Month: February 2017

Hawks fall to Mt. Vernon Christian, 30-66

 

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News 

The (8-11) Tulalip Heritage Hawks entered the District 1B Tournament as the #7 seed, and as such traveled to Mt. Vernon to take on the local Hurricanes of Mt. Vernon Christian on Tuesday, February 7.

The Hawks were never able to get their offense going in this one. In fact, the 30 points scored was the second lowest scoring output on the season. On the defensive side, they had no answer for the Hurricanes best player, #15 Bryson Smith, who was able to get to the rim whenever he wanted. When the Hawks adjusted their defense to pack the paint, the Hurricanes responded in kind by making 3-point shots. It was just one of those games for the Hawks where the matchups weren’t in their favor.

Guard Paul Shay, Jr. led the Hawks with 10 points, while Nashone Whitebear and Josh Iukes both added 6 points.

Following the loss, Tulalip will now play in a loser-out game with their opponent to be determined.

Go Hard or Go Home winter season

 

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News 

Created in February of last year, the Tulalip Go Hard or Go Home community basketball league just completed its third season. Developed and organized by Youth Services staff, with games hosted at the Tulalip Youth Center, the league is a prime outlet for basketball players of every level. And most importantly, everyone is welcome to participate.

“I feel this basketball league brings the community a tad bit closer to our youth by connecting with them, being in our home gym competing and having fun,” says Tulalip Activities Specialist and league co-coordinator Shawn Sanchey. “It’s a great activity to keep our youth and community active while keeping a consistent workout available.”

In its third season there were nine teams playing, with each team carrying eight roster spots. Including the add/drops, there was an estimated eighty players who hooped it up on the Tulalip hardwood on a weekly basis. Ages ranged from early teens to elder statesmen. The league is also co-ed by design, a rule is in place stating each team has to have a female hooper on the court at all times.

 

“To me, it brings the community together in a positive healthy way,” states fellow co-coordinator of the league Darcy Enick-Grant. “Of course mostly locals participate, but the league gives us an opportunity to welcome other friends and athletes to our reservation. We see families supporting their loved ones, see our youth participating and helping keep score. Overall it brings our community together.”

Giving Tulalip ballers the best bang for their buck has been a priority through the first three seasons. In fact, costs have been minimal and the amount of games plenty when compared to surrounding basketball leagues. This latest Tulalip league charged only $150 per team for a season comprised of ten regular season games, plus playoffs. That’s close to nothing when compared to the near $600 per team fee that most leagues commonly charge for only a guaranteed six to eight games.

“My favorite moments from this league is no matter what the outcome, our people have a good time playing ball and they end up with smiles on their faces!,” adds Shawn. “I think everyone loves the experience of having our own league in Tulalip.”

 

 

Going forward, Youth Services staff will continue to look for ways to make the league better and more official. Possibly increasing the team entry fee in order to have patched refs work each game would bring a more organized feel for sure. Also, better planning for rules and regulation would be clutch, so all players and league staff are on the same page at all times.

Be on the lookout for future league notification in the Tulalip See-Yaht-Sub. If you have any questions or would like more information about the Tulalip basketball league, please contact Josh Fryberg, Youth Services Coordinator, at 360-716-4908.

College hoopers inspire Quil Ceda Tulalip students

 

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Friday, February 3, the always energetic morning assembly at Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary (QCT) received a special visit from the very successful Skagit Valley College women’s basketball team, featuring Tulalip’s own Adiya Jones.

The assembly focused on the importance of staying in school and doing your best every day in and out of the classroom. The student-athletes of Skagit Valley passed the mic around and told the youthful students about the importance of being a good citizen in order to achieve their dreams.

 

 

Hearing Adiya and her teammates speak on the values that they as college student-athletes feel are important is a source of inspiration for the young, spirited minds of QCT. Especially when it comes to being able to hear from Adiya, who grew up in Tulalip, went to school in Tulalip, and is now succeeding on the college level.

“Assemblies like this are a win-win for everyone involved,” says Steve Epperson, Skagit Valley Athletic Director and women’s basketball coach. “The college team gets the experience of talking with students, answering questions, talking about their experiences and challenges they faced with being successful in school. They also get to talk about their college experience and the importance of staying in school, being good citizens, and studying. All values that are required of students today.”

For the elementary students, they not only got to see and hear from student-athlete role models, but also got to interact with them on the basketball court. The women hoopers held interactive demonstrations with the students that included various dribbling drills, a shooting display, and a short scrimmage.

 

 

Following the assembly, the Skagit Valley athletes split up and went to individual classrooms where they got to further interact with the students. They helped them with their in-class assignments and continued to answer questions about college and playing basketball.

The Quil Ceda Tulalip / Skagit Valley experience was beneficial not only for the younger students, but for the college students as well.

“I think that’s really good for both groups,” adds Coach Epperson. “The elementary students get to see role models, ask questions, and see how exciting it can be to be successful in college. While being a valuable experience for the college students, too, as learn to step up as role models and give back to their communities.”

 

 

Teaching discipline, healthy exercise through boxing

 

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News 

“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see,” reads a quote that was once stated by the arguably (and self-proclaimed) greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali. The quote is a part of a photo collage, comprised of inspirational words by professional boxers, that hangs on a back wall, on the second floor, of the Don Hatch Youth Center. Tables and chairs that once occupied this space were cleared, and two punching bags were added to the second floor lounging area.

Boxing is a combat sport that has been popular for centuries and can be traced back to the early days of Ancient Greece. Over time, boxing has improved. With safety in mind, weight classes were added and rules were set. Many legends such as such as Ali, Tyson and both Sugar Ray’s have inspired young adults all over the world to step into the ring. In the nineties, Native American World Heavyweight Champion Joe “The Boss” Hipp, inspired many tribes to start boxing programs on their reservations.

Training for the sport is no small feat and is a great way to get into shape. Boxing matches require focus and endurance which is the reason the training includes conditioning and strength training. Aside from exercise, there are many benefits to boxing including self-defense, discipline, and confidence; as well as healthy stress and anger management.

 

“I thought it would be a good idea because I see that some of our tribal kids have a tough time controlling their anger, or channeling it in a good way,” states Tulalip Youth Services Boxing Coach, Seiya Kitchens. Seiya also teaches within the Marysville School District and has been training for about seven years. With a background in karate and amateur boxing experience, Seiya has been training the youth, between the sixth and twelfth grade, of the Tulalip community for the past three months.

Youth Boxing is held on each Thursday and Friday of the week and Seiya invites all youth of any fitness level to participate. Beginners learn all of the fundamental techniques, such as their jab and stance, before moving on to speed and bag drills.

 

 

In today’s social media society, fights in high school are a spectacle that is often recorded and shared across Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. This is a popular trend that Seiya is well aware of and has made his stance on fighting outside of the ring clear, warning his students, if they wish to continue to train, then fighting is not permitted.

In the future, Seiya envisions Youth Services incorporating live inter-tribal boxing matches (e.g., Tulalip vs. Lummi) into the program. He believes the matches would generate revenue by means of food concessions and vendors, and would be a great way to bring communities together.

“I just want to help the kids. I think [the program] promotes healthy exercise and teaches discipline, but most importantly I think it prepares them for life. They show up every week ready to go. They love it and it shows through their hard work,” states Seiya.

For more information about Youth Boxing please contact Youth Services at (360) 716-4909.

 

Why study Philosophy?

Submitted by Jeanne Steffener, Tulalip Tribes Higher ED

A degree in philosophy can be useful for professions beyond an academic career. Degrees such as this can help in the world of business, where a background in philosophy can pave the way for change. Philosophy has proved itself to be not only relevant but also the basis of great innovation in business. Some of the most successful technology innovators today have paired their background in philosophy and critical thinking to develop new digital services now used in various domains of society. Leaders in industry have used their creative thought processes honed in studying philosophy to envision unique perspectives plus taking that necessary chance to put their perspectives out in the public domain shaping a new business world.

Studying philosophy helps to develop strong critical thinking skills and business instincts. Philosophy is a very challenging major and has rigorous standards. Open-ended assignments push philosophy students to find and take on a unique aspect of the work of the philosopher that they are studying, frame their thinking around a fresh and interesting question, or make original connections between the writings of two (2) distinct thinkers. Philosophers will be the ones to grapple with the biggest issues facing our world.

Advances in physics, technology and neuroscience pose an ever-evolving set of questions about the nature of the world and man’s place in it. These are questions that we do not yet have the answers to but philosophers are persistently exploring theories and arguments. Morality and meaning also pose more questions which ancient thinkers earlier dwelled upon but continue to resurface as humanity evolves. These are questions like: How should we treat one another? What does it mean to live a good life? Who should have that good life? Does everyone deserve good, inexpensive healthcare?

Philosophy explores the deepest, broadest questions of life — why we exist, how society should organize, how institutions should relate to society and the purpose of human striving. With globalization, many businesses are beginning to take social responsibility to heart. Those with philosophy at their core who care and are able to think critically about global and humanitarian issues will be the ones who are poised to create change. As you begin to challenge your own point of view, become a citizen of the world, recognize your responsibilities to the world and have the ability to grapple with moral choices, you increase your humanity and empathy. As you struggle to come to grips with these challenges, you end up embracing a global-mindedness and humanistic perspective, as well as becoming a more desirable job candidate.

Practically speaking, there is plenty of evidence that philosophy is very useful as an undgraduate degree. It not only prepares students for a graduate work in philosophy but for a variety of fields as well. Philosophy majors are top preformers on both the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). The LSAT is an integral part of the law school admission process in the United States, Canada, and a growing number of other countries. It provides a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools can use as one of several factors in assessing applicants. The GRE is commonly used by many graduate schools. GRE tests measure one’s aptitude for abstract thinking in the areas of analytical writing, mathematics and vocabulary. Philosophy can also be a catalyst to medicine.

If you are looking for a challenge in life, philosophy can give you a competitive edge in life and business. Please call Higher ED staff at 360-716-4888 or email us at highered@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov to find out more information.

Lady Hawks finish regular season 16-3, will host playoff game

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

 

The (14-2) Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks basketball team were riding a 10-game win streak when they played at Grace Academy to face the (5-8) Eagles on Tuesday, January 24.

In the 1st quarter, the Lady Hawks offense was slow to get going before senior center Cyena Fryberg scored back-to-back baskets. A basket by Georgie Randall and free throws by Aliya Jones put the Lady Hawks ahead 11-5.

The 2nd quarter was back and forth with the two teams trading baskets. At halftime, Tulalip was ahead 21-17 in a game they had yet to break loose in. That all changed when the Lady Hawks came out of halftime with their foot on the gas pedal.

Junior guard Keryn Parks led the offensive onslaught with 9 points in the quarter, while each other starter got in on the action. Not only did the girls score a game-high 17 points in the 3rd quarter, but their defense couldn’t have been better. They held the Eagles scoreless in the 3rd and took a commanding 21-point lead, 38-17, into the final quarter of play.

Deandra Grant scored four field goals for 8 points in the game’s final minutes to secure a 52-31 victory. Keryn led all scorers with 17 points, Deandra had 12 points, and Aliya added 11 points. The win made it eleven Ws in a row for the now (15-2) Lady Hawks.

A few days later, the Lady Hawks traveled to Mountlake Terrace to take on their biggest competition in the Northwest 1B League, the Cedar Park Christian Lions. These two teams previously met on January 6 at Tulalip, where the Lady Hawks won 41-23 and gave the Lions their only L on the season.

In the 1st quarter, Tulalip trailed 0-7 before Deandra got her team on the board with a bucket. That would be the team’s only points in the quarter as the guards weren’t able to knock down any of their 3-point attempts. As a team, the girls shot 0-8 from 3-pt territory and 0-2 from the charity stripe in the opening quarter.

In the 2nd quarter, trailing 2-12, Myna and Aliya both hit a 3-pointer and Deandra added two more buckets from the painted area. The defense did its job and held Cedar Park to only four points in the quarter, putting the Lady Hawks right back in the game and trailing by only four points, 12-16 at halftime. It was the lowest score half for both teams on the season with defense being played at a high level and no offense coming easy.

The 3rd quarter was much more defense and very little offense. In fact, the Lady Hawks were held scoreless and Cedar Park only scored three points. With the game still very much in reach, trailing 12-19, the Lady Hawks weren’t able to respond and go on that scoring run we’re used to seeing. The girls were content to pass the ball around the perimeter because no one was eager to put a shot up.

Over the game’s final few minutes, Cedar Park knocked down a few more jumpers while Tulalip struggled to execute. On this day, Cedar Park was just plainly the better team by being able to out execute the Lady Hawks on both ends of the floor. When the game ended, the Lady Hawks had been held to their lowest offensive output of the season in a 15-32 loss.

Deandra led her team with 7 points, while Alyia and Myrna both had 3 points, and Keryn Parks added 2 points.

The loss cost the Lady Hawks the #1 seed in the upcoming District 1B playoffs, but they will still host a home game as the #3 seed. They host the Grace Academy Eagles on Tuesday, February 5 at 5:45 p.m. at Francy J. Sheldon gymnasium.

Hawks qualify for postseason

 

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News 

 

Coming off their best stretch of the season, a three-game win streak, the (6-9) Tulalip Heritage Hawks basketball team played at Grace Academy on Tuesday, January 24, to take on the (4-9) Eagles.

The Hawks came out like a team on a win streak as everything was going their way early. The offense was clicking and the defense was wreaking havoc. Tulalip took a 15-5 lead that they extended to 19-8 at the end of the 1st quarter.

In the 2nd quarter, the game dramatically changed when junior guard Josh Iukes, the primary playmaker for the Hawks, hit the deck and injured the wrist on his shooting hand. With Josh on the sidelines getting his wrist attended to, his team was out of sorts. Tulalip wasn’t able to muster any offense and got outscored 0-14 in the quarter.

Trailing 19-22 at halftime, the Hawks looked to get their offense going by playing through their big man, junior center Rodney Barber. Rodney quickly scored back-to-back buckets to give his team a 23-22 lead. Both teams traded two buckets each, tying the game up at 27-27 with one quarter to play.

In the 4th quarter, with Josh Iukes out of the game with the injured wrist, freshman guard Joshua Miranda did his best to provide offense. He hit two 3-pointers to give the Hawks a slim lead, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Eagles continued to execute their offense. Tulalip did their best to hold their own without their primary playmaker, but it was just too much to overcome. The Eagles won 41-38, ending the Hawks win streak.

Joshua Miranda led the Hawks in scoring with 12 points, Rodney had 9 points, and Josh Iukes and Nashone Whitebear each scored 6 points.

Three days later, the (6-10) Hawks traveled to Mountlake Terrace to take on the league’s top team, the (13-3) Lions from Cedar Park Christian.

It was a highly entertaining game as Tulalip refused to be intimidated by the bigger Lions squad. Even with Hawks big man, Rodney Barber, in foul trouble seemingly the entire game, the Hawks were undeterred. The guards kept attacking the rim and the forwards did their best to grab rebounds.

The Hawks never led outside of the 1st quarter, but even so they kept themselves within striking distance. The size advantage and Rodney’s foul trouble were factors, but just a couple more makes and the Hawks could have scored a big upset over Cedar Park. Tulalip lost a close one, 58-65.

After a forfeit by Arlington Christian, the Hawks (7-11) hosted the (3-9) Providence Classical Christian Highlanders at Francy J. Sheldon gymnasium. The game marked the end of the regular season.

In their final home game, Tulalip fans came out and cheered loudly for their Hawks team. Center Rodney Barber had the game of his life as he started out red hot from the field. Recognizing Rodney’s huge height advantage over the smaller Highlander team, the Hawks ran their offense through their big man and he did not disappoint. He scored 13 points in the opening quarter. With guard Josh Iukes’ wrist on the mend, he added a few jumpers that gave his team a 20-8 lead.

The Hawks continued to light up the scoreboard in the 2nd quarter, outscoring the Highlanders 18-6, and taking a commanding 38-14 lead into halftime.

Rodney continued to take advantage of his mismatch and scored three more quick buckets to start the 2nd half. That would be all that was necessary as Tulalip went on to win a decisive one, 68-43. Barber finished with a season high 24 points, while Josh Iukes and Nashone Whitebear each added 9 points.

The victory upped the Hawks record to (8-11) and ends the regular season on a high note. Winning five out of their last seven games secured the Hawks a spot in the District 1B playoffs. They will travel to Mt. Vernon Christian on Tuesday, February 7 to play the hosting Hurricanes at 8:00 p.m.