Local NYO meet fosters camaraderie over rivalry

HOUSTON — As dozens of athletes tested their skills at the Native Youth Olympics Mat-Su Regional Meet at Houston High School Saturday, the spirit of NYO for many was more about the support than the competition.

“It’s not fun unless you support each other,” NYO athlete, Tezlyn Kerrone said.

The events featured in the NYO harken to Alaska Native traditions that go back thousands of years. Each event has ties to honing practical survival skills that made subsistence in Alaska’s fierce climate possible.

Kerrone, 14, took third in the girls’ Indian Stick Pull Saturday. Throughout the competition, she was laughing, joking and cheering on her fellow athletes. This is her fourth year competing in NYO. She said the Indian stick pull is her main sport and she’s gone to state for a variety of events each year. She was surrounded by many familiar and encouraging faces.

“The community is awesome here because it’s like one big family,” Kerrone said.

After the top three winners were announced, Kerrone hugged the other two girls. Shayne Westland, 13, placed in second place and Bryanna Luafulu, 14, took first this year.

Luafulu said this was her first time winning at the NYO on top of her first time ever competing. She said that she plans on participating next year and had fun testing her skills with the other girls.

“We all love each other,” Luafulu said.

When the three girls stepped on the podium with their medals, they looked at each other and did a quick group dance, waving their arms up and down, laughing with big smiles on their faces.

“I think it really brings out the native culture and shows us that it’s really fun,” Kerrone said.

Westland has been competing in NYO since the fourth grade. She shared Kerrone’s sentiment about the “one big family” analogy and said the NYO was like a, “second home away from home.”

Each year, more than 2,000 students from more than 50 communities across Alaska participate in the NYO, according to the state’s website. NYO is deeply rooted in Alaska Native culture but it’s open to youth from all backgrounds.

As time goes on and Alaska modernizes, it can be difficult for age old traditions to last in the face of assimilation. Westland said that she felt like the Alaska Native culture as a whole “gets cut down” every year. She did note however that these games serve as an effective means of preserving the past while unifying the people of today.

“It brings everyone back together like they used to and it brings the culture back to life,” Westland said.

These games are designed to not only test the individual’s strengths, skill and knowledge but also encourage camaraderie amongst the athletes. That spirit was on full display inside’s HHS’s gym as many of the athletes joked with each other and cheered people on.

Numerous athletes were heard giving advice to others. Theodore Phillip was one of them. On several occasions he yelled out, “point your foot out,” while his fellow teens tried to kick the ball during the boys’ Alaskan high kick.

English wasn’t Phillip’s first language, it was Yupik. He said that both of his parents are Yupik and he grew up in two small villages (Kongiganak and Tuluksak) before moving to the Valley last year. He said the Valley is “pretty good place” to live and it was much busier than he was used to.

“I heard on TV how the city never sleeps. It’s just like that, the city never sleeps,” Phillip said.

Phillip said that one of his favorite things about the NYO was the feeling of walking in his ancestor’s footsteps. He said that he tries to speak Yupik with the younger generation to help the language and the culture itself alive.

“It’s very important,” Phillip said.

Bernard Clark was standing at the sidelines with his 3-month-old so, Theo.

“Future NYO athlete right here,” Clark said.

Clark and his wife, Adia, have been coaching NYO several years. He said the core of NYO is not based in competitive rivalries and is actually encouraging the opposite. He said it’s more about personal growth and sharing experiences with others to help them grow.

“It allows peers to get insight from others. That’s more important than competing against each other. Your goal really is to do your best,” Clark said.

Clark said that he’s watched many of these teens grow since they were in elementary school. Looking out at the eclectic room of young athletes congratulating each other and cheering each other on, he smiled, checking on his son’s position in his arms to make sure he was comfortable.

“To see them grow up and go to state, it’s a blessing,” Clark said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com