Shiprock's Yazzie matures into MVP-level player

(Times photo - Leigh T. Jimmie)

Shiprock's Christina Yazzie delivers a layup against Thoreau's Renolda Johnson in the Webb Toyota Lady Bronco Invitational at Kirtland Central High School on Jan. 9. Shiprock defeated Thoreau, 52-26, for the championship.

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When Christina Yazzie was seven years old, she showed no interest in the most popular sports in the area. In fact, she hated it.

"I wasn't even into basketball. I don't know, you could say I was the girly type," she said. "My mom used to dress me and my sister up. I was forced to join. I didn't even care, I would go to the games with pants on."

Her father enrolled her in the Boys & Girls Club basketball league just to give her something to do. But Jobo, as she likes to be called, didn't take to it very easily.

But after a year, Jobo started to come around.

"After that league. I was into basketball," she said. "My dad was the main person that influenced me to play. He's my coach, my summer coach.

"When I'm in a game, after I make one basket, it pumps me up," she said. "That makes me more hungry for the ball. I want the ball more, that pushes me, it makes me want to get the ball."

She played basketball in elementary school, junior high and now high school. She is a sophomore at Shiprock High School and one of the quickest guards yet.

Last week, Yazzie was named the Webb Toyota Lady Bronco Invitational most valuable player.

As a freshman she started on the junior varsity team but moved up to varsity midway through the season.

"Last year was my first year with her," said Shiprock coach Brady Rivers. "At times I was talking to her it just looked like she wasn't listening. This year she's even more coach-able.

"Now I understand her more," he said. "She listens to me even when she's not looking at me eye-to-eye. She's come a long way. She's one of those players who at first was into rez ball and it was kind of tough to pull her out of it. Last year she'd just throw up a shot and hope for the best. She's gotten a lot better with her decision-making.

"One the court she is really taking stride on defense," he said. "This year she's playing a little more solid defense. She's the fastest girl on the court. A lot of people may not see it but she's extremely fast.

"Offensively she's relentless, she'll go in and score. She plays with a lot of confidence," Rivers said. "Off the court, the girls just love being around her. She's just a tremendous athlete and an even better person off the court."

Yazzie said her older sister, Mishauna Todacheenie, is a leader on the team and she was motivated to become better.

With the help of her sister, father and teammates she spent the entire year making herself a better athlete.

"Last year I was a little bit afraid to play with them (varsity team)," she said. "I didn't really understand what the coach wanted out of me, what I was supposed to do, but this year after I got a feel for it I just understand varsity a bit more than last year.

"I can tell I've stepped up my game," she said. "I just compare myself to last year. During the summer I just watched videos of last year's games. This year the person that really pushed me was my dad.

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"He told me I need to be more athletic, I need to get the ball and do something with it and he said once I get the ball I better do something with it," she said.

Her father is also she and her sister's summer basketball league coach.

Christopher Yazzie coaches a girls' team named the Goal Rush. Christopher didn't play basketball in high school and hadn't ever coached before his daughters started playing.

He learned by watching and taught his daughters to do the same.

"I watched and learned and I tell my girls the same thing - watch the other girls play," he said. "To me she's aggressive and when she wants to play she plays her heart out. When she wants something she'll fight for it, she'll go all the way."

Christina Yazzie is aggressive when she drives for to the hoop or when she makes a steal.

 "I have my sister on the team. She's the one that pushes me," she said. "When I'm not doing my best she's my motivator.

It's no secret that Christina Yazzie has come a long way from the player she was last year, so when she was named MVP last weekend her parents couldn't help but feel proud.

"For me it was really a good moment, seeing my daughters out there, one getting MVP and the other all-tourney," Christopher said. "I kind got choked up a little at what she's become and how she's progressed."

His wife Michelle Yazzie added, "To see both my girls out there on the court, at the same time as a mother, I was very proud of my husband for everything he's done for them. I was just proud."

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