by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Richard Summers III is a freshman Graphic Design Major at Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. He is a 2019 graduate of the Oneida Nation High School, Oneida, WI. Richard had AP classes with 2018 American Literature and Ancient World History Honors. He also worked with Oneida HS Culture and Language Program to learn and promote the use of the Oneida’s indigenous language.
“I am Oneida and I am from Oneida, Wisconsin,” said Richard III. “My parents are Lisa Summers and Butch Summers, both are Oneida and also live in Oneida, Wisconsin.”
“My tribe says have a good mind, a good heart, and a strong fire and I relate to that because that’s what I think of every time I take the field,” said Richard III. “It says in our teachings, that when we play lacrosse, we are supposed to play with a clear mind. Lacrosse is a medicine game to help the people and also to play for the Creator this is a good heart. And having a strong fire helps me pursue my dream goals of playing lacrosse and receiving a degree. All these core values translates to life, which also helps me in the classroom and everyday life.”
Richard is a 6’ goalie
with a 2019 Save Percentage to date of .67 and a 2019 WI HS Number 11 Ranking.
He also played high school basketball and football. His HS athletic awards
included 2nd Team All-Conference 2019: Lacrosse; Oneida Nation High School
M&O Conference Male Athlete of the Year 2019; and 1st Team All-Conference
2019: Football (Punting).
He attended out-of-state camps as a part of his training development including the Chicago Cup 2018; Tampa University, 2018; High Point University, 2018; Bill Pilates Goalie Camp, 2015.
Richard was a versatile athlete in high school. Athletes are encouraged to participate in more than one sport and his other sport was football. “Richie is one of my favorite players that I’ve had at Oneida Nation,” said Bryan Peterson, Co-Head Football Coach at Oneida United. “During practice he was a quiet leader who led by example. On game day Richie was always encouraging his teammates, he always had a big smile on his face and was happy to help with whatever was needed. He was always putting in extra work to become the best kicker/punter he could be.”
Marian University Head Lacrosse Coach Bob Leary said: “Richie has been a leader for us at Marian since before he stepped on campus. He was quick to recommend talented players from Oneida and as a result, we brought in a couple of great players who we may have overlooked without his input. He is very involved in the Indigenous Peoples Club at Marian also. The IPC didn’t exist until a group of our players approached us about starting one this past fall. Richie captained and played a crucial role in our Gold Medal winning American Pride team in Melbourne. We defeated two Australian teams and a team from Japan to win this tournament. He is a natural leader both on the field and off. Richie is a finalist for the Iroquois Nationals U19 team. His last tryout is December 15 in Syracuse.”
Coach Bob Leary was the head coach of a team called America’s Pride that played games in Australia. “The Australia trip was a once in a lifetime experience, and we went to Melbourne to go play the top players in Australia,” said Richard III. “Their play style is a little different as it was a little slower than what I was used to. The trip helped me as I was playing with guys who were in college or were going to be. So it gave me more knowledge on the college game and what to expect heading into college.”
Richard III said: “My whole family has been positively supportive of me and my lacrosse career. I remember when I was younger my family would be at all my lacrosse or basketball games cheering just loud. With their support through the years it pushed me to become a better person on and off the field.”
“Richard was thrown into the goalie position by me, when we needed a goalie,” said dad Butch. “We had a awesome U14 team but without a goalie. This is the time I should have told him the story of the ‘first game’. Butting heads with a 13 year who didn’t want to play goalie was a hassle to say the least, and a week before practices started all things fell into place. Of course, his mom, made sure he was padded up like a kings knight, and slowly the arm pads came off and the shin pads came off, and he went to a less restrictive goalie chest protector. I thought, ‘damn, I got a goalie’. We had our ups and downs, all learning experiences, and the tradition of our game and the teachings got us through the downs and kept us grounded.”
“On the field, you won’t get a reaction out of him, good or bad, and he works
things out on his own. He learned to be seen not heard. I can read him, and we
see the same. We have good talks afterwards. Off the field he’s a good kid, and
he is learning life’s lesson, like we all had to. As a dad my chest is out there, and I’ll
admit it. A lot of people have this boys back, and I’m forever grateful,” said Butch.
“We are so thankful that he has been given a path that is allowing him to have so many opportunities to excel nationally and internationally in the game of lacrosse,” said mom Lisa. “We are extremely proud that he has made it to the final cuts for Iroquois Nationals Men’s 19U team.”
“Our family strived his whole life to ensure his right hand condition called symbrachydactyly was not a factor for his self-esteem and seeing him grow this way and be acknowledged is so great,” added Lisa.
“I was born with an abnormality called symbrachydactyly,” said Richard III. “Symbrachydactyly is a congenital abnormality, and it’s where the hand or foot doesn’t fully develop. My right hand didn’t fully develop. When I was younger I never really understood why I had to be born with it, but growing up, I’ve realized that the Creator gave me this for a reason. You can do anything that you set your mind too.”
The following are excerpts from a bio when he played in Australia with America’s Pride:
Richard Summers III is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation, one of the six Indian nations of the Haudenosaunee. The son of Lisa and Richard Summers, Jr., Summers is the youngest of four siblings – two older brothers and an older sister. Richard enjoys spending time with his family and embraces his role as uncle to two nieces and one nephew.
Summers has been playing lacrosse since he was eight-years old. He began playing the goalie position at the age of nine and grew to love the position. Many who see Summers play for the first time realize quickly how special his performances are; having been born with symbrachydactyly of the right hand, Summers grew up in the game without uncertainties or hesitations. He continues to grow in skill and has achieved natural comfort with the position. To see Summers play, it is clear he has a love for the goalie position; a position which requires the tenacity to overcome one’s own natural instinct to evade direct hits from some of the game’s most prominent scorers.
Sports are not the only thing Summers participated in during his time at Oneida High School. Being a student at an indigenous high school allowed Summers to actively participate in learning Oneida’s language and culture. He has shared his knowledge with others in the community by learning, and reciting Oneida’s Opening Address at various events; he also participates in sharing Oneida’s traditional social songs. The most recent activity where Summers participated in sharing the language and culture he has learned, was at flag raising for 11 Wisconsin tribes at the state’s capital in April 2019.
When asked about why he chose Marian University and Coach Bob Leary, Summers said, “Marian has a strong academic success rate and Coach Bob understands the Haudenosaunee philosophy of lacrosse being more than a sport, it is the Creator’s game. These two attributes together mesh with my goals to be a successful student, and to elevate my game so I can be both the best student and athlete I can be throughout my college career.”
There is a special relationship between an uncle and a nephew in Oneida traditions. This is not unlike other tribal groups. The uncle may be the disciplinarian. In the case of the Summers the discipline is guiding each other down the right path on and off the field.
“All of his career his dad was his main coach,” said uncle Curt Summers, Director of Oneida Community Lacrosse. “I would step in if there were things that his dad couldn’t get across to him. I would basically tell him the same thing his dad told him but in a different way. Most of the time he’d get it but in the end he would find a way to figure it.
“As his uncle, you do what you can to steer him in the right direction whether on or off the field. Coaching him was the easy part. Being an uncle, well that has its challenges. We goof around and tell jokes most of the time but most times during lacrosse season I was learning from him. We had a quiet player/coach relationship but we connected in different ways and we knew what we expected from each other. As far as the path he’s on, it’s a good one. To keep him focused will be a task. But he has to experience life and learn from whatever mistakes he makes. As an uncle, I just need to be there for him whenever he needs advice or someone to talk to. He has a bright future in the game he loves and in his education.”
“My brother has always been the quiet or shy type, but when you really know him or when he is on the field he is the opposite,” said sister Regina. “He is truly himself, funny, talkative, goofy, and takes charge. His goalie position also taught him life skills that he uses on and off the field. You need to have good communication skills and be alert at all times. Lacrosse has taken Richard a lot of places in his life so far and it is still the beginning. His love for the game is undeniable. Being good with younger children is also Richard’s strength, and he became an uncle at 6 years old so he has some experience. Seeing him today interact with his nephew and nieces are my favorite moments. He tries to make it to all of their sports events and we hope to see our nephew follow in his goalie steps.”
“Richard does not let anything hold him back from what he wants to do and accomplish. My parents did a very good job at producing such a respectable, well-mannered, helpful, young man. Words cannot explain how proud and grateful I am for him,” added Regina.
“Down the line in my future, I hope to still continue my lacrosse career and having my own custom apparel company,” said Richard III. “Playing lacrosse has helped me reach so many of my goals already, and if it wasn’t for lacrosse I don’t think I would be were I am today. I wouldn’t be at a four year university.”
Richard III shared advice for others who are following a similar path: “Never give up on what you want to do. There’s always going to be struggles or roadblocks, but it’s life. The struggles are only going to make you a better and stronger person in the end. This also applies in the classroom: to always stay on top of your work and ask for help if you need it.”
Photograph Credits: Lousia Mehojah, Ed Ryder, Brandon Bodart and Bob Leary
