When we think of skiers we think of Austrians ,Swiss and Swedish stars but so few who follow skiing know that many of our North American skiing stars are Native American.How many have known that the Olympian Billy Kidd is Abenaki. I remember as a child meeting him in Boston at Jordan Marsh where he was signing autographs and I knew right off that he was American Indian just like me. I remember grinning from ear to ear about that.
Another Olympian and World Class Champion skier is Idaho's Picabo Street whose name means Shining Waters There is Ross Anderson( Cheyenne, 2005 Bronze Medalist in World Ski Speed Championships), Stew Young(Tulalip,World Cup Veteran Speed Skier),.Gene Tagaban(Tlinkit-Cherokee, X-treme skier) and Ron Alred(Telluride's Native Ski Pioneer). Add to this Olympian Suzy "Chapstick" Chaffee who has been very instrumental in developing ski programs for native youth and who now co-chairs Native Voices Foundation.
Billy Kidd is the captain of the Native American Olympic Ski Team.Yes,everyone,we now have our own ski team! I am really thrilled about this.Kidd and Suzy Chaffee are working with Native American youth through NVF.They are coaching them and assisting them with opportunities to compete in the Olympics.
Currently two of the youth they are working with in Steamboat Springs,Co . are 6 year old Delaney Tyon who is Lakota from Pine Ridge. and 14 year old Mariah Cooper who is Lac Court Oreille from Wisconsin.
Delaney ,who just won the gold at Nastar's National Ski Championships said he was able to win because of the help he received from so many which included his Grandpa Lou, Derren Derosier(director of Terry Peaks Ski School); and by observing others on the slopes. Delaney's mother Misty found NVF through www.Snow-Riders.Org after Delaney had been hailed by Rapid City TV for skiing like a pro at his young age.
Billy Kidd is very proud of his young protege who is the fastest 6 year old on skis.Kidd even found jobs for Delaney's grandparents to help them while he coaches Delaney. Kidd calls both Delaney and Mariah a joy to work with while being good students and just all around great kids.
Mariah has "prayer signed" at two Wisconsin Governor's events; and after Delaney's victory Mariah honored him with a ceremony. Mariah's love of skiing was born after Billy Kidd and Suzy Chaffee were able to persuade ski industry leaders to donate 60 pair of skis for Indian youth in Wisconsin which enabled them to compete in the 2003 Birkebeiner X-Country Race. Mariah placed second in her age group in 2007.
Suzy and Billy have worked hard not just to obtain donations as these skis but as coaches for these Native American youth ;and also as lodging and job locators for their families. Mariah credits them for making it possible for her parents , Dale and Nancy, and herself to get to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Mariah also runs track and will compete in September's North American Indigenous Games in Vancouver. She has been voted to represent the voice of Indian youth on the NVF board. NVF is a Colorado based non-profit partnership of U.S. Tribal Leaders,Elders and Olympians dedicated to Croat unity through sports and education while helping to heal Mother Earth. Please visit Snow Riders of The American Indian Nations for more news about this.
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