STILLWATER, Okla. – The sound of children playing and coaches cheering rang out from Gallagher Iba Arena April 2, 2025, during the 10th annual Nike N7 Youth Movement Field Day at Oklahoma State University (OSU).
The event brought together First American youth from across the state for a day of sports, culture and community.
Hosted by the Chickasaw Nation and the OSU Center for Sovereign Nations in collaboration with the OSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Nike’s N7 program, the event encouraged physical wellness and cultural engagement through a variety of activities for students from third to eighth grade.
Collegiate athletes coached and supported students as they participated in basketball, kickball, football and traditional stickball.
“My favorites are the basketball station and the stickball station,” Chickasaw seventh grader Nannola Wallace said.
The event provided a platform for youth to connect with peers from different schools and tribal nations while engaging in teambuilding sports promoting physical wellness.
“It’s been fun having them help us get better at everything,” Chickasaw fifth grader Kaden Gore said about the OSU student athletes helping field day attendees participating in games.
The field day also offered First American youth interested in a future sports career the chance to engage with college athletes and ask questions about the OSU sports program.
“This is probably one of our most influential events, especially with our middle school to junior high kids,” Trevan Jimboy, director of youth activities for the Chickasaw Nation, said. “Getting to meet college athletes, getting to meet a lot of Native American athletes, I think allows our youth to feel that the next level of sports is attainable.”
Students not necessarily interested in pursuing sports outside of primary school also benefit from the event. Many experiencing a university environment for the first time, Nike N7 Youth Movement Field Day allows children to envision future educational opportunities.
“You get to meet a lot of athletes that speak well about college,” Jimboy said. “I think that helps on the broader scope of things.”
The event also featured guest speaker Lana Duke, a Chickasaw citizen. Duke established the N7 Youth Movement Field Day at OSU her freshman year of college as a student athlete in 2014.
“I had this vision of stations in Gallagher Iba and who to involve in the community,” Duke said. “I reached out to our tribal nations, the Chickasaw Nation, Eagle Adventure and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.”
Duke, a former OSU women’s soccer player, wanted to model the field day after OU’s N7 event hosted in 2013.
“The first year was a lot of grunt work,” Duke said. “Then from there, it grew to where it is now.”
More than 400 First American youth registered for the 2025 OSU N7 Youth Field Day. A powwow organized by OSU’s SAAC, as well as an autograph session with OSU student-athletes, added to the day’s highlights.
As part of Nike’s N7 initiative, which supports Indigenous communities through cultural and physical wellness programs, the event reinforced the importance of movement, health and community connections.
Through partnerships like this, First American youth are provided with opportunities to explore their interests, develop leadership skills and build a foundation for future success.