Native Youth Olympics make competitors feel like family
Participants in the friendship cloth ceremony took home a piece of the cloth as a remembrance of the event.
Teams and competitors came from across southcentral Alaska for the Kahtnuht’ana Hey Chi’ula Native Youth Olympics Invitational. Despite people coming from so many different places, the event feels like one big family reunion.
“It’s really good to be able to come together with people from other places, to compete with other people, and get to know other people,” said Dalayla Patillo, a member of the Tribe’s Yaghanen Youth Program Ggugguyni team.
In fact, among many of the participants, friendship and camaraderie are as important as the competition – if not more so.
“Here, people are like family,” said Merlin Peterson of the Salamatof team.
Participants in the friendship cloth ceremony entirely circle the Skyview Middle School gym. Each person took home a piece of the cloth as a remembrance of the event.
One of the highlights of NYO for Peterson is catching up with a friend from a different team, and cheering for each other. Despite being on different teams, they enjoy seeing each other improve.
“He gives me lots of advice, and I give him lots of advice,” Peterson said.
Peterson said his favorite event is the kneel jump, which challenges competitors to start from a kneeling position and jump up and forward, landing on both feet.
“It gives me a challenge,” Peterson said.
Ian Zell of the Ninilchik team also said he liked the kneel jump.
“I just challenge myself to go farther on each jump,” Zell said.
The Kahtnuht’ana Drummers perform during the powwow.
Anastaysya Lukianov, also from Ninilchik, said her favorite event is the one-hand reach, where competitors balance all of their weight on one hand and reach for a ball suspended above them with the other.
“It’s an event that not many people can do. I’ve spent a ton of time working on it, and gotten pretty good,” Lukianov said.
Lukianov said she likes how supportive NYO is.
“No one is trying to bring anyone down. Everyone will help you,” Lukianov said.
Ryan Glenzel shakes hands with others participating in a round dance at the powwow.
Chase Johnson of the Qutekcek team said his favorite events are the one-hand reach and the one-foot high kick, in which competitors jump from two feet, kick a ball suspended above them with one foot – and then land on just the kicking foot. He said the events allow him to use his dominant hand and foot.
NYO, Johnson said, “is just like a big family.”
“It’s not like a competition, it’s more like a meet-and-greet, and everyone tries to help,” Johnson said.
Allison Merkes of the Sterling Ch’anikna team also appreciates the supportive environment.
Dancers including Tony Ward, at right, take to the gym floor at the start of the Native Youth Olympics Invitational’s powwow.
“I like all the sportsmanship, and how nice my teammates are,” Merkes said. “I like having the crowd and seeing my teammates and other people compete, and learning from them. … (it’s good) to see how different tribes do it, and how Alaska Native people used to do it.”
Merkes said her favorite event is the wrist carry, in which a competitor, from a sitting position, hooks their wrist over a pole to lift themselves off the ground and is carried by two other people for as long as they can hang on.
“It gives you strength in your arms,” Merkes said.
Shaylee Schweitzer of the Homer Halibuts team said her favorite event is the Dene stick pull, in competitors try to wrest a greased stick from their opponent. The event simulates grabbing a wriggling, slippery salmon.
Boyuk Ggugguyni Coxwell accepts the first place award for the senior Inuit stick pull event.
“There’s a technique to it – I push forward and pull sideways,” Schweitzer said.
During the invitational, Schweitzer was helping some younger competitors as they were warming up for the two-foot high kick. She said it’s a lot of fun to help others.
“It’s like an extended family every time you go to a meet,” Schweitzer said. “Nobody knocks you down, they build you up as much as possible.”
Theron McMillen of the Kenaitze team also likes the Dene stick pull.
“It requires strength, and it definitely helps you work on it,”
Braydon Mitchell of Kenaitze competes in the Inuit stick pull event.
McMillen said.
He said he joined NYO for the camaraderie.
“I wanted to join because it sounded like fun,” McMillen said. “There’s also lots of friends making it more fun, and it’s nice to meet new people outside of your own team.”
Colton Paul, of Anchorage, concentrates on the bag as he competes in the two-foot high kick, where he set a new record.
Alexie Nichols competes for Kenaitze in the arm pull event.
Micha Flynn competes in the kneel jump for Kenaitze.
