Dustin Brodina watched from the stands as his daughter Tylie won state tournament MVP. In front of a packed Minot State Dome, she was the star. Fueled by her efforts, the Devils Lake girls’ basketball team ended a title drought of 37 years.
Two days later, Dustin was beginning his own postseason run, coaching a team led by his sons Parker and Beau. Spring forward two weeks, and the Brodinas were celebrating again. This time, the boys were champions, ending a drought of 99 years. And Parker was one of two Firebirds named to the all-tournament team.
“I can’t let my sister show me up,” Parker said with a laugh.
In the most successful year of basketball in this town’s history, the Brodinas have taken Devils Lake by storm. Juggling four kids and three basketball seasons — two varsity, one JV — Dustin and Christa Brodina have created a life for themselves here in the Lake Region. Supported by a slew of friends and family members, the countless hours of practices, games and traveling have materialized in success during the prime of their children’s high school years.
“This has been a lot of fun as a mom to be able to watch three of my kids go through this, and the ups and downs that we’ve been through to get to this point,” Christa said. “It really makes it sweet to see all that hard work finally come through.”
Before settling in Devils Lake with their four kids — Beau, Parker, Tylie and Ben — Dustin and Christa hailed from different parts of North Dakota. Dustin was raised in Lankin, a town that had a population of 98 in the 2010 census. Christa, meanwhile, grew up in the capital, down south in Bismarck.
Dustin played basketball, football and baseball at Fordville-Lankin High School. Sports were an integral part of his upbringing. Growing up with two older brothers and two younger sisters, everything was competitive.
“We never wanted to lose at anything, whether it was running back to the house — whoever’s last was a rotten egg,” Dustin said. “Or if we were playing basketball in the driveway. And that competition at a young age, that just makes you better and stronger.”
Dustin’s high school basketball teams didn’t have many players, as he recalled, but they held their own for such a small school. He went on to play football for the University of Minnesota Crookston.
Dustin and Christa met in Florence, Alabama, at the University of North Dakota football championship game in 2003. In May 2005, they got married. A few months later, their first child, Beau, was born.
Christa got her first teaching job in Edmore, and Dustin’s job led the family to nearby Langdon, where they lived for about 10 years. They moved down to Devils Lake after Christa was offered an administrative job at Devils Lake High School, where she still works today as the career and tech ed director and assistant principal. Dustin found a job in town working for the USDA Silicon Natural Resources Conservation Service. So in 2014, the Brodinas entered Devils Lake.
And the rest is history.
“Raising a family, I think, in Devils Lake, North Dakota — there’s probably no better place in the world as far as I’m concerned,” Dustin said. “Small town in North Dakota, we’re very friendly. I love what we have in our family. We can go to church on Sunday. We can hang out with friends and family… Everybody knows everybody, and everybody would take the shirt off their back for ya. And that’s really special.”
Like many North Dakota families, the Brodinas love to hunt and fish. All six of them bowhunt in the fall, to be specific, while they spend much of the summertime fishing, swimming and tubing in the lake. Some of the animals they’ve tracked down include ducks, geese, deer and pheasants.
“That’s pretty competitive at our house on who has shot the biggest deer,” Christa said.
The competition extends into the driveway, where the Brodinas play games with their family basketball hoop. Tylie recalled constantly playing with her brothers in the front yard, where Dustin said they wear out the grass playing baseball and football. According to Parker, they talk about basketball 24/7 in their household during the winter season.
It’s been all sports ever since the kids were little. Before Beau could even walk, Christa said they would bring a walker into the gym that Beau would use to chase after a basketball. They would simulate games at home as well.
“On a Friday night, we used to shut the lights off and turn the flashlights on and create our own little mini beginning of a basketball game,” Christa said.
The transition into organized youth sports was only a natural fit. Christa remembers when the kids were in second grade and only scored two points in an entire basketball game. Dustin started officially coaching them when they were in third grade, but he said he never imagined he would be their high school basketball coach.
The previous head coach, Derek Gathman, stepped down in 2021. Dustin brought up the idea of taking over, and Christa said she immediately refused to let him.
But the team struggled to find a new head coach, and the spot remained open. Over time, Christa had a change of heart.
“We want somebody there for our boys. We don’t just want a warm body for them,” she said. “And so I reluctantly agreed to let him do it.”
In Dustin’s first season, the team lost most of its games. This was before the current three-class system, when Devils Lake competed in the Eastern Dakota Conference against schools from Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, etc.
“I’d never head-coached in that type of an atmosphere before. So not exactly sure what I needed to do,” Dustin said. “And after that first year, you had to do some self-reflection and wonder what you’re doing right and wrong, and challenge yourself on how to come back. So after that first year, we realized that we needed to get faster, stronger, quicker; we need to spend a lot of time in the weight room; we need to get in the gym more.”
The Firebirds were much better in Dustin’s second season, going 14-10 and finishing fourth in the EDC. He was able to cultivate strides of growth from his players even in such a short time period.
“Don’t think about the wins and losses. Think about the effort,” Dustin said. “Think about a constant positive attitude, and that effort that’s gotta be better every single day. And those kids really bought into that mentality.”
Two of the five starters on this year’s championship team were Parker and Beau. The path to that role was smoother for Parker, whom both parents described as the more natural athlete. Christa said that even as recently as last year, Beau wasn’t getting as much playing time.
“Beau has really, really worked hard this year to get where he is,” Christa said. “His dad, as a coach, is tough on him and demands a lot out of him. And Beau has definitely risen to the challenge. I’m very proud of where he’s come and what he’s done in the last few years.”
This season, Beau was one of the team’s best defenders. He also averaged nearly 10 points a game — and tied the single-game school record for three-pointers with nine in a 33-point performance. This is from a kid whose main sport isn’t even basketball; his best sport, and the one he’s going to continue at the next level, is baseball.
“I always just play my part, work hard,” Beau said. “And hopefully at the end of the day I get that starting job like I have.”
The Brodinas describe Beau as quiet and reserved compared to the outgoing Parker. Although Beau’s the oldest, Dustin said Parker has always been more of the leader among the kids.
“I always say ‘Eh’ when I describe Beau,” Christa said with a laugh. “It’s not that he doesn’t care, but he just has a more easygoing personality. Parker’s the mother hen of the group. He makes sure everybody’s in line.”
While Beau is best at baseball, Parker is likely best at basketball of any sport he plays. Parker was second on the team in points per game with 14.5, behind only Wylee Delorme. He also led the team in rebounds and assists per game. While the numbers make Parker’s impact the most obvious, Dustin professed all year that Beau did a lot of the little things that don’t show up in the stat sheet, especially on the defensive side.
And by the time this season cranked into full gear, the Brodina brothers complemented each other well. They weren’t just handed their starting roles: rather, they got them by their own merits.
“Nothing’s free. Nothing’s given. You have to earn everything on this team,” Dustin said. “And that’s what pushes us in practice. Our practices are extremely competitive. That’s a goal of ours: every practice to be the most competitive practice. And it pushes each other. It pushes the guys.”
That discipline extends down to Tylie, who earned a starting position on the girls’ basketball team as a freshman. Dustin credited how tough she’s become from growing up with three brothers, both mentally and physically. And, early in her high school career, she’s already reaped many of the benefits of hard work.
“My dad always just tells me to keep working hard and keep a good mindset every single day,” Tylie said.
Christa described Tylie as the rule follower of the bunch. She obeys the rules herself, and makes sure everybody else does, too. Dustin also emphasized her kindness and well-roundedness.
“She’s a great person. She’ll do anything for you,” Dustin said. “She can do anything, from shooting a bow and arrow to making banana bread for you.”
Tylie’s freshman campaign didn’t come without its ups and downs. She had stretches where she scored 20-plus points in consecutive games, and brief pitfalls where she struggled to find the basket at all.
Head girls’ basketball coach Justin Klein attributed these waves of success to her youth, but he always praised her effort and energy on the court. Tylie was able to wave off a couple disappointing games in the middle of the season, saying that a bad performance doesn’t define her as a person. Overall, in the regular season, she still managed to lead the team in points per game with 11.4.
Then when tournament time came along, she stepped up and played her best basketball. The rowdy atmosphere and bigger stadium didn’t materialize in any noticeable signs of nervousness for the freshman. She scored 58 points throughout the Firebirds’ three-game state tournament run, en route to being named MVP.
“In my opinion, she’s just out there playing basketball,” Dustin said. “She could have been playing in the driveway and she would have tried just as hard. And having fun. She’s a confident basketball player, and whether it was in the driveway or in the Sports Center by ourselves on a Sunday afternoon when nobody’s looking, she’s having fun and focused and working hard. And then that translates to the court.”
Tylie had a brief scare in the state semifinal. She took a fall during a play, then had to be helped up before limping off the court. The Firebirds were trailing at this time, too, in danger of being eliminated.
But mere minutes later, Tylie sprinted back into the game. After shaking off her hyperextended leg, she swished a three-pointer and contributed a quick assist to fuel a Devils Lake comeback — sparking a run that culminated in a championship.
“I feel like she grew up in front of our eyes this weekend, from being a freshman to being very mature and leading those girls,” Christa said. “So I’m really proud of Tylie. She puts in a lot of work, too. It’s one of those things; people don’t realize how much work the kids put in outside of the season.”
The Brodina high schoolers’ success is setting the tone for Ben, who’s only just getting started.
“They’ve definitely been a role model for Ben — not that he always listens to them,” Dustin said with a chuckle.
The eighth grader helped the JV team go 20-1 this season. And though he’s not on varsity quite yet, he was always one of the loudest supporters from the stands.
“Ben is the fourth child, and he’s more free-spirited than the other three are,” Christa said.
But even if Ben still has progress to make in his composure — he’s still just a middle schooler, after all — he has the same talent and ambition as all the other Brodina siblings. In fact, Christa said she thinks he might even be the best basketball player when all is said and done. There’s still a long way to go, of course. But Dustin said that in Ben’s mind, he already thinks he’s the best, and he’s determined to prove it on the court or field regardless of what sport he’s playing.
“Ben, just with his natural ability that he has, he sees the floor and sees things so well,” Christa said. “As long as he can keep his emotions in check. And that will come with age. I think he will not be as tall as Beau and Parker — definitely not as tall as Parker — but I think he’ll be just as good of an athlete as them.”
An advantage Ben has over most kids is three older siblings who are all state champions. One thing Christa professes to him is that he gets to witness firsthand the kind of results that hard work can bring. His siblings are real-time proof of it. And if he puts in the same amount of time and effort that the others have, perhaps it’ll be him in a few years celebrating a state championship.
And there’s no guarantee yet of what sport will end up being Ben’s forte. Dustin urges families to let their kids play multiple sports growing up; let them learn the different aspects of athletics and find the sport that fits them best at a higher level.
“Who knows what sport Ben will pick? He’s got four years yet before he has a chance to make that decision,” Dustin said. “I hope he just respects it, respects the game, continues to grow every single day — not only in sports, but in his own world and with family and friends and respecting everybody.”
The Brodina boys all play football and baseball in addition to basketball, while Tylie also plays volleyball and softball. The first one graduating from the multi-sport life will be Beau, who’s committed to play baseball at Lake Region State College, right next door to Devils Lake High School.
While he won’t get to play alongside Parker any longer, he’ll get to be on the same team as another Brodina: his cousin Hunter.
“I am super excited about him having the opportunity to play close to home, so I can continue to watch and see him grow,” Christa said. “Not everybody gets the opportunity to play college ball with their cousin that they’ve grown up playing with.”
Hunter went to Bemidji High School in Minnesota. He’s now in his freshman season on the Royals’ baseball team. And he isn’t even the first Brodina to come through LRSC: another cousin, Josie Brodina, played basketball there from 2020-22.
The Brodinas have made Devils Lake their home over the last several years, and they’re leaving their mark almost anywhere you look. Dustin is adamant that the success stems from their attitudes and values off the court.
“We just appreciate hard work and effort every single day,” Dustin said. “And don’t take anything for granted. Be appreciative for what you have, what God’s given you, and be thankful. And where that takes you, you never know. I mean, it might not be sports, might not be athletics. It might be faith. It might be schooling somewhere. Just be appreciative, respectful, and good things will happen.”
The Brodinas typically have a large section of support at any given game. Their family and friends travel all over North Dakota to watch them play, with tournaments taking place all the way from Minot to Fargo this year. As Christa says, they’re usually never alone in the stands. A contingent of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends are always there to root them on passionately.
“We have some really great friends in Devils Lake, and all of this just doesn’t happen without a good support system,” Christa said. “And we’ve been very blessed to have our family travel as much as they do, and our friends in the background helping give rides and whatever else if we’re at different games or different things with another kid. We have a lot of good people in our lives that help us out.”
The travel can be hectic and time-consuming — especially for Christa. Before one of the boys’ Region 2 tournament games in Mayville, she found out that Beau had forgotten his jersey, and she drove all the way back to Devils Lake to retrieve it and get back in time for the game. It’s all part of the life of a sports parent in North Dakota.
Gratitude is an important trait the Brodinas try to remember to have through it all. They’re in the prime time of their life right now, and of their children’s upbringing. The best thing they can do right now is just enjoy the ride. They emphasize the importance of sticking together as a family, and touching base with each other even at the end of a busy day.
“I feel that Dustin and I have a lot of true family values that we instill on our kids,” Christa said. “Our faith is pretty important to us. So we’re not afraid to say that and make our kids go to church on Sunday and go to church on Wednesday. And also, whenever we can, we eat at the dinner table together and talk about everybody’s day — talk about practice, talk about how the game went, and this and that. Everybody’s in on the conversation, and it’s not just one-sided — we talk about the boys, or we just talk about Tylie. Everybody adds in.”
The Brodinas have cemented their legacy in this town, and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. But even so, things can speed up on them when there’s so much happening at once. Some day, they’ll be able to reflect on this time as going by in almost a blur.
“We’ll definitely look back and say, ‘Holy cow, it went fast,’” Dustin said. “And just be thankful that we have a healthy family, healthy kids. We’ll look back on it and be appreciative that we took it all in… And hopefully someday I’ll have some grandkids that I can enjoy it with.”
So that’s why they stress the importance of being grateful for this time, and remembering what’s important even through all the hours of bus rides, or after a frustrating loss. This period in their lives is never going to happen again. So they might as well take full advantage of it.
“I’m trying to appreciate the moment, and live in the moment, and not blink and have it go too fast for me,” Christa said. “So I’m trying to just enjoy and soak up everything I can. Win or loss, I’m extremely proud of all of my children, and they know that Mom’s proud whether it’s a win or a loss. I’m probably still right there at the end of the game to give them their first sweaty hug.”
