Hitchcock-Tulare Patriots senior Payton Chasing Hawk received a letter in early December that he had been selected to participate in the 2025 Native American All-Star Game, held in Frisco, Texas from Jan. 3-7, 2025.
The All-Star Game is organized through the National Football League (NFL) and Chasing Hawk and the other high school athletes chosen for the event will have the opportunity to be coached by NFL players and coaches during the event. Recruiters and other professional organizations will be present for the game on Jan. 7.
Chasing Hawk will be part of Team Wa-Ya. A member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe, he will be one of six players from South Dakota who were selected to participate in the event.
Payton saw a post from the Native American Athletic Foundation advertising the game on Facebook advertising the opportunity to play, and he put forth his name. Payton will be one of 60 players to participate in this years event, and he says that being selected is a true honor.
I will be representing my tribe, my high school, my community, my family and myself, Chasing Hawk said. This is a once-in-a-lifetime honor that I am beyond proud of.
Chasing Hawk says the Rosebud Sioux tribe has supported him throughout his athletic journey by helping him get to camps and events. He also reports that I have had bad times where things may not have been fair or equal, but Ive had a lot more positive times that have occurred throughout my sports career.
I can Im proud of who I am, he continued. I feel my community and my tribe support me to be the best person I can be.
Chasing Hawk played multiple positions during his time with Hitchcock-Tulare, and hes looking toward playing football at the collegiate level. Hes looking forward to competing on a field with fellow Indigenous athletes to learn from one another.
Payton was very thankful to his family and community for the support hes received during his high school years and in preparation for this experiential trip.
I want to thank my parents for supporting me and traveling with me to Texas, Chasing Hawk relayed. I also want to thank my family, friends, community, fans, teachers, and also my coaches (Tom Salmen, Mike Puffer, John Nowell, Garett Schmidt) over the years for believing in me and pushing me to work hard. Being a student-athlete is never easy without the suport of all on this list.
He concluded, I also want to say a big thanks to all those who have sent money to support my trip.
The Native American Athletic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides educational and athletic opportunities for Native American youth, including events partnered with the NFL and Major League Baseball. The All-Star Game is on Jan. 7 at 6 p.m.
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