MSU-N point guard Leo Bullchild has built a succes

[Okwes]

MSU-N point guard Leo Bullchild has built a success story he's hoping
more Native American youths in Montana will soon follow

By George Ferguson-Havre Daily News- Sports Editor-

Former NBA great Charles Barkley once said in a television commercial
that he wasn't a role model. And while some people understood his
message, it's a good thing not everybody was listening.

One person who didn't buy into any of that was Montana State
University-Northern senior point guard Leo Bullchild. Bullchild is about
to play his final two home games at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse, and
when he looks back on his collegiate career, he sees many different
things, all of which are triumphs. But mostly what he sees is who he has
become - a proud and positive Native American student-athlete, and among
other great things, a role model for the youth of Montana to look up to.

Bullchild grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation and he calls Browning
home. Raised by his grandparents most of his life, Bullchild picked up
the game of basketball and never looked back. As a result, he had one of
the most successful high school careers in Browning history. Playing for
head coach Ray Augare, Bullchild was a two-time Central A All-Conference
and Class A All-State performer. He is best known for teaming with
University of Montana forward Mike Chavez to lead Browning to
back-to-back Class A state championships in 2001 and 2002. After his
senior season, Bullchild was selected to play in the prestigious
Montana-Wyoming All-Star Game, and in the second game of the series, he
led the Montana team with 19 points in a victory.

Those are all accomplishments that any high school basketball player
would dream of. They are also accolades that one can hang his hat on and
call a career. Bullchild admits that from an early age, he thought that
was his destiny.

"I always watched Browning play growing up and they had some really good
teams with a lot of potential," he said. "But I never thought that a
Browning team could win a state championship. It never really occurred
to me until I got to high school. But when we did it, is was a great
feeling. It was like we were kind of breaking into new territory and I
developed a great bond with all those guys. My teammates from high
school are still some of my closest friends today. So it was a great
experience."

And there was more of that uncertainty as Bullchild's high school career
drew to a close - and out of that uncertainty would come more
barrier-breaking.

As great a high school player as Bullchild was, there was a time in his
life when he didn't know if college or college basketball was a viable
option for him. He said that because of so few Native American's playing
college basketball in Montana, there was a time when he thought that was
the norm. And he believes that that way of thinking has led to so few
Native American players going on to college, no matter how accomplished
they are.

While there have been great Native American players who have played in
the Frontier Conference in the past, like Northern's Tim Henry of Rocky
Boy, Arsh Stiffarm of Browning and Charlie Ereaux of Hays-Lodge Pole,
today there are fewer than 10 Native American male players playing
college basketball in Montana, including Bullchild, teammate Andrew
Sellars and Chavez.

"I just think growing up, you just didn't see guys from my reservation
or anywhere else for that matter playing college basketball in Montana,"
Bullchild said. "So I didn't think that was the norm. I have known a few
guys, really good players, who went away and played some. But growing
up, we just didn't have that guy to look at and say, see what he is
doing. So after high school, I think a lot of guys just thought, that's
it."

But that wasn't going to be Bullchild's life and he certainly hopes that
it won't be for younger Native Americans either, especially as they see
what players like Chavez, Sellars and Bullchild are doing at the
collegiate level.

Since the day Bullchild arrived on MSU-N's campus as a redshirt guard
for the Lights, MSU-N head coach Shawn Huse knew he had something
special, and the fondness has only grown over the last four-plus years.

"Leo is a person that if you don't know him, you should take the time to
get to know him," Huse said. "Because it is my belief that you will be
better off for knowing him.

"He's reliable, dependable and extremely hard-working," he added. "And
he's somebody that any aspiring college basketball player should look up
to, no matter what your background is."

The reason for such strong words from his head coach? Bullchild, through
plenty of life's twists and turns, has been a mainstay on MSU-N's
basketball team over the last four seasons. He has averaged more than
eight points and four assists per game while splitting time at point
guard with several other players over the years. During that time, he
has managed to also stay on track for his degree. Bullchild is majoring
in Social Sciences and plans on student teaching next year in the
Billings area. He also has started a family. Bullchild is married to
Karis Jackson. In September of 2004, the couple had their first child, a
daughter named Mecca Bullchild. His son is named Lattrel.

"Leo has fought through a lot of adversity in his life and still he has
just been one of the steadiest players I've ever been around," Huse
said. "He's going to get his degree, he's been a consummate teammate and
I'm honestly as proud of him as any player I have ever coached. He's a
guy I'll always use as a positive example to future players."

Through all of that, Bullchild believes he has become two things - a
better basketball player than he was in high school, and a mature,
responsible young adult, and someone he hopes youths in his hometown and
across Montana can emulate in the future.

"As far as basketball goes, maybe my stats aren't what I think they
should be," he said. "I feel like I could always have done more. But at
the same time, I definitely know I am a better all-around player. And
team-wise, this has been another great experience. I have played with a
lot of great players and I just have a lot of respect for all of them. I
have been around some really great guys. So as far as basketball goes,
this experience has been nothing but amazing."

Off the court, Bullchild's high school counselor is helping to get the
message out that other Native American players, like he and Chavez, can
make it as collegiate student-athletes. And that is another example of
how he feels like he has broken into new territory for young Native
Americans.

"My counselor told us that he wants to make a poster with Mike and I on
it and take it around to schools," Bullchild said. "It is a simple
message to say 'look at me, if I can do it so can you.' But it's an
important one. I mean, I don't think I'm the perfect role model for all
Native American kids, but I am very proud of what I've accomplished in
college and in life and it's very gratifying for my family and for me to
look at all I've done. And I do feel like playing college basketball at
this level is kind of new territory. And I just hope kids can look at
guys like me and Mike and believe that they can do the same things with
their life."

While Bullchild refers to much of his career both on and off the court
in the past-tense, there is still some basketball business to take care
of.

"I want to experience having the chance to win a championship in college
and possibly playing in a national tournament," he said. "I've gotten to
experience that in high school at the highest level. But not in college.
And I believe we have the team that can do all of that this year. I
really feel like this team has gelled together more than any other I
have played on here. And I think we can do all of those things this
season."

Frontier Conference championship or not, Bullchild will always be a
basketball player and he will be remembered as a tenacious team player
who Huse said never did anything on the court that wasn't for the
betterment of his teammates and for the overall cause.

But because of those great basketball abilities, Bullchild has become
much, much more than just a great player, he is a shining example of
self-made success and perseverance, and that is something everybody can
cling to. It's Like Huse said, we're all better off for knowing Leo
Bullchild.