Mindsets and methods matter more than muscles for some medalists at Traditional Games

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Frommherz, Eva Goertzen, Diego Gomez, Walter Haube Law, Dane Hubert, Kaylee Koelsch, Warren Koski, Zoe Lessard, Lua Mangaccat, Isabelle Martin, Della Mearig, Ames Patterson, Isaac Phelps, Megan Pierce, John Polasky, Isabella Reyes-Boyer, Emilia Shelton-Walker, Kira Tupou, Meliame Tupou, and Richard Tupou.

Sophomores – Angus Andrews, Kanny Andrews, Sabine Auger, Zacheriah Bos, Isaiah Santino Carrillo, Amelia Elfers, Adyn Escue, Adele Fanning, Logan Fellman, Lumi Fermin, Maleena Fisi, Mary Fisi, Haley Gilbert, Justin Henry, Austin Huang, Gage Keller, Kaia Mangaccat, Eva Meyer, Caden Morris, Tyler Oudekerk, Orion Paden, Kaycee Parady, Willie Perry, Eylah Petershoare, Krew Ridle, Bryden Roberts, Tyler Robinson, Makia Silva, Morgan Sowa, Erik Thompson, Helen Wall, and Elijah Wyatt.

Freshmen – Zoe Brown-Cortes, Bella Connally, Sigrid Eller, Shandiin Frommherz, Nevin Goertzen, Lydia Goins, Adalyn Hartman, Mya Hayes, Emmett Hightower, Keira Jenkins, Carson Kautz, Finnan Kelly, John McGuire, Ida Meyer, Anderson Murray, Hugo Rank, Sunna Schane, Freya Shelton-Walker, Leonidas Taualo Tasi, Craig Thorsteinson, Madeline Tingey, Santino Travasso, Lucas Vallejo, Ethan Ward, Athena Warr, Sylvion Washington, and Lucas Wyatt.On a scale from zero to 100, Quentin O’Domin was feeling a 98 — as in he managed to jump high enough for both of his feet to touch a ball hanging that many inches high above the gym floor and country wise email marketing list land without falling.

The 17-year-old West Anchorage High School student almost, but not quite, hit the 100-inch mark during subsequent tries a couple of minutes later, making contact with the ball but unable to keep his footing.

His feat nonetheless stood as the best two-foot high kick managed by anyone during the eighth annual Traditional Games that took place between Friday and Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. The gathering, part of the Native Youth Olympics (NYO), featured more than 250 athletes representing 30 middle school, high school and open division teams from throughout Alaska as well as other states and Canada’s Yukon territory.

Medalists are honored during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Medalists are honored during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Participants compete in a dozen events based on ancient hunting and survival skills of the Iñupiaq people. But O’Domin proved at least some of the ability is inherent — or at least instinctive — since he just started competing in NYO events last year at his mother’s urging.