The Native American All-Star Football Game, in which seventy Native American juniors and seniors in high school will compete against each other in a football game, is scheduled for January 7 at the Dallas Cowboys headquarters in Frisco, Texas.
The event is not only a chance for selected athletes to shine on the field but also a program for students to receive mentorship, college preparation and leadership training days before the big game.
Michael Stopp is the executive director of the Native American Atheltic Foundation, which is helping to put on the program. He said the goal is not just to get these athletes to Division One schools.
“The real purpose is to develop these young athletes to prepare for what's coming after high school and to help them be leaders in their community,” Stopp said.
NAAF partnered with the National Football League and Nike to make the competition possible.
“Nike will provide uniforms for the Native American All-Star Football Game and Camp as part of its efforts to grow the game of football, and sport in general, among Native American and Indigenous youth – a core tenet of its ongoing Nike N7 efforts,” said Scott Hanson, Nike brand director, in a press release.
Stopp said in the past, there were pilot programs with the Minnesota Vikings and the Atlanta Braves, and selected athletes stayed in close contact with mentor coaches to help them navigate the college application process.
“Not only [do] the kids get exposure to high-quality coaching, but they also get to see what can be by going to big stadiums,” Stopp said. “Many of them, for the first time, got to be inside an NFL stadium… and it was eye-opening for them to see what was possible.”
The deadline to apply for the game is December 6 at 5 p.m. To learn more, visit NAAF’s website.
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