‘Keep Tobacco Sacred’ youth basketball camp inspires players to live healthy lifestyle
“Keep Tobacco Sacred” youth basketball participants with visiting instructors and tribal Health Education staff at Sho-Ban High School on Sunday, April 13.
By LIZZIE BOYD
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — “Moments” is one of the many topics Henry Camel Jr. spoke about throughout the day at the Keep Tobacco Sacred basketball camp at Sho-Ban Jr./Sr. High School on April 13.
“Moments are what life is about for me, there all we have in life. Win as many moments as you can in life and add them up at the end of the year and it will tell you a lot.” “This is the way,” that is Camel’s motto.
Ann Jim, Tribal Health Educator for Tribal Health and Health Education program spoke of how the Keep Tobacco Sacred basketball camp evolved, “We received Tribal Tobacco Tax funding and were trying to figure out what to do for the kids to prevent commercial tobacco prevention and we know a lot of the youth like basketball, and it was an idea.” She said, “We had a friend who helped us reach out to JR Camel and his friend Edward Running Rabbit to put on the camp.”
Jim explained the Health Education program has a tobacco education consultation program for both youth and adults that want to quit smoking. The program has quick kits for adults that can help them to stop smoking. “This is the first trial at a basketball camp,” and they are looking to do various other activities for the youth including doing a 12 and under basketball camp. Jim also said, the department currently has a 100-mile walking club going on and its not too late to sign up. She wants to thank the two instructors Henry Camel Jr. (JR Camel) and Edward Running Rabbit for taking the time to put on the basketball camp and to the parents for taking the time to bring their children out to learn and keep tobacco sacred.
Basketball participants line up to begin the camp.
Camel is a Salish and Kootenai tribal member from Ronan, Montana on the Flathead Indian Reservation. At the age of 52, Camel has played basketball for 35 years or since 8th grade. “I have five kids, four princesses and one prince —, my oldest is 27 and my youngest is 3 months.” Camel signed with the University of Montana when he was a junior in high school where he was a three time all conference player and said, “I made it to the big dance a couple of times,” referencing the NCAA basketball playoffs.
“I played pro basketball overseas in Kosovo for three years, coached at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo Montana, and played basketball ever since.” Camel said he and his two brothers Zach and Bill, who all coached native teams, won a consecutive 11 AIHEC championship titles in their coaching careers. “We love teaching our ways of playing hard, and the understanding of the way Natives can play basketball.”
Regarding teaching the younger generations, Camel said, “I want to try and teach the kids to respect their elders, respecting their grandparents and parents and just understand that life goes fast, it goes so fast and the kids that are trying to grow up so quick right now need to enjoy these moments.”
He talked about putting on basketball camps, “When I was younger, I put on a lot of camps, I settled down doing camps as I got older, and I am glad the department here reached out to me to do this camp, it worked out perfect.” He played here this weekend in the 40 and 50+ tournament winning both divisions, “I played in a total of 10 games and kind of feel it in my back and hips.”
Camel Jr. leads youth in core training exercises.
I brought in Eddie Running Rabbit to help with today’s camp because he believes in what I believe in, and we want to do as many camps as we can together.”
“At my age this is all doable, the stat I mentioned to the kids before 95% of humans do not sprint ever again after the age of 30 years old, you’re going to breakdown eventually and you can have one fracture and that can be the end of you. So, either way were pushing the way we can, to do what we love.”
Camel is drug and alcohol free, “I am 27 years sober, if your one day sober or a month sober you take it a day at a time. Kids don’t have to turn to alcohol or drugs, the kids need to choose wisely, there’s groups you can be with and groups you should be with. I always try to explain to these kids that and get the Natives on the court, be starter players and try to get them to college, some kids don’t even believe they can make it to college to play sports. There are some players out here that blow my mind with what they can do, and if you have a goal of what you want to do, this, this and this, at least you can speak it into existence.”
“Me and Eddie are older, but I still think I am young at heart and at mind, I want to show these kids that event at my age you can still be healthy and physically fit to continue to do what you love.”
Concerning his honoring at Battle of the Nations, Camel said, “It was big, and it was a moment for sure. I will never forget that one. Merle Smith and Mike Jordan also got honored and I got to hear their stories. I appreciate it, I will also be inducted this summer into the hoop fest hall of fame, for being one of the only Native teams to win the 6 foot and under league three years in a row, the world’s biggest three on three tournament in Spokane Washington.”
Camel’s words to the youth, “Enjoy being young and enjoy your moments, this is the way because I want to teach you’re not blocked from doing what you want to believe in. Anything is possible.” One can follow Camel on his social media page on Instagram, wayofdahorse.
Players run practice drills with instruction from Camel Jr. (back) and Running Rabbit
(right).
Edward Running Rabbit assisted Camel with the youth basketball camp, he grew up in Montana and went to college at both University of Montana and Northern Montana. Growing up, he didn’t have a support system, he waisted his younger years to alcohol, didn’t play basketball, and is now alcohol free. He said, “I never did drugs, and I encourage the youth to be alcohol and drug free.” He talked about his career and he currently works as a Special Education teacher and resides in Browning, Mont. His passion in life, is working out and you can find him in his spare time in the gym. He wants to open a gym to be a physical trainer and continue teaching basketball skills with Camel. “This is my first time being a basketball camp instructor and I like it, I am thankful JR reached out to me to assist with the camp.”
Camp participant Bam Sequints said, “This is interesting, and it was something to look forward too, and I feel us older kids are someone the younger kids can look up to, so we need to show them what they can do in life. I learned quite a bit of new things, like footwork and shooting moves and the coach’s tricks.” His advice to younger kids is, “Don’t think negative, keep your heads up and continue to do a good job.”
The camp started at 9 a.m. and concluded around 2:30 p.m. The instructors started off with introducing themselves, went over basketball skills, core skills, and continued to stress the importance of being alcohol, tobacco and drug free through the day.
From left, Henry Camel Jr., THHS Health Education staff Rainelle Edmo and Ann Jim, and
Edward Running Rabbit.
There were 40 kids that attended the camp, as they appeared excited, showed energy and focus to learn. They were broken into two groups, from being young to older and the experience they had with basketball.
Camel took the younger group and Running Rabbit took the older group on each side of the court. The groups competed against each other throughout the day during ball skills and physical skills, and the younger group was very competitive with the older group. The camp participants were fed lunch from Jimmy Johns and enjoyed the quick break. Once they were done with their lunch, they all headed back into the gym and shot around until the instructors were ready to resume the camp.
During the afternoon the groups resumed where they were shown how to play five on five with a rotating team, staying on the side of the court they were shooting as if they didn’t rebound the ball. The rebounding team would take the ball down to the other side of the court to face a team waiting and that continued for a while.
Basketball camp MVPs Bam Sequints (2nd from left) and Neitiri DeGarmo (3rd from left) with
instructors.
Once the instructors watched they decided to do a one-on-one tournament among the older group of participants. The one-on-one champion was Bam Sequints. The Health Education Department donated some small bags to the instructors to select their own all stars of the camp. Each instructor selected all stars from their groups. JR Camel donated a pair of Kyrie Irving basketball shorts and sweats for two MVPs, the instructors selected Bam Sequints and Neitiri DeGarmo as the MVPs of the camp. The Health Education Department gave each camp participant a Keep Tobacco sweater.
