Mindsets and methods matter more than muscles for some medalists at Traditional Games
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2025 6:59 am
On a scale from zero to 100, Quentin O’Domin was feeling a 98 — as in he managed to jump high enough for both of his feet to touch a ball hanging that many inches high above the gym floor and land without falling.
The 17-year-old West Anchorage High School student almost, but not quite, hit the 100-inch mark during subsequent tries a couple of minutes later, making contact with the ball but unable to keep his footing.
His feat nonetheless stood as the best two-foot high kick managed by anyone during the eighth annual Traditional Games that took place between Friday and Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. The gathering, part of the Native Youth Olympics (NYO), featured more than 250 athletes representing 30 middle school, high schoo l country wise email marketing list and open division teams from throughout Alaska as well as other states and Canada’s Yukon territory.
Medalists are honored during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Medalists are honored during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Participants compete in a dozen events based on ancient hunting and survival skills of the Iñupiaq people. But O’Domin proved at least some of the ability is inherent — or at least instinctive — since he just started competing in NYO events last year at his mother’s urging.
“I didn’t really think too much, because when I really think about the heights I just get really nervous,” he said when asked about how he approached his winning jump. “It just makes me a lot more nervous if I think about the heights because I know where my limits are, and I don’t know if I’m going to pass them or not.”
Guidance in technique comes from coaches and other participants at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, and the events themselves are always with a mindset among participants of helping each other out, O’Domin. Advice was offered freely by other jumpers between his attempts and the audience in the gym — whose attention was diverted much of the time among several activities taking place on different parts of the court – went silent and then started clapping encouragement in unison at his cue during the climactic final attempts.
The 17-year-old West Anchorage High School student almost, but not quite, hit the 100-inch mark during subsequent tries a couple of minutes later, making contact with the ball but unable to keep his footing.
His feat nonetheless stood as the best two-foot high kick managed by anyone during the eighth annual Traditional Games that took place between Friday and Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. The gathering, part of the Native Youth Olympics (NYO), featured more than 250 athletes representing 30 middle school, high schoo l country wise email marketing list and open division teams from throughout Alaska as well as other states and Canada’s Yukon territory.
Medalists are honored during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Medalists are honored during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Participants compete in a dozen events based on ancient hunting and survival skills of the Iñupiaq people. But O’Domin proved at least some of the ability is inherent — or at least instinctive — since he just started competing in NYO events last year at his mother’s urging.
“I didn’t really think too much, because when I really think about the heights I just get really nervous,” he said when asked about how he approached his winning jump. “It just makes me a lot more nervous if I think about the heights because I know where my limits are, and I don’t know if I’m going to pass them or not.”
Guidance in technique comes from coaches and other participants at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, and the events themselves are always with a mindset among participants of helping each other out, O’Domin. Advice was offered freely by other jumpers between his attempts and the audience in the gym — whose attention was diverted much of the time among several activities taking place on different parts of the court – went silent and then started clapping encouragement in unison at his cue during the climactic final attempts.