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Just got my copy of the Jan-feb South Dakota magaizine in the mail. There is a great story written by the son of Coach Miles who coached a consolation championship at Gann Valley in the 1954-55 season. This is a neat story. I remember Gann Valley making the big dance of Class B, but not much else. This was before three classes, a ton of small schools and the big part of the climb was the district tourney usually three games and the Regional of two games. Making it to the State B was big in the 1950's.
Gann Valley is south east of Pierre, and near Fort Thompson. I remember Fort Thompson an all Native American team won the state B I believe in 1950, not sure. Shortly after the high school at Fort Thompson closed and the students from the reservation transferred to Gann Valley, a tiny town as described by the author. Ray Delori and Alfred St John boarded at the coaches home and were soon added to the bb team, that had a losing streak that started in 1942 and ended about a year after Coach Miles came to Gann Valley. There was resentment about the Native Americans being on a Eureopean American team. Coach Miles was told he would never be able to get his two teams, Native Americans and those of Eureopean descent to play together.
Well he did and they got to the state tournament and lost in the first round because those kids both Native and White were scared to death to play before 6000 people at the Huron Arena. Also a former Jackrabbit bb reserve is mentioned, LaRue Martin, from Selby. Gann Valley and Selby were favorites but both lost in the first round of the tourney. They met the next day in the loser brackets that often did not draw big crowd, but this game did. LaRue Martin from Selby matched up with the big Gann Valley center, named Speck. DeLori though was the showcase. LaRue played for Coach Iverson at SDSU, more as a role player, but had a great high school career at Selby.
Ray Delori was an unbelieveable ball handler and dazzled the fans all season long. The story ends with the last contact with Ray and his Coach. Ray, a US Army veteran, became part of the huge statistic of alchoholism that plagues the Native population. The author did not give a "where is he now?" report.
What occurred to me after reading the article is how important support systems are to student athletes. Those from middle-class and above have great strength here, but with poverty classes, this often is not true.
For this short time of one season, Ray had a support system in Coach Miles, and had no one else. Its a great story, Mr. Miles the coaches son did a great job in writing the story. If you get a chance. read this one.
Gann Valley is south east of Pierre, and near Fort Thompson. I remember Fort Thompson an all Native American team won the state B I believe in 1950, not sure. Shortly after the high school at Fort Thompson closed and the students from the reservation transferred to Gann Valley, a tiny town as described by the author. Ray Delori and Alfred St John boarded at the coaches home and were soon added to the bb team, that had a losing streak that started in 1942 and ended about a year after Coach Miles came to Gann Valley. There was resentment about the Native Americans being on a Eureopean American team. Coach Miles was told he would never be able to get his two teams, Native Americans and those of Eureopean descent to play together.
Well he did and they got to the state tournament and lost in the first round because those kids both Native and White were scared to death to play before 6000 people at the Huron Arena. Also a former Jackrabbit bb reserve is mentioned, LaRue Martin, from Selby. Gann Valley and Selby were favorites but both lost in the first round of the tourney. They met the next day in the loser brackets that often did not draw big crowd, but this game did. LaRue Martin from Selby matched up with the big Gann Valley center, named Speck. DeLori though was the showcase. LaRue played for Coach Iverson at SDSU, more as a role player, but had a great high school career at Selby.
Ray Delori was an unbelieveable ball handler and dazzled the fans all season long. The story ends with the last contact with Ray and his Coach. Ray, a US Army veteran, became part of the huge statistic of alchoholism that plagues the Native population. The author did not give a "where is he now?" report.
What occurred to me after reading the article is how important support systems are to student athletes. Those from middle-class and above have great strength here, but with poverty classes, this often is not true.
For this short time of one season, Ray had a support system in Coach Miles, and had no one else. Its a great story, Mr. Miles the coaches son did a great job in writing the story. If you get a chance. read this one.
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