The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project’s 2025 Basketball League wrapped up on Friday, May 16 for 203 Zuni youth ages 7-12 who engaged in eight weeks of regular practices and weekly games as well as a midseason tournament on Apr. 15-17. Shepherding them through the experience were ZYEP’s physical activity team and 43 community coaches.
Made possible with support from Nike, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the New Mexico Department of Health and the Zuni Public School District, the ZYEP Basketball League is the most popular of the youth project’s sports leagues, which also include soccer, flag football and T-ball. According to Tyler Sice, ZYEP’s physical activity coordinator, this year’s league saw increased interest and significantly higher numbers at registration.
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“With the rising numbers for this year, we were able to host 10 full teams in both divisions — Shiwi League for ages 7-9 and Zuni League for ages 10-12,” Sice said. “Interest hasn’t been this high in many years.”
With help from nonprofit organization ND42 Camps and founder Noah Dahlman, the youth project provided a skills camp on the weekend of Mar. 22-23 at Zuni High School. The camp introduced the children to basketball fundamentals prior to their first practice on Monday, Mar. 24.
Practices took place Monday to Thursday each week, with the Shiwi League at Shiwi Ts’ana Elementary School and the Zuni League at Zuni Middle School. Zuni High School hosted the weekly games on Fridays.
“The practices and games were well received by participants and community members,” Sice reported. “We had a lot of families coming out to support their teams!”
The ZYEP team did run into a challenge when Zuni High School was unable to make its gymnasium available for games on Apr. 11 and 18. So the team pivoted, and with Physical Activity Leader Esther Suitza at the helm, they held a midseason round-robin tournament on Apr. 15-17, keeping the Shiwi League at STE and the Zuni League at ZMS.
“No score was kept, and spirits were high,” Sice said. “The participants couldn’t wait to play their next games. It was crazy and amazing, with 15 games each night played across two courts.”
At the STE gym, ZYEP Basketball League coaches refereed the games. At the ZMS gym, the youth project arranged to have local referees help officiate the games for the older children.
“On the first day, the 10 teams were moving fast with 10-minute games and 2-minute transition time,” Suitza said. “The youth were excited and ready to play, but some also were a little nervous. They commented, ‘Tournaments are serious to the real ballers, and I’m scared to play against them.’ We encouraged them to do their best, gain experience, and most of all, have fun!”
Additional ZYEP staffers were on hand throughout the tournament to provide support, including Food Sovereignty Leader Zachary James, Food Sovereignty Coordinator Brittny Seowtewa and interns Malcom Kaskalla and Lorenzo Chavez. The Food Sovereignty team also provided snacks for players and spectators.
After the tournament, the league resumed regular practices and games for the remaining four weeks of the program. Looking back, Sice said the season was a resounding success despite any challenges the league might have faced along the way.
“In the youth surveys, 92 percent of the kids said they had fun during basketball season, and 87 percent said this year’s season helped them feel more confident,” he reported. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the spaces provided and the many coaches, players and families wanting to be part of it!”
Families agreed that the season was a success, with 100 percent indicating that their children’s participation improved their self-confidence. They also shared their own highlights from the experience.
“It sure was an awesome season,” one parent reported on their survey. “Thank you to the coaches for teaching our children respect toward one another as well as coaching basketball. My daughter had a great season. She’s gained more confidence and courage to play basketball.”
“Our whole family loved ZYEP basketball — a huge thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make it possible,” said one survey respondent, while another remarked, “ZYEP is a blessing to our community. It gives our children a chance to learn new activities, gain experience and meet new people.”
For their part, the community coaches also indicated that the basketball season was a positive one, with one coach calling it “the most rewarding experience of my life,” and another expressing joy in seeing “the children learn, develop new skills and show so much respect to each other.”
“This season helped me connect with my youth, which was really fun,” another coach said. “I loved building new relationships with the kids and their families, as well as the other coaches. This helped me get out of my comfort zone. It was a great experience.”
“This season was very heartwarming to me,” said another. “The kids made every day joyful.”
Through its Youth Sport initiative, ZYEP connects with more than 500 youth annually. In addition to basketball, young people also are able to take advantage of seasonal leagues in T-ball, soccer and flag football. More importantly, they have access to mentorship through ZYEP’s staff and coaches, camaraderie with teammates throughout the leagues, and powerful community spirit.
Now that basketball season has concluded, the ZYEP team is shifting gears to prepare for Wellness Week on June 23-26; Summer Camp, which kicks off June 30; and the annual T-Ball League, which will take place in July.
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