2011 Native Youth Olympics: Celebrating Heritage Through Sport

It’s a test of will, strength, and agility that follows historic Alaska Native traditions.

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By Corey Allen-Young
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Story Created: Apr 29, 2011 at 11:53 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Apr 29, 2011 at 11:53 AM AKDT

It’s a test of will, strength, and agility that follows historic Alaska Native traditions.

Nearly 500 young men and women from across Alaska are ready to kickoff the Native Youth Olympics Friday in Anchorage.

With names like the seal hop, kneel jump and Alaskan high kick; the games at the Native Youth Olympics push the body to its limit.

They are skills that in the past were used to test crucial abilities, like hunting and fishing, in order to survive that are now part of exciting and grueling competitions to be Alaska's best.  

It’s a skill set most are not used to seeing and a chance for hundreds of Alaska's kids to showcase talents that go beyond the muscle and right into the past by competing in events that Alaska Native ancestors did just to survive

“The scissor broad jump was a game to help improve reflexes to jump from iceberg to iceberg if the ice ever broke underneath their feet,” said Casey Ferguson, a coach for the Anchorage NYO team.

“We are doing what they had to do and this kind of shows us how everything was before this time,” said Aniak NYO athlete Jared Thorson.

Anchorage NYO athlete Andrew Demientieff showed Corey the correct way to do the one-foot high kick.

“You’re going to take a two- or three-step approach. Take off with both your feet, rip your arms up as high as you can, just bring your knees up to your chest, kick the ball and land on the same kicking leg,” explained Demientieff.

It’s a challenge that's not as easy as it looks and Thorson of Aniak stressed the importance of stamina in such events.

“It’s more complicated than kicking a ball up in the air. There's the correct form, technique,” said Ferguson.

Coaches and athletes practice year-round for the opportunity to not just be number one but to be apart of a tradition and culture that pushes its people to succeed.

Demientieff said he is reaching for at least eight feet in the two-foot high kick competition.

The Native Youth Olympics kick off Friday, April 29, at the Dena'ina Convention Center in Anchorage bright and early at 8 a.m.

The games last until Sunday, May 1. Admission is free to the public.

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