NATIVE AMERICAN OLYMPIC TEAM FOUNDATION
(Formerly Native Voices Foundation)
Creating Joyful Unity through sports and education to heal Mother Earth
for all our Children, including through the Olympics.

Why Skiing? - What Teachers Say

Over the last 5 years, NAOTF has provided thousands of Native American youth from 10 different tribes: Ute, Lakota, Navajo, Apache, Zuni, Pima, Cree, Pueblo, Cherokee, Omaha, and Abenaki with opportunities to learn a family-oriented life time sport. Teachers say NAOTF's ski and snowboard programs have inspired better behavior, grades, job opportunities, and alcohol prevent-ion for both high risk and scholar kids. (Native are missing an enzyme that can digest alcohol and sugar as that is relatively new to their diets, just as tobacco is new to ours.) The key to developing one's full potential is to find a life time sport that connects you to your joy. Many of the kids, like Navajo Prep, organized their whole ski trip. NAOTF's programs are motivated by Native youth, who then motivate the teachers and parents. Sometimes a whole family of singers, dancers and drummers all ski. Ross Anderson The Ignacio based Southern Utes invited Ross Anderson, a Cheyenne-Apache-Arapahoe speed skier, as he is a beautiful role model for kids of both cultures. He reverently carries the stones of Mother Earth with him and prays for the safety of fellow competitiors.“I’m here to help these youth become champions so that one they they can someday beat my record (140 mph),” he said. (in the video docu promo on this website) A member of the Native American Sports Council, Ross went on to become NAOTF's ` and to pioneer the program at Durango Mountain Resort and become the “Fastest American on Skis,” and second in the world in 2001. [Top of Page]