Native Youth Olympics

The Native Youth Olympics (NYO) are Alaska’s traditional games competition, based on hunting, fishing and survival skills. They began in 1971 and about 2,000 students take part statewide each year.[1]

Events

Athletes compete in up to ten events depending on level: the Alaskan high kick, two-foot high kick, one-foot high kick, one-hand reach, seal hop, scissor broad jump, arm pull, Eskimo stick pull, kneel jump and wrist carry. The events are based on traditional hunting, fishing and survival skills.[1]

Origins and hosts

The games started in 1971, when students in the Anchorage Boarding Home Program who could not travel home for Christmas break decided to play traditional games, and the first NYO took place that spring. The Cook Inlet Tribal Council has hosted the games since 1986 through its Youth Empowerment Services Department. Nicole Johnson, the NYO ambassador and head official, set a 1989 world record of 6 feet 6 inches in the two-foot high kick that stood for 25 years.[1]

Participation

Athletes come from more than 100 communities, and a team from Whitehorse, Canada, has attended. Junior athletes are in grades 1 to 6 and seniors in grades 7 to 12. The record was 493 athletes in the Senior Games before in-person games were cancelled in 2020 and 2021, and in 2021 280 senior and 140 junior athletes competed virtually. The 2023 senior games were April 20 to 22 at the Alaska Airlines Center, with free admission, and more than 5,000 spectators attended the most recent event.[1]

FAQs

When did the Native Youth Olympics start? 1971.

Who hosts them? The Cook Inlet Tribal Council, since 1986.

What are the events based on? Traditional hunting, fishing and survival skills.

Sources

1. Alaska Business: Native Youth Olympics Carry on Traditions of Strength, Endurance, and Good Sportsmanship

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 14, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue