LAWRENCE, Kan. – Sports warriors came from all across Indian country to
Lawrence in July to compete in the National Native American Boxing
Championships at Haskell Indian Nations University. But many of these
athletes are aiming higher that just national competition. With experience
and direction from the Native American Sports Council, some are working
toward competing in the next Olympic games.

The event at Haskell had all the trappings of a professional boxing match
in any venue in the world. Even the doctor on hand was tops in her field,
once the team physician for basketball’s “Dream Team.” Only the best were
on hand to judge, train and see to the health and safety of the
participants.

Behind the scenes, Mo Smith, executive director of the Native American
Sports Council, spoke with team coaches, individual boxers and even their
families to encourage and make sure that the event was a first class boxing
match. To box at this level, Smith is adamant about making sure that NASC
sanctioned events aren’t just dressed up brawls with untrained fighters
pummeling each other.

Smith, who has been with the NASC since 1999, is also there to advise and
encourage boxers and their coaches, and understands that in order for them
to succeed beyond NASC events they must learn not only the fundamentals of
boxing, but also how to compete on a very professional level. In order to
do that he makes sure that everything down to the last detail is carried
out with the utmost professionalism.

Walking that fine line between professionalism and understanding the
traditions of tribes from across the nation, Smith has set the bar at a
high level for competitors. Although they may be opponents in the ring, the
boxers at the NASC event proved themselves to be team players in a sport
that isn’t often thought of as a team sport.

Losers congratulated winners and winners consoled losers. Boxers sat side
by side and discussed strategies with their coaches and other boxers as
they watched each match. Smith offered advice and spoke often with
families, knowing how strong the ties between family and the athlete are
within the Indian world.

Although Smith’s background is in track and field (he was the first
American Indian to break a mile in under four minutes), he has a passion
for all types of Indian athletics. “It paved the road for me,” he said. “It
gave me all these opportunities that presented themselves, an education and
a chance to see the world. So when I retired from running in 1996 I worked
with the United States Olympic Committee for a year as the director of the
Outreach Program, it broadened my experience and gave me the credibility to
work within the Olympic movement. The NASC was just starting up. There are
12 other organizations that now also have a vote, which is very
significant.”

Because of his experience, Smith not only encourages young Indian boxers,
but also sees that through the NASC they are given the experience they will
need to compete at a world-class level by traveling the world to learn
different boxing styles. The NASC has already sent boxers to Europe to
fight at an international level and learn the different styles that boxers
around the world have.

This has opened up even more opportunities for athletes. The experiences
against Finnish and Irish fighters has taught the boxers just how
differently their sport is done around the world. “The kids I took over
last fall got to compete against the Irish, the Cubans and the Russians,”
Smith said proudly. “The American style is completely different from all of
these so it is a great learning experience. This gives them the opportunity
to compete against high caliber competition which will prepare them for the
Olympic trials.

“The NASC received an organizational grant from the Administration for
Native Americans to strengthen the organization, to become the preeminent
multi-sport community-based organization to serve tribal communities at a
grassroots level, all the way through the developmental pipeline which
would include Native American hopefuls for the Olympics,” Smith said.
“We’re a group member of the United States Olympic Committee … with our
grant we have had to identify a few demonstration projects. This has
allowed me to be a part of the Olympic movement, but has also allowed me to
work with my people.”

Smith’s demonstration projects were to prove that the NASC had the capacity
to conduct multi-sport events. It begins at a grassroots level Smith
explained, working with tribes, certifying coaches and setting up programs
is just as important as working with the athletes themselves. Using the
model Smith has set up ensures that athletes have a strong foundation to
develop their talents from with good coaches and support from their
communities and tribes. “Coaches are key, we have to have well trained
coaches,” Smith continued. “They are the ones who have to bring these kids
along.”

The demonstration projects of golf and boxing are succeeding and giving
many Indian athletes a chance to break through reservation boundaries and
fully develop their talents.

“We would [by doing this] be like the Indian version of the United States
Olympic Committee,” he said. “I had this vision of two sports I felt Indian
country had a passion for: Golf and boxing. Indian country tribal
communities had resources in those particular areas, everybody was playing.
Gaming has allowed tribes to be self-sufficient and develop golf. As far as
boxing, let me put it like this, 37 tribes that have gaming compacts have
conducted some type of boxing event. That is huge. These are two sports
that are typically overlooked, unlike track and field or basketball. You
throw a ball out in Indian country and they will come running. These two
sports provide that same interest.”

Events that range from the grassroots level to the high performance of two
NASC boxers at the Olympic Trials are what the organization is all about.
It is also about making sure that those athletes who have the talent and
the drive to succeed in a world-class arena also have the same support that
other non-minority athletes do.

The strong foundation built by NASC now has large corporations stepping in
to offer financial help to promote Indian athletes.

“I don’t take credit for starting this,” Smith said. “The coaches at the
grassroots level did that. What the NASC does is give then the
infrastructure to get financial assistance.”

Although Smith stated quite plainly that he isn’t a boxer and doesn’t claim
to be, the trust and respect he has earned while working with NASC is
apparent by the way all of those involved treat him. “I consider it an
honor to represent Indian boxing and Indian golf at this level,” he said.
“It gives us an opportunity to be an advocate for our people and knock down
those political doors. In the next four to eight years you are going to see
our next Jim Thorpe or Billy Mills. You will see them in select Olympic
sports. These things are starting to happen, it is just a matter of time
before we see our next Billy Mills. It is important that we celebrate and
recognize our culture as well as we proceed. It is a building process that
we have as we build our sports warriors.”