Championship Week and More

The Arctic Slope boys and girls basketball teams provided an outstanding display of skill and sportsmanship at the Alaska State High School Championships last week.

The Point Hope boys won their second consecutive title under Coach Rex Rock, led by Ebrulik “Skittles” Frankson, Zach Lane and Adam Sage. They became the first 2A team since 1989 – 1990 to repeat as State Champions. The Point Hope girls, with one of the youngest teams in the State, managed a sixth place finish and gave notice of a bright future.

In the 1A ranks, the boys from Anaktuvuk Pass made in all the way to the championship game before dropping a hard fought 43 – 31 decision to Napaskiak. The Wainwright girls captured two victories at State including a 54 – 40 victory over Kwethluk to finish third. The Alak team, similar to Point Hope, returns their entire starting lineup for 2010 – 2011.

At the 3A level, the Barrow girls put on a gutsy performance to capture a victory on basketball’s biggest stage. Their 5^th place finish this season should get a tremendous boost next year with the return of five players, suspended earlier in the season, and an outstanding middle school team. The BHS boys will also be a force to be reckoned with in 2011. The Whaler boys captured 3^rd place by upsetting Heritage Christian on the opening night and soundly thumping Mt. Edgecombe to finish out the tournament in style.

Sportsmanship at Its Best!

Perhaps the most impressive display of sportsmanship I have ever witnessed came at the hands of the Nunamiut boys. These young men not only, as a team, shook hands with an opponent who fouled out of a contest, they routinely congratulated an opponent for a made free throw. My hat is off to the coach (Homer) and players from Anaktuvuk Pass.

Basketball on the Rise!

Just a few statistics I thought you might enjoy to show the growing excellence of basketball on the Slope in the past seven years:

1983 – 2003 During this twenty year period, the Slope produced 4 State Championship teams in 1A, 2A and 3A, boys and girls combined. They also produced 7 runner-up finishes.

2004 – 2010 The Slope has produced 6 State Championship teams and 6 runner-up finishes in almost one third the amount of time.

Mentoring the Next Generation of Coaches

If you were at the State Tournament you may have seen two young men by my side. Lloyd Pikok and Christian Young of Point Lay spent the week job shadowing last week to learn the ins and outs of coaching. They will now be returning to Point Lay to put some of their new skills to work in organizing youth basketball programs.

Final News and Notes

• In the next week, I will be selecting boys and girls to travel to the Pacific Northwest to visit schools and play basketball in front of college coaches. Last year, 15 of 19 participants went on to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level.
• Matt Lewis and Sam Sokaitis will be continuing the Challenge Life Music Program in Nuiqsut, Anaktuvuk Pass, Barrow and Kaktovik over the next few weeks. They will also be recording songs and sounds with local artists.
• Joe Sage is still working out the details of our “Young Hunters” club which should commence activities in the late Spring.
• The Point Hope boys and girls cross country team are preparing for their summer trip to Colorado.
• Challenge Life is setting up a schedule of fun summer activities in all eight Slope communities.
• Basketball team camp is right around the corner, stay tuned for more information.

Have A Great Week!

Mike and Al

“Challenge Life”

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Congrats To Our Regional Winners!

Let’s begin with a big round of applause for the six slope teams heading off to Anchorage to participate
in the 2010 State Basketball Tournament. The Barrow boys and girls, the Point Hope boys and girls, the
Wainwright girls and the Anaktuvuk Pass boys will all be making a bid to bring a state title home to their
communities. I hope to see everyone in Anchorage next week and I can’t wait for the excitement of “March
Madness – Alaska Style.”

March Madness Is More Than Hoops

The past two weeks, not everyone was involved in basketball on the regional level. While the 1A regional tournament
was played out in Point Lay, “Challenge Life” continued to provide excitement in the communities. Sam Sokaitis, spent a
weekend in Atqasuk teaching guitar and providing a basketball experience for the grade school boys and girls and then
headed out to Kaktovik. At Barter Island, Sam provided classroom music demonstrations, gave lessons after school and
played basketball with all grade levels. “Challenge Life” felt it was important, with so many students away at the tournaments,
to provide some educational and healthy opportunities for those left behind.

Mentors To Join Coach Sokaitis In Anchorage

In the continuing effort to develop coaches and mentors from each community, Coach Sokaitis will have Lloyd Pikok and
Christian “Coot” Young of Point Lay join him in Anchorage for job shadowing and training throughout the state tournament.

“Challenge Life” Summer Programs Offer World Class Experience

“Challenge Life” is initiating a series of academic and athletic opportunities for Arctic Slope residents that should prove
a giant step in keeping young adults involved in positive summer fun. One example, currently being developed by Leonard
Barger of Point Hope and the “Challenge Life” staff, is to bring the Point Hope boys and girls cross-country team to Gunnison,
Colorado for a week of training. Gunnison, summer home of Coach Sokaitis, is the training ground of many of the world’s
elite runners. Located at an elevation of almost 8,000 feet and surrounded by mountains, the local college (Western
State College) has won numerous national championships. The Point Hope students would have the opportunity to train
with world class athletes and meet the legendary running coach, Duane Vandenbush. There will also be time set aside for
white water rafting, biking and hiking.

That’s all for now, see you in Anchorage!

Al & Mike

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These students from Chevak all won Challenge Life sweatshirts!  Challenge Life understands the value of the arts in the life of children, and in an effort to promote creative writing we have awarded prizes to these classes for their excellent short stories!

…and class 2…

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Jeff Drake, a professor in the science department at UAF, heads up a wonderful science camp
for kids in the summer. Visiting professors from MIT and around the globe participate. Jeff, by the
way, entertained about 450 kids at our basketball camp last summer and kept them on the edge
of their seats with exciting demonstrations. Jeff has access to a few scholarships for air fare
and tuition for rural students to attend the camp. If you have some young folks that would enjoy a unique summer camp opportunity, please contact Jeff Drake at jdrake@alaska.edu.

We all have students, children or grandchildren that would enjoy and benefit from this camp. I would act fairly quick before the tuition opportunities are gone.

Best of Everything,

Al

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Hi Folks,

Here is a quick update on another exciting “Challenge Life” week of events.

Mike and I had the opportunity to entertain eleven students and three adults from Nuiqsut, traveling to Anchorage last week. The students, members of the men’s and women’s basketball team, spent some quality time participating in the following activities:

• Attended the UAF vs. UAA men’s basketball game.
• Toured the UAA campus.
• Visited the ASRC headquarters in Anchorage to connect students with their culture and their future and listened to representatives

discuss job opportunities.

• Played two basketball games.
• Developed team building skills.
• Planned a “Challenge Life” weekend in late March to include a concert and family basketball tournament.

Following our time with the Nuiqsut crew, I traveled northwest to Point Hope to work with the men’s and women’s basketball
teams as they begin their final preparation for the regional tournament. The women tuned up for regionals by taking two games from a visiting Lathrop squad on Friday and Saturday. The men used practice to add the final touches on their quest to defend their regional and state titles of 2009.

A quick shout out to the students at Anaktuvuk Pass. They have done a great job in sending me artwork and music for two “Challenge Life” programs and we can’t wait to see some finished products of expression make their way into final copies.

This week, Point Lay should be the scene of some exciting hoop action with the 1A squads trying to punch their tickets for the
State Tournament in Anchorage. Point Hope and Barrow look to do the same in their respective divisions. Good Luck to all!

Matt Lewis and Cameron Levanger will be visiting Slope communities next week to put the final touches on their music CD’s. The finished product
will include Matt, Cam and a host of local musicians combining cultural and western sounds.

Coaches, if you get a second this week before heading out for tournament play, please send me the names of your top players. I will be taking a
group of seniors to Washington in April to visit colleges and play in front of coaches. Last year, 15 of our 19 men and women, found a school that they are now attending.

A Final Note

Have you seen the back of the new Sacajawea Dollar? Every year, the mint will be producing a new coin reverse that symbolizes some aspect
of Native American culture. Why not have a Slope contest and pick some designs that are indicative of life and culture on the Arctic Slope? The rest
of the nation will get a sense of the pride of people living in the Arctic and a symbol of that lifestyle will be etched in American numismatic history.
Sounds like a “Challenge Life” contest to me. I will put together more information as I determine how the mint makes it’s selections.

Have a great week!

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Dear Al and Mike,                                                                  3/1/10

On behalf of Nuiqsut Trapper School and the Nuiqsut community, we thank you very much for the wonderful trip you helped arrange to Anchorage for our students.

Our students enjoyed the exciting UAA-UAF game, seeing the hockey rink and UAA campus. Of course, they also loved the hot dogs and talking with one of Al’s former players after the game. The visit to ASRC helped connect students to their culture and future careers. The two basketball games you helped arrange gave our team an opportunity to gain valuable perspectives on the commitment and level of play needed to be successful.

Most important, thank you for taking the time to be with our students during the trip—as that is most valuable model you brought forth.

Sincerely,

Al Strack

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