Native Organizers Alliance launched the First Light Scholar-Athlete pilot program to create exposure, access, opportunities, and preparedness for Native American students who are interested in establishing and widening their path into college athletics.
Starting on July 17, the program sent 14 Native student-athletes for a week of training hosted by the University of Massachusetts/Boston Institute for New England Native American Studies and to compete in a basketball tournament. Participants for this pilot program came from tribal communities in Utah, Montana, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Connecticut, and North Carolina.
There are more than 100 colleges and universities in New England offering basketball at the NCAA Division 1, 2 and 3 levels. Participants will have a chance to visit other area college campuses and connect with coaches and university staff to get an insight into what coaches look for when recruiting student-athletes to their programs and how to best prepare for the college admissions process.
“We are excited to provide this opportunity for Native student-athletes who are often overlooked by colleges due to underfunding and lack of scouting in rural communities,” said TeAta DeCorah (Oneida Nation, Ho-Chunk Nation, Nakoda Nation), special projects manager for NOA. “We need to see more funding for programs like this so our youth can not only show their basketball talent but explore educational opportunities as well.”
DeCorah is a member of the pilot program’s “advisory circle” alongside educational advisors and Native basketball coaches with high school and college experience.
Upon the pilot’s success, Native Organizers Alliance plans to expand the reach of the program by opening up applications nationwide to all of Indian Country.
Basketball has been a widely popular sport on reservations and within rural Native villages across the country for decades, generating community pride and a fanbase that expands all age groups.
“Basketball is a pastime in many Native communities,” said DeCorah. “Many see basketball as a modern expression of Indigenous identity, and a way to bring community together.”