A different attitude

The Navajo Pine Lady Warriors reached the Class 2A state championship game for the first time in school history.

They needed discipline and guidance to get there and they found it with first-year head coach Derrith Watchman-Moore.

"A couple of years ago a parent asked me if I would be interested in coaching because there was a lot of attitude problems and disciplinary problems in the girls team," Watchman-Moore said, "and that's something I always wanted to do.

"They just needed someone maybe just more like being a mom," she said. "I'm not a huggy type of person, I just move and expect people to move with me."

After years of working as a manager and raising five children, Watchman-Moore said it was time to give back to her community so she decided to do it by coaching.

She played basketball for Window Rock High "many moons ago" but after taking teaching classes every Saturday for the last two years Watchman-Moore felt confident to take on the role.

She said the biggest hurdles of the season were in the beginning.

"I think it was the attitude," she said. "The history and the baggage that was there because there was actually bullying, the mean girl syndrome, that type of thing...I thought, 'I'm going to have to start from ground zero.'"

Some girls missed practice and Watchman-Moore benched them or didn't allow them to suit up.

The team made goals to score 20 points a quarter in every game. Then they took aim at the District 1-3A title. Then they got to the state tournament.

They defeated No. 6 Navajo Prep, 70-40, in the second round of the tournament. Then they beat No. 2 Santa Rosa, 61-56, in the final four.

But they fell short to Texico, 55-40, in the championship game.

"I think the girls all agreed they got tired," Watchman-Moore said. "I mean, it's been a long week and we just got tired and ran out of gas.

"What can you say, we gave it our best and we had a hard time against their height," she said. "We played like young Warriors, we played it to the end. I don't think I could have changed it given the circumstances. It's been a long week."

But the season was still a success.

Senior Kristin Nez-Tsosie has played on the team since her eighth grade year and said there's never been a season like this year's.

"I thought it was the best season we've ever had so far," she said. "Everybody came together and did what they had to to play the game of basketball, which everybody loves, I think that's what helped us this year."

Nez-Tsosie ran the show down low in the paint. Freshman guard Demetria Clichee ran the plays, Kyleigh Thompson was the right-hand woman and the rest of the team all had something to bring.

"I had two freshmen who really stepped up even though they lacked the experience," Watchman-Moore said. "I have three junior standouts - they're my stars for next year, they're going to be my leaders."

Nez-Tsosie said the team gave her one of the best experiences she's had.

"I've played for five years for Navajo Pine and every year we make it to state," she said. "We always get cut short. It was great to make it to the final two, the championship.

"I want the younger players to just keep working hard," she said, 'show up to practice everyday, push yourself to be better and not to give up because if you give up it just ruins the whole thing for your team."

Clichee said she's played on the team since her eighth grade year and hopes to win a state title.

"We need to get better," she said. "We have to combine as one and work as a team, practice harder at practice and just to get back to here it will be a great experience.

After completing her first year as coach, Watchman-Moore said her goal was to teach and give discipline to a young group of girls who needed it and that's exactly what she did.

"I'd like to do it again," she said. "You're told by your parents to give back and that's the Navajo way. Give back to these young ladies, they're such leaders, such athletes, they're natural athletes.

"I've said that they are fast and feminine and they are gracefully aggressive," she added. "That's what they are and we just took it one game at a time and I got to know them and I think I'll know them next year for sure to push them back here next year."

Back to top ^