Post by Okwes on Jul 6, 2006 14:00:31 GMT -5
Heading off for a 'lifetime experience'
BY DERRIK MILLER, Sun staff Writer
Jul 1, 2006, 11:33 pm
sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_25184.php
<http://sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_25184.php>
Six local American Indian baseball players are about
to embark on what coach Faron Owl said he hopes is a
"lifetime experience."
Richard Linder, Sam Laurenzana, Tobie Owl, Tylee Owl,
Josh Amador and Blaze LaChappa have all been selected
to represent the Quechan Nation at the North American
Indigenous Games, which start today in Denver, Colo.,
and conclude July 9.
The Games began in 1990 in Alberta, Canada, and are
modeled after the summer Olympics. They feature only
athletes from American Indian tribes across the United
States and Canada. More than 100 tribes are expected
to turn out for the annual event that takes place at a
different location each summer. Last year Buffalo,
N.Y., played host.
"This is probably the biggest thing to happen in my
life so far," said 18-year-old LaChappa, a second-team
all-conference selection last season while playing for
San Pasqual High School. "It'll be fun meeting new
people and interacting with other Indians."
Many of the traditional summer Olympic sports are on
the schedule. The six area athletes selected to
participate in baseball will compete in a 16- to
19-year-old juvenile division. Both Tobie Owl and
Laurenzana, who made the All-Arizona Team, batted over
.400 last season. Joining the local talent are eight
others from the Southern California area.
"One of the hardest things is getting individual
players from different communities, putting them
together and then saying, `This is how we play, and
these are the rules,' " said Faron Owl, who coaches
baseball and teaches Native American history at San
Pasqual. "That's always difficult, but it's been real
fun so far."
Faron Owl added that the Games are moving toward being
used as a method to select athletes to compete for
American Indians as one nation at the Olympics and
outside the umbrella of the United States.
"Eventually the Native Americans will be represented
in the Olympic Games with their own title and teams,"
said Owl, who will be coaching his sons Tobie, 17, and
Tylee, 16, when the Games begin. "There is that
possibility we could have one guy out of this selected
to represent us and that would be a major honor."
Participants are hand-selected by a committee that
assigns one person from each state or province to
organize a specific sport and to solicit the best
athletes from each reservation within that location.
Once an athlete is chosen, he or she has to raise
funds to pay the $1,760 entry fee.
But Faron Owl, who had to go through the same
selection process as his players, said the Quechan
tribe donated most of the money for his team to make
the trip.
"It's nice to have that kind of support from the
tribe," he said. "At the same time, it's an honor to
know these guys get to represent their tribal nation
at the games."
Linder, 17, of Yuma, has known Faron Owl for four
years and played for him in the Babe Ruth League for
two seasons. Owl said at first he didn't even know
Linder was American Indian. Linder's background also
includes German and Mexican roots.
"I don't have as much Indian as most everyone else,
but I think it's great to go represent my native
culture," Linder said.
Opening ceremonies kick off the competition today,
beginning with prayer from some of the most
influential American Indian leaders. Faron Owl added
it will be a highly motivational, spiritual and
educational time.
"For these young guys that are going, I know they
don't really see it yet, because they haven't
experienced it," he said. "But once they do, hopefully
this is something they'll never forget
BY DERRIK MILLER, Sun staff Writer
Jul 1, 2006, 11:33 pm
sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_25184.php
<http://sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_25184.php>
Six local American Indian baseball players are about
to embark on what coach Faron Owl said he hopes is a
"lifetime experience."
Richard Linder, Sam Laurenzana, Tobie Owl, Tylee Owl,
Josh Amador and Blaze LaChappa have all been selected
to represent the Quechan Nation at the North American
Indigenous Games, which start today in Denver, Colo.,
and conclude July 9.
The Games began in 1990 in Alberta, Canada, and are
modeled after the summer Olympics. They feature only
athletes from American Indian tribes across the United
States and Canada. More than 100 tribes are expected
to turn out for the annual event that takes place at a
different location each summer. Last year Buffalo,
N.Y., played host.
"This is probably the biggest thing to happen in my
life so far," said 18-year-old LaChappa, a second-team
all-conference selection last season while playing for
San Pasqual High School. "It'll be fun meeting new
people and interacting with other Indians."
Many of the traditional summer Olympic sports are on
the schedule. The six area athletes selected to
participate in baseball will compete in a 16- to
19-year-old juvenile division. Both Tobie Owl and
Laurenzana, who made the All-Arizona Team, batted over
.400 last season. Joining the local talent are eight
others from the Southern California area.
"One of the hardest things is getting individual
players from different communities, putting them
together and then saying, `This is how we play, and
these are the rules,' " said Faron Owl, who coaches
baseball and teaches Native American history at San
Pasqual. "That's always difficult, but it's been real
fun so far."
Faron Owl added that the Games are moving toward being
used as a method to select athletes to compete for
American Indians as one nation at the Olympics and
outside the umbrella of the United States.
"Eventually the Native Americans will be represented
in the Olympic Games with their own title and teams,"
said Owl, who will be coaching his sons Tobie, 17, and
Tylee, 16, when the Games begin. "There is that
possibility we could have one guy out of this selected
to represent us and that would be a major honor."
Participants are hand-selected by a committee that
assigns one person from each state or province to
organize a specific sport and to solicit the best
athletes from each reservation within that location.
Once an athlete is chosen, he or she has to raise
funds to pay the $1,760 entry fee.
But Faron Owl, who had to go through the same
selection process as his players, said the Quechan
tribe donated most of the money for his team to make
the trip.
"It's nice to have that kind of support from the
tribe," he said. "At the same time, it's an honor to
know these guys get to represent their tribal nation
at the games."
Linder, 17, of Yuma, has known Faron Owl for four
years and played for him in the Babe Ruth League for
two seasons. Owl said at first he didn't even know
Linder was American Indian. Linder's background also
includes German and Mexican roots.
"I don't have as much Indian as most everyone else,
but I think it's great to go represent my native
culture," Linder said.
Opening ceremonies kick off the competition today,
beginning with prayer from some of the most
influential American Indian leaders. Faron Owl added
it will be a highly motivational, spiritual and
educational time.
"For these young guys that are going, I know they
don't really see it yet, because they haven't
experienced it," he said. "But once they do, hopefully
this is something they'll never forget