Winslow's Yazzie overcomes personal turmoil

In the home of Marsha Joseph and Henry Yazzie Jr., trophies plaques and certificates earned by their 18-year-old son adorn the walls of the home in which they've raised five children.

The family is used to seeing the maroon and blue colors of Ganado High in their home. But that changed two years ago when their son, Jaken Yazzie, became a Winslow Bulldog.

The Yazzie's lived a typical yet proud life. Their modest and well-mannered children were raised near extended family in Ganado and in the Ganado school district.

Like most first-born children, the Yazzie's earliest and proudest memories are that of Jaken.

"I noticed when he was a toddler he was picking up a basketball, Henry said. "I could see that he already had a basic formation, that squaring up and the release of that basketball.

"Then he was about eight or nine when he went to the youth basketball camp," he said. "At that time it was coach (Raul) Mendoza who invited him to the camp in Window Rock. At the end of the camp, in his age group he received MVP.

"That was one of the first times we noticed that he had talent and the interest was there," Henry said. "We, as parents, noticed that that was what interest he had so we supported him."

They supported him again when Jaken felt the need to stand up for himself at the end of his junior varsity basketball season in 2008.

Inappropriate things were said to him and his teammates by their basketball coach. But he was the only one brave enough to stand up and speak.

Jaken was taunted and had no choice but to transfer to another school.

That meant new friends, a new school and, most importantly, the possibility of not playing basketball.

A new family

"Leaving Ganado, coming to Winslow, I knew I had to try and fit in with the group here," he said. "And as I came here I knew I wasn't going to be able to see myself as I saw myself in Ganado. I had to start from the bottom again.

"It was pretty tough adjusting to the people here," he said. "But I would say during the basketball season, afterward getting to know the team, everything just came together, everyone was family."

Jaken became the newest member of the Winslow Bulldogs basketball family. He worked his way up through dozens of players who tried out for the team.

Winslow head coach Ricky Geer said Jaken was quick to make an impression on the court. The team soon got to know him.

"Jake was very, very shy," Greer said. "He's not outgoing or outspoken. He's very well behaved, well mannered, well respected. There's a lot of schools (the family) could have gone to but they also heard that Winslow had pretty high scores and a good academic enrollment.

"He's pretty quick," he said. "He's has really good speed, he's a pretty good ball handler. He's actually one of our best on-ball defenders."

But Greer also knew it was going to be tough on Jaken because he had already proven himself in Ganado and he had to do it once again in Winslow.

There were times when it got the best of him.

"I knew it was going to be a tough transition," Greer said. "In Ganado he was more of a team captain and got a pretty good amount of playing time. I thought he handled it pretty darn well. It's tough, it makes you kind of search your soul in all situations."

Support from teammates

For Jaken his heart was in Ganado but his passion for basketball kept him in Winslow.

Jaken turned to those who understood him most - his family, friends and new basketball family. He turned to teammates Lakota Shirley and Micheaux Begaii.

"When times got hard to where I felt like giving up they were there to say hang in there and just uplift me and tell me just hang there, it will be alright," Jaken said. "The support of them, the hugs they gave - I consider them good brothers."

With their help, Jaken endured the roller-coaster season with the Bulldogs and his personal life. The ups were obvious - a new basketball family, an electric team and a chance at the state title - but the downs were yet to come.

A senior this year, Jaken faced another emotional ordeal. Ganado was his home. It's where his family and longtime friends were so he decided to go back and graduate.

But there was another hurdle. Going back to Ganado meant not playing basketball due to Arizona Interscholastic Association rules.

After talking with the principal, athletic director and coach, he decided to return to Winslow.

"(They) welcomed me back with opens arms," he said.

Jaken returned to the Bulldogs about two weeks ago.

To help Jaken close the door to a long journey filled with emotional turmoil, Greer decided to start him Jan. 14 in a road game at Ganado. Winslow defeated Ganado in overtime, 71-70.

Greer had kept his decision a secret and surprised Jaken just minutes before the game started.

"This just brought a closeness to us," Greer said. "To welcome him back. Our chemistry was really building. As a coach it gives you goose bumps.

"We felt like we could put a little pressure on Ganado," he said. "I could not be more proud of how he handled himself. His composure was fantastic. He had a career high 11 points in front of his hometown crowd. It could have given anymore closure."

An emotional game

But standing on the court in the Ganado Pavilion with his parents, looking at the stands, his emotions ran like crazy.

"Playing with the kids I grew up with in tournaments and playing against them it was a different feeling than I intended, it was just emotional," Jaken said.

His parents had similar feelings.

"It was neat to see because I hadn't seen him in the starting role since '08," Henry said. "I believe it was when he was on JV. Since certain things happened beyond my control, beyond his mom's control, just to see him run out in that setting at Ganado I was overwhelmed by happiness."

"When I play basketball it just basically gives me a chance to express myself," Jaken, who plans to study civil engineering in college, said. "It defines who I am.

"Ganado's my roots," he said. "I believe I'm ready to take the next step for higher learning and having the support of my family and friends in Winslow and Ganado and other relatives out there, with the support of them, I believe I can do anything."

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