by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Jesse White, 17, is from the MHA Nation. His guardian is Delores White and they live in White Shield, ND.
Jesse White is a junior at White Shield High School, North Dakota. He played basketball and football, and was a cross-country runner.
His accomplishments are being named to the All-District Team four times, All Tournament District Team three times, All Region Tournament Team once, the two thousand points club, and Second Team All State all for basketball.
“I always want to represent my tribe in the right way and my hometown of White Shield,” said Jesse. “It is very important to me to do my best my to represent my school and get good grades. My tribe means a lot to me, but White Shield will always mean the most to me. This place drives me to my best everyday. I want to show the younger kids that are from here that they can do anything they put their minds to if they work hard and get good grades.”
“Sheldon Rush always pushed me to better since day one,” said Jesse. “He taught me how to work hard, he taught me that excuses don’t matter and no one wants to listen to them. He gave me chances to get started very early and allowed me to fall in love with the game rather than telling me I was too young to play.”
“Brad Kroupa is a big inspiration too,” said Jesse. “He taught me so much and there’s so much more out there for me. He taught me to have bigger goals, and so many things about the game of basketball and life. He taught me how to be a leader and that there is no substitute for hard work, because if you keep working hard everything is going to take care of its self. He gave me confidence and I learned how to turn negative energy into hard work, and positive outcomes are usually the answer for that too.”
“Jesse White is one of the most skilled players in North Dakota,” said Brad Kroupa, Head Coach of White Shield Varsity Boys and the founder and head skills trainer of Flight 701 Basketball Academy. “At 5’11, he’s an athletic guard with college shooting range and has an ever-improving skill set. Jesse is smooth and savvy with the ball in his hand, scores it extremely well and has solid court vision that gets his teammates involved. On the other end, he has a strong knack for defense and tremendous instincts.”
“As a high school junior, he thinks the game at a high level. As his coach, what’s been most impressive is his unwavering work ethic and commitment to improving. He understands that real progress requires real, consistent work. It’s more than just going to open gym and running. He’s matured and realizes that he needs to spend more time doing skill development to master his craft and reach his goal of playing D1 or DII college basketball.”
“Since his freshman year, I’ve seen tremendous growth both on and off the court. His decision-making has vastly improved. His ball-handling is smoother. His footwork is more in rhythm. He’s developed in the pick and roll game (PNR) and makes college-level reads out of ball screens. Although the current pandemic has delayed our training, we’ve scheduled a busy summer. Along with individual and group trainings, he’ll be playing competitive summer basketball with our AAU team Flight 701. As he continues his skill development training, more of his playmaking potential will be unleashed. He has a bright future ahead of him,” added Coach Brad.
The holistic way of wellness focuses on balancing the four components of physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional dimensions. By balancing these components, the aspiring student-athlete may work towards optimum performance in the classroom and in the athletic arena.
“I’m on a weight lifting plan to gain more muscle but this summer I am trying to take a big step in my athleticism,” said Jesse. “I am going to be more explosive, quick, and able to jump higher than I ever have before.”
“I always try to get better at being mentally tough and not letting little things throw me off track,” said Jesse. “I want to improve my IQ for the game because that can always be better and I want to keep growing as a leader.”
“Basketball is a big part of my life and I’m thankful to be able to play the game that I love every single day,” said Jesse. “Basketball is a part of me.”
“I never get too high or too low in situations and I always keep my head level,” said Jesse. “I don’t get rattled because I believe in myself and my abilities so I’m never scared in game situations.”
“During the pandemic, I am working out every single day lifting my at homes weight doing leg workouts outside my house,” said Jesse. “I use my basketball hoop here at home to keep my shot in good shape, it’ll have to do until it’s all over but I do as much as I can.”
“When I was younger I used to have a hard time and I didn’t have a lot of things,” said Jesse. “I wasn’t very well taken care of for awhile up until the second grade. My auntie Delores got custody of me and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. She’s changed my life, she bought me a basketball hoop that I would play on until the sun went down, and she gave me something to fall in love with as a kid. She gave me everything I needed and I appreciate her for that because without her I never would become who I am today.”
Photo Credit: Cody White Bear
When you dream and believe in yourself and others your future is limitless. Jesse, you are an inspiration to all the youth and the White Shield community. You give hope in a time of uncertainty.Stay the course with continued success in the future.
The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win