Native athletes show off their skills in 2011 Indigenous Games

Manny Boyle (left) and Raelyn Rodriguez (right, with her dad, Dennis) brought home medals from the 2011 Indigenous Games in Wisconsin.

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Valley Center is known for its production of amazing athletic talent, and a few of our young local athletes got the chance to show off their skills in the 2011 Indigenous Games in Milwaukee, Wisconsin last week.
Manny Boyle, a junior at Valley Center High School, represented the San Pasqual tribe in the wrestling tournament and swept his opponents to bring home the gold medal in the 135-pound division.
“It was a really amazing experience,” Boyle says. “I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I went in focused on wrestling, and when I won, I was able to celebrate.”
In the softball tournament, Team California featured 15 players from six different tribes, including VCHS senior Raelyn Rodriguez, a member of the Rincon tribe, and 2010 VCHS graduate Olivia Hernandez, a member of the Pauma tribe. After suffering a tough loss to Wisconsin in the opening game, the team won its next four games before falling in the championship game to Wisconsin again.
“I felt so privileged and honored to represent California and my tribe against the best of the best,” Rodriguez says. “We had girls from different tribes and different towns, but we were able to set aside our differences and get along on the field.”
Boyle’s run to the gold medal included four wins in the tournament against opponents from Wisconsin, New Mexico and North Carolina. The only match he didn’t win by pin was the second match, which he won by major decision.
“It was harder than I expected going in,” he admits. “I noticed that their style was much slower than what you usually see in California. Our style is trickier and less aggressive, but I was able to pick up on it pretty quick and take on the pressure.”
The softball team also had to make some adjustments after losing the first game largely because of errors.
“The team from Wisconsin beat us in the first game because we had so many errors,” Rodriguez says. “After we gave up seven runs in the first inning, we knew we had to play so much better in the next game.”
The team rattled off four straight wins, then ran into Team Wisconsin again in the title game.
“We were tied at two through seven this time,” Rodriguez explains. “And in international rules, extra innings start with a runner on second. So their first batter dropped down a bunt, and our third baseman air-mailed it over the first baseman’s head, but we somehow kept the runner at third. We loaded the bases with a walk, and with one out, they hit a grounder that our shortstop threw over the first baseman’s head, and that was it.”
Despite some rough patches on defense, Rodriguez says that the team played well in some tight spots.
“It seemed like whenever we had two outs, or we really needed a run, someone would step up and start a rally,” she says. “We found ways to score runs and we got in a good rhythm. And our outfield knew where to throw the ball and knew what to do no matter what the situation.”
Rodriguez, the starting centerfielder for the Lady Jaguars varsity softball team this past season, came up with a few big plays herself.
“I don’t want to brag or anything, but I did so good!” she says with a laugh. “I drove in the two runs we scored [in the championship game], I scored six or seven runs and I made a couple of catches on balls in the gap. I was so proud!”
Both Boyle and Rodriguez say they were impressed with the quality of play they saw on display at the games, and they even picked up a few new things that should help them when the next school season rolls around.
“I want to be CIF champion and Master’s champion next year,” Boyle says. “And I just want to thank my coaches and my dad for all their support.”
“I thought that they would be easy to beat, but they’re legit,” Rodriguez says. “There were no easy teams, and they battled us every game. I noticed that I need to work on the little things. We didn’t get any batting practice while we were there, so I can’t wait to start working again.”
Thousands of athletes, primarily young people, participated in the competitions, making the U.S. Indigenous Games (USIG) the largest event to host competitions for young Native youth across Indian country. The U.S. Games take place every two years and Milwaukee was the launch site for Indigenous Games USA. The Games proved to be a showcase for Native youth to participate in individual competitions such as archery, track, boxing and wrestling. The team competitions such as baseball, basketball and a newly added competition of dodgeball are examples of the span of competitions. The games certainly proved to be a spectacular event for spectators and allowed Native and non-native people to watch the competition and learn about the cultural activities of tribal nations from across the United States.