Jason Begay
Tuba City, AZ
Athletic Training
Leadership Track
Tachii’nii Basketball
My project was creating a clan based basketball team. Travel across the nation playing in basketball tournament on Indian Reservation. There are six major tournament in the Four Corner area that we are going to enter. I am going to put five relative together to make a team and coach them. With me coaching hopefully we will some games and maybe win a tournament.
Making new friends and meeting relatives long the way that would support us as we ventured across the Indian Reservation. Hoping that the clan name would bring relative of all ages to the tournaments.
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All three of my younger brothers were attending the University of Arizona and I was in our hometown of Tuba City. After a month at the university I heard that my brothers and their friends were getting into trouble. Being away from my brothers was what inspired me to create this team. Hoping this will straighten them out and make them think about the mistakes they make. Playing basketball always brought us together to have a fun time.
The challenges I face were small and simple. One obstacle was that my basketball jersey were stolen at one of the tournament. When I realized I did not have my jersey was when I was leaving the tournament after the tournament was over. I was angry for a minute, search the whole building for the jersey and did not find them anywhere. The next day I just ordered more jersey and put a rush on postage, so I could receive them before the next tournament.
After the jersey misplacement, one of the vehicle that transported the team to the tournament broke down. Now I was car short and three team members short for a basketball tournament. With three people gone, I did not have a full team. So I asked the crowd at the tournament if anyone would like to play basketball. I actually got several people respond and they actually played very well.
My brothers benefitted from this. They were all into playing basketball and traveling just as along as it was paid for. They wanted to get away from the college life, and do something fun rather than studying. They say it was a stress reliever. Beside everything being paid for, my brother got to hang out with their big brother and play basketball.
My benefit was I got to coach and play basketball with my brothers. This thought travel through my mind since they left for college. I was never away from my brother for a long time. It was different because my brother were not there to look up to me. The basketball team was what brought us back together and had lot fun doing it. Laughing and making fun of each for the mistakes we make.
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The best quote was “keep trying your best you will score a basket” says Carson Begay the star basketball player of the team. He encourage the team to do their best as he was lighting up the score board. Another thing he said was “if you fall I’ll be there to help you back up”. He stayed true to his words. Every time someone hit the deck he would be the first one there help them back to their feet with no question asked.