Hmong football star at ease in two cultures

Evergreens football player Jerry Lee stands Thursday at D.C. Everest High School’s Stiehm Stadium in Weston. (Xai Kha/Wausau Daily Herald)

American football and Hmong history don't often get paired together, but they will be Friday when Jerry Lee speaks at Wausau's Hmong History Month luncheon.

Lee, an 18-year-old senior at D.C. Everest Senior High School, distinguished himself as a star safety on the Everest football team, and the sport has influenced him almost as much as his Hmong heritage. He wasn't the first or only Hmong player for the Evergreens, but his style of play and outgoing personality put him in a leadership role both on and off the field.

"I kind of like to consider myself a symbol, a role model," Lee said. "I see so much talent within the Hmong community, and I'm hoping that kids will see me and say, 'Hey, I can do that, too.'"

The theme for April's Hmong History Month has been "Our Continuing Journey," and the speakers at the luncheon represent the steps the Hmong community has taken from their participation in The Secret War in Laos to its migration and establishment in the United States.

Lee's inclusion represents the youth of the community, and his football prowess is a symbol of his immersion in American culture. But at the same time, he's proud of being Hmong, and vows he'll preserve many Hmong traditions with his own children when it comes time. But he also thinks that some nuances of Hmong culture likely will vanish as teens of his generation grow up, go to college and become involved in their careers.

Lee's father was too young to fight in the war, and came to this country as a young man of 18. As Lee grew up in the Wausau area, his parents worked hard to establish the family in America.

Lee grew up speaking Hmong, but also was encouraged to speak English, and he always was pushed to excel in school.

While tradition and Hmong ways are important in his home, he also was steeped in American ways. He embraced the fact that he could shift from Hmong culture to white American culture on a whim, and found himself with both Hmong friends and Caucasian friends, all from a variety of backgrounds.
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Football grabbed hold of Lee early. He remembers watching it on television, and playing the game with his stuffed animals. But Hmong football players are rare, and when he asked his parents if he could play in middle school, they balked at first. He was too small; he would get hurt, they said. It was too expensive.




Those are hurdles that keep plenty of Hmong teens from getting involved in extracurricular activities, Lee said. Many Hmong children have responsibilities at home, so they're discouraged from participating in after-school activities.

Lee persevered, and when he got into his first game, it just felt right to him. He was a running back, and scored early and often. He found he loved the game, and rose through the ranks to eventually become a leader on the varsity team.

Everest coach Wayne Steffenhagen said Lee was first of all an outstanding person, then an outstanding player.

"He was tough, very physical on the field," Steffenhagen said. "He displayed tremendous courage at times, personally and physically."

Steffenhagen believes that more Hmong players will end up on the football field, and by extension, in other after-school activities.

"We're very ecstatic about that," he said. "There's so much benefit they can gain educationally and personally."

For a while, Lee had dreams of becoming the first Hmong NFL player. He even was offered some partial scholarships from smaller schools, but ultimately decided that attending University of Wisconsin-Madison would be his best bet.

He sees no conflict with being proud of being Hmong while pursuing the American dream.

"I like how my lifestyle is," Lee said. "I like sports. I like being Hmong. ... I like a little of everything. It's never boring, that's how I see it."

Football grabbed hold of Lee early. He remembers watching it on television, and playing the game with his stuffed animals. But Hmong football players are rare, and when he asked his parents if he could play in middle school, they balked at first. He was too small; he would get hurt, they said. It was too expensive.

Those are hurdles that keep plenty of Hmong teens from getting involved in extracurricular activities, Lee said. Many Hmong children have responsibilities at home, so they're discouraged from participating in after-school activities.

Lee persevered, and when he got into his first game, it just felt right to him. He was a running back, and scored early and often. He found he loved the game, and rose through the ranks to eventually become a leader on the varsity team.

Everest coach Wayne Steffenhagen said Lee was first of all an outstanding person, then an outstanding player.

"He was tough, very physical on the field," Steffenhagen said. "He displayed tremendous courage at times, personally and physically."

Steffenhagen believes that more Hmong players will end up on the football field, and by extension, in other after-school activities.

"We're very ecstatic about that," he said. "There's so much benefit they can gain educationally and personally."

For a while, Lee had dreams of becoming the first Hmong NFL player. He even was offered some partial scholarships from smaller schools, but ultimately decided that attending University of Wisconsin-Madison would be his best bet.

He sees no conflict with being proud of being Hmong while pursuing the American dream.

"I like how my lifestyle is," Lee said. "I like sports. I like being Hmong. ... I like a little of everything. It's never boring, that's how I see it."

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