NATIVE YOUTH OLYMPICS

About the games

For thousands of years and countless generations, survival for Alaska Native people depended not only on individual strength, skill and knowledge, but also on the ability to work together toward common goals. Traditional athletic contests and games helped develop these skills critical to everyday life in the challenging Alaska environment.

Today’s Native Youth Olympic Games carry on in this spirit, encouraging young people to strive for their personal best while helping and supporting their teammates, and even other teams. While today’s world is very different than when the games originated in 1971, the skills and values they instill are just as important now as then. NYO Games Alaska is a year-round program that has a quantifiable positive impact on more than 2,000 youth each year. and helps to develop healthy lifestyles, positive self-esteem, leadership and teamwork, while promoting good sportsmanship and fostering a better understanding between diverse communities and cultures.

The competition is open to all Alaskan students in grades 1 to 12 regardless of ethnic origin. The students must be in good standing with their respective schools. NYO is a vehicle for participants to gain confidence and improve self esteem. NYO puts an emphasis on flexibility, power, balance, concentration, agility, physical strength, and stamina. There are medals given out for first through fifth place finishers in each event in both the boys and girls divisions.

The most coveted award given at any NYO competition is the Good Sportsmanship award. This award is given to one senior (7-12 grade) girl and one senior boy. There is also a team Good Sportsmanship award, which is heavily prized, as this is the real emphasis of NYO.

NYO influences our young people to improve academic performance, strengthen overall health and well-being, and instills important values, including leadership and respect—values that make strong communities and build tomorrow’s leaders.

A 2019 survey emphasizing NYO’s impact was completed by 434 NYO athletes in grades 7-12. Here’s what we learned:

81% credited NYO as an incentive to stay in school
74% improved or maintained good grades in order to continue participation in NYO Games
42% indicated indicated a better understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
85% see themselves as role-models for future NYO athletes
93% learned about Alaska Native culture and values
91% developed new friendships with other athletes
206 athletes stopped or reduced the use of tobacco, drugs, or alcohol
65% indicated they practice at least 6 or more hours per week

COMPETITIVE EVENTS

ALL INFO, PICTURES AND VIDEOS COURTESY OF CITCI.ORG

Scissor Broad Jump

The Scissor Broad Jump requires athletes to make four continuous hops/steps without losing balance.

Athletes will have three attempts to achieve their longest jump. Measurements will be taken to the ¼-inch from the heel of the foot closest to the starting line. Athletes can use shoes, mukluks or bare feet. There is a 1-minute time limit. The sequence of hops/steps is as follows:

Starting from a standing position, with both feet parallel, athletes will jump forward simultaneously off both feet.
Land on one foot. Either foot is acceptable.
Keeping forward momentum, swing the free leg behind the leg that was landed on and shift your weight to it so that the foot you landed on is now free. Note: When crossing your leg behind the landing leg, do not swing or move your body to one side and make sure to maintain forward momentum. You must show your cross-over around the leg you land on, not just behind the foot. No double pump of the knee. Keep shoulders square.
Jump forward with the free foot.
Then jump forward to a two foot landing position. The body must be facing forward when landing. Do not move either foot and if any part of the body touches the floor it will counted as a scratch in the attempt. Movement must be continued throughout the entire jump. Stopping will result in that attempt being considered a scratch.

The athlete who jumps the farthest distance wins.

Traditionally, the Scissor Broad Jump was used to practice balance needed when jumping on ice floes, and to keep warm.

STATE RECORDS

BOYS 36' 6 1/4"

Alan VelascoCordova

GIRLS 30' 1"

Madi KoMat-Su A2017

Alaskan High Kick

A tour-de-force of body and mind, the Alaskan High Kick is one of the most elegant and photographed events of the games.

To prepare for the kick, athletes sit on the floor and balance on one foot while reaching across the torso to hold the other foot. Leaning back on the opposite hand, athletes thrust the balancing foot straight up to kick a suspended ball, then land on the kicking foot—without losing balance.

The ball is raised in increments of four inches after each round. Each athlete is allowed three attempts at each height. When all but three athletes have been eliminated, the ball is raised in one-inch increments until there is a winner.

STATE RECORDS

BOYS 93”

Andrew WhiteLKSD2009

Yako McCarrLKSD2010

GIRLS 83’’

Autumn RidleyAnchorage2014

Indian Stick Pull

Smaller athletes can prevail over much larger opponents in the Indian Stick Pull. Contestants stand next to each other facing in opposite directions, and each place their near foot forward and alongside the outside of their opponent’s.

Athletes’ feet must be kept on marked positions, and no other body contact is allowed. With their near arms held down, contestants grab the opposite end of a tapered and greased wooden dowel. On the start signal, athletes attempt to pull the stick from their opponent’s hand.

During the competition, the stick cannot be raised any higher than the tallest opponent’s shoulder. No body contact is allowed. Jerking, twisting or turning the stick is allowed, and feet must remain in place on the floor. Movement of the feet will result in the player losing that pull.

The contestant who forces the dowel from their opponent’s hand wins the round. Matches consist of three rounds—first with the right hand, then with the left; the third round (if needed) occurs with the hand determined by a coin toss. The winner of two rounds takes the match and moves to the next heat.

The Indian Stick Pull represents grabbing a slippery salmon, and was used traditionally to develop hand and arm strength.

Wrist Carry

The Wrist Carry is tailor-made for small, strong athletes who also have a will of iron.

Starting from a sitting position, athletes hook one wrist over the middle of a long pole held by two carriers.

Without touching the pole or floor with any other part of the body, athletes suspend themselves off the pole and maintain the position while being carried over the course until they can no longer hold their own weight. Carriers may walk or run through the course.

The athlete covering the greatest distance while suspended wins.

The Wrist Carry represents the significance of a successful hunt and traditionally tests the strength and endurance of hunters, while showing appreciation for the animal giving itself.

STATE RECORDS

BOYS 730' 6"

Joshua HughesMat-Su2014

GIRLS 662’ 4”

Lyndsey MerculiefAnchorage2006

Arm Pull

Two athletes sit on the floor facing each other with one leg over and one leg under their opponent’s legs. Using the arm on the same side of the leg positioned over the opponent’s leg, the athletes lock arms inside of the elbow.

The free hand is placed on the opponent’s ankle or foot, and upon a signal from the floor official, they begin pulling straight back with no jerking, re-gripping or twisting allowed. The athlete must pull until their opponent’s arm straightens or they pull their opponent toward them.

In the second round, athletes alternate arm and leg positions. At no time can the athletes pulling arm rest or touch their knee or leg during the pull. Athletes who re-grip or let go of their opponent’s ankle or foot, will lose the round. Athletes must win two of three rounds to win the match. In the event of a tie, the official will flip a coin to determine arm position for the final round.

The Arm Pull is a double elimination event, and there is no weight class. Only Junior athletes compete in the arm pull.

Historically, the Arm Pull was played to test individual strength.

Eskimo Stick Pull

The Eskimo Stick Pull is a contest of sheer strength and determination.

Two contestants sit on the floor facing each other, the soles of their feet touching. Feet must be parallel and together, with knees bent at a 45-degree angle. Barehanded, with palms facing the floor, contestants firmly grasp a stick placed between them (A coin toss determines which contestant has the inside or outside hold on the stick.)

At an official’s signal, contestants try to pull the stick away from their opponent without jerking or resetting their grip. To win a round, athletes must pull their opponent from the floor, or cause them to fall over sideways or release their grip. Hand positions are alternated between rounds. The winner of two rounds takes the match and moves to the next heat.

Traditionally, the event was used as practice for pulling seals from the ice.

Kneel Jump

When it comes to the Kneel Jump, appearances are deceiving, as it is impossible to predict winners based on physique. Athletes start in a kneeling position, with the tops of their feet flat on the floor, and then jump up and forward.

Athletes must land on both feet simultaneously and remain in that position without moving and without otherwise touching the floor. Each athlete is allowed three attempts. The winner is the contestant who jumps the greatest distance.

Historically, the Kneel Jump was a game used to strengthen the leg muscles for jumping from ice floe to ice floe, and for lifting prey after a successful hunt.

STATE RECORDS

BOYS 67"

Dylan MagnusenUnalaska2013

GIRLS 55 1/2"

Apaay CampbellBSSD2013

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