys in front of the Francy J. Sheldon gymnasium faithful, the Tulalip boys put on a clinic in game plan execution. On offense, they wanted to prioritize their speed and athleticism to force an up-tempo game. While on defense, they wanted to hound the only Providence ballhandler and prioritize gang rebounding to keep Providence’s 6’4 behemoth from easy buckets in the paint.

From the opening tip, the boys stuck to their priorities. Guards J.J. Gray and Amare Hatch put constant pressure on Providence’s primary ballhandler, making him uncomfortable and forcing him to commit turnover after turnover. Their pressure ignited the offense with one transition bucket after another. The Hawks commitment to gang rebounding kept Providence’s big off the glass and denied him any clean looks. Remarkably, Tulalip’s defense didn’t allow a single bucket in the 1st quarter. A quarter in which they dominated to the tune of a 22-3 lead.

The Hawks extended their lead to 42-13 at halftime, 57-22 by the end of the 3rd quarter, and led 70-24 midway in the 4th quarter when coach Shawn Sanchey put his bench players in. With the W all but secured, freshman Deveyon Wells splashed a 3-pointer to the excitement of his friends and family watching from the stands. 

The boys 73-28 trouncing of Providence including the most well-rounded scoring output of the season. All five starters scored in double figures. Davien Parks led the way with 21 points, J.J. scored 13 and Ziggy, Amare and Davis each added 10+. 

“Our energy and effort output on both sides of the ball really stood out this game,” said coach Shawn post game. “We played Providence twice during the regular season. That experience allowed us coaches to come up with a game plan to take away their strong suits. Our boys executed that game plan and you could see how much Providence struggled to get into their offense sets.

“I trust our boys to be able to full court press a team for four quarter of playoff basketball because we worked all season to develop that constant defensive intensity and energy. Now, it’s time for all that hard work to show when it matters most,” he added. “Looking forward to our matchup with Lummi and even beyond, to Tri-District’s and Regional’s, our success is going to come from having the mental discipline to stick to the game plan and to continue executing the way we’ve done all year.”

What’s Poppin’? TPD and Education dept join forces to promote positive interactions with local teens

Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

There was popcorn. There was Coca-Cola. There was Sprite. And of course, there was some Pepsi, also fondly known as ‘bepsi’ on reservations all throughout the nation. The salty snack and sugary beverages provided an opportunity for the Tulalip Police Department to connect with the future of the Tribe on the evening of January 29, at this year’s first Pop with a Cop gathering.

Nearly 20 local youth participated in the event at the Teen Center, which made for some fun and unforgettable interactions with Tulalip’s finest. Following a motivational speech by Sergeant Jira, the kids got to play some one-on-one against him, as he was the only one to step up to protect the rep of TPD. While a handful of kids faced off with Jira on the court, the remaining kids excitedly cheered on their friends from the sidelines while also taking the chance to ask the other officers about their day-to-day duties as a tribal police officers. 

As the laughter and playful smack talk ensued, TPD Officer and Tribal member, Alyshia Ramon dished out bags of freshly popped popcorn as well as activity bags to the kiddos. Taking a moment to speak with Tulalip News, Alyshia shared, “We teamed up with the Tulalip Education department and what we wanted to do was have some fun interaction with the kids and have some positive engagement with them. Sergeant Jira rounded up the kids today and talked to them about excelling in sports and getting good grades at the same time, so they can be really productive and successful when they go to college. And we just wanted to let them know that we are here to support them and that we want to be here with them.” 

Alyshia stressed that they felt it was important to reiterate to the teens that they are here to serve and protect them. Which is something that tends to get lost in today’s political climate, as the women and men in blue are often times painted in a negative light. 

Said Alyshia, “When you see all the stuff that’s happening on the news today, we thought it was really important for the kids to know that we are here for them. We want to support them and hopefully inspire them to take up a career in law enforcement. Because to me, this is the best job in the world – ever. It’s the only place where you’re going to learn three types of law; federal law, state law, and tribal law. And at the same time, engage with your community.” 

She continued, “When they see someone who comes from the same community, grew up in the same neighborhoods, knowing my path doesn’t look any different from theirs, that we can choose the choices we make, they can do whatever they want in life. And that’s what I hope to inspire these kids to do – one, use your voice, and two, they can do anything and be whoever they want to be. And whatever they choose, they got us behind them to support them 100%.” 

It can often be challenging to get teens to speak on feelings and about how they are affected in a positive manner during certain events. That could be said about the three teens who we caught up with, following the Pop with a Cop event. Actions and expressions often speak louder than words, and for Enrique Shrock, Hailey Craig, and Emma Barnes, the big smiles and hearty laughter were very telling. 

After catching his breath following an intense battle with Jira, Enrique exclaimed, “Yeah, I had fun. Today, I played one-on-one with a cop, and I was shooting threes to try to win a prize. I think this was important so we could make new friends.” 

Once Hailey and Emma got their picture with two officers, they gave quick statements before returning to their conversations with the policemen. 

Hailey stated simply, “It was awesome and a lot of fun!” 

Emma echoed, “Today was amazing. All the officers are really nice and they’re fun too. And they have cool haircuts!” 

Although the event’s duration was only a brief hourlong, it is safe to say the youth had a blast at Pop with a Cop. Alyshia shared that there will be two more gatherings at the Teen Center on February 12 and 26, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30. She also mentioned that she is in talks with the Tulalip Boys and Girls Club to create a similar event to help build and foster relationships with the younger kiddos as well.

One-on-One with Archbishop sophomore Kyla Fryberg

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

For the uninformed, Archbishop Murphy girls basketball is one of the best programs going right now. They are currently 17-1 and ranked #18 in the State of Washington. Their only loss was a 54-58 nail biter to the #11 ranked Lynden Christian. 

Carving out a role for herself on Archbishop’s varsity team is 15-year-old Tulalip tribal member Kyla Fryberg. She’s normally a featurette on the junior varsity team, but because of her prowess as a defensive stopper and someone who can knock down the corner 3-ball, Archbishop head coach Ebany Herd has promoted Kyla into the big league rotation. 

During a recent matchup with Arlington High School, Kyla received playing time in the 2nd half and, in doing so, shared the court with fellow Tulalip tribal member Kierra Reese who balls for Arlington. It may be the first time ever two Tulalips shared the court while playing for the Archbishop Wildcats and Arlington Eagles. If not the first time, it’s definitely one of the only times, making it a noteworthy story in the long lineage of Tulalip hoopers. 

Following the matchup, Kyla was gracious enough to sit down with Tulalip News for a quick Q&A. 

Q: How excited are to be getting Varsity run in your sophomore season? 

A: “It’s an amazing opportunity. Playing on both JV and Varsity is letting me get to know so many of my teammates and to develop new skills. My time practicing and playing with Varsity is really making me better. I’m having fun.” 

Q: What is your role when playing with the Varsity team? 

A: “My role, specifically, is to bring energy and be a defensive threat. I’m comfortable picking up full court and using my speed [and agility] to stay with the player I’m guarding.” 

Q: There was a lot of community support in the gym. Do you get nervous playing in front of so many friends and family? 

A: “No, not really. When I’m playing, I don’t really pay attention to who’s watching or what’s happening off the court.” 

Q: Last question. If you could have the game of any basketball player, NBA or WNBA, who would it be? 

A: “LaMelo Ball. He just doesn’t care about what anyone says or is doing to try to stop him. He knows that he’s the best player on the court and doesn’t bother with all the stuff that doesn’t matter. Two years from now, I hope be leading Archbishop to a deep playoff run and be balllin’ like LaMelo.”

One-on-One with Arlington H.S. senior Kierra Reese

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Tulalip tribal member Kierra Reese is in the midst of her senior year at Arlington High School. During her four-year tenure with the Arlington Eagles girls basketball team, she’s best known as a 3-point sniper and creative passer who gets buckets against 4A Wesco competition. 

High school scouts and prep talent evaluators at Prep Girls Hoops offer the following player evaluation: Kierra is a wing who handles the ball like a guard. Her smooth handles lead to many crafty plays by her. She knows how to get to the bucket smoothly and how to use her 6’0” frame well to finish around the rim. Her game has taken a step forward since last season, being more well rounded on both sides of the ball and still being a lights out shooter. 

After an anticipated matchup with the #18 ranked Archbishop Murphy Wildcats, Tulalip News caught up with the 18-year-old, blonde bucket-getter to discuss her relationship with basketball and where she sees herself after graduation. 

Q: What does basketball mean to you? 

A: “For a long time now, basketball has always been my out. I grew up being pretty aggressive and having basketball has an outlet was a perfect way to release that aggression. So, you can say beyond being my favorite sport, it’s also my favorite stress reliever.” 

Q: How has your role on the court changed during your four years at Arlington? 

A: “Since my freshman year, I’ve been a leader. That leadership looks different from year to year depending on what the team looks like. I went from being the youngest to now the oldest.” 

Q: For those you haven’t watched you play, how would you describe your game? 

A: “I like to shoot a lot. Most of the time I’m around the perimeter looking for space in the defense or creating space for my teammates. I’ll drive, too, though. I have a strong attack dribble with my right hand. So, yeah, I’m definitely more of an offensive player.” 

Q: What are your plans after high school? 

A: “My dream scenario is to earn a scholarship spot for Western Washington University. If the scholarship doesn’t happen, then I plan to make the team as a walk-on. I’ve watched their team play and think I could be a good addition to what they are building.” 

Q: As a student-athlete, student being the operative word, what do you plan to study in college? And what professions are of interest to you? 

A: “I plan on studying Kinesiology and sporty psychology. That way I can become a coach in the future and use what I’ve learned to help players physically and mentally become their best selves. If the coaching route doesn’t happen, then I definitely want to remain in the sports field, like with athletic training or physical therapy.” 

Q: How much have your parents meant to you during this basketball journey of yours? 

A: “My parents have been everything. I literally cannot thank them enough for all the time they’ve committed to driving me to practices, games, and tournaments. It’s been so great to have my mom and dad as like an actual support system. During the toughest of times, they’ve always been there for me and been on my side most of the time. The times they weren’t on my side, they were giving me the constructive criticism that I needed to hear.” 

Q: Being Tulalip, have you enjoyed the extra support you get as an athlete and local hooper? 

A: “I’ll always be grateful for the Tribe and entire community for being so supportive. Something I’ll never forget about is during my freshman year, Tulalip TV featured me in a spotlight. It was done by Cody Faye. I’ve always felt supported on and off the court.”\ 

Q: Last question. If you could have the game of any basketball player, NBA or WNBA, who would it be? 

A: “Caitlin Clark. Not just because we both wear #22, but because I love her range and how she is so effective at getting to the basket and finishing tough shots. I like her fieriness and her aggressiveness. When you watch her paly, you can see just how much takes every game and every possession seriously. So, Caitlin Clark, most definitely.”