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Darlene Ahmo Sagkeeng Anicinabe Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2024 <Back Darlene Ahmo is the daughter of deceased Walter and Verna Fontaine from Sagkeeng Anicinabe Nation, Canada. Her spirit name is “Beautiful Shawl Woman”. She attended the Fort Alexander Residential School and Day School operated by the Catholic Church. In 1974 she married and became a young widow in 1978. She had one son William Ahmo Jr. in 2021 and his life was tragically taken by guards while incarcerated. She has two other children, daughter Dara and son Josh. She was instrumental in assisting her parents in all areas of the management and planning for the Sagkeeng Oldtimers. There were many tasks assigned to Darlene that included many long hours of preparation for weekly Bingos. She and her son William worked alongside her parents in every way. A project idea by her mother Verna was to create a book “Sagkeeng Oldtimers - A Decade of International Competition”. This book was created through sponsorship by business organizations and funds from bingos. The book was completed by efforts of Darlene, her mother Verna and Morgan and Ted Fontaine. After Darlene’s mother Verna passed in 1989, Darlene continued to support her father Walter. She assisted with all tasks required as she continued to work full time to support her children. Darlene made a coordinated effort with the Sagkeeng Oldtimers to have her mother nominated and inducted into the Canadian Oldtimers Hockey Hall of Fame and was posthumously inducted in 1990. She became the first women and first Indigenous women to be inducted. In 2000, Darlene’s father passed away and she continued to promote and build the legacy of her parents and the team. She collected artifacts from the players and contacted Phil Pritchard, Keeper of the Stanley Cup, at the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) in Toronto. She coordinated to have the Sagkeeng Oldtimers artifacts preserved and to have their own personal storage area. Now in the HHOF Diversity Section the cow bell that Verna proudly traveled with to cheer on her team is showcased along with team jerseys that were worn by the Sagkeeng Oldtimers. Darlene continues to promote and build the legacy of the Sagkeeng Oldtimers.

< Back Ryneldi Becenti ​ ​ ​ Ryneldi Becenti Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Ryneldi Becenti is Navajo from the Navajo Reservation. She has been playing basketball since she was five years old. She always had the passion, love, determination and commitment to be the best. She played collegiate and professional basketball and is retired now to continue to give back to the youth. Becenti played basketball at Window Rock High School (AZ) and Scottsdale Community College (AZ) where she was a two-time NJCAA All American. She was a two-time first team All Pac 10 and honorable mention All American at Arizona State University before she turned pro after two seasons. In 1983 she played in Sweden and also played in Greece and Turkey. In 1997 she played for the Phoenix Mercury and also was drafted with the Chicago Condor in 1998. Becenti was also a bronze medalist at the 1983 World University Games. Her induction into the NAIAHF follows five other Hall of Fames she is in including the American Indian Athletic HOF (1996), Arizona State HOF (2004), Arizona High School HOF (2009), Scottsdale Community College HOF (2011), and National Native American HOF (2022). Her Arizona State University #21 was retired on 12-21-2013. <Back

< Back Janee’ Kassanavoid ​ ​ ​ Janee’ Kassanavoid Comanche Nation of Oklahoma Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Janee’ Kassanavoid, member of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma, is the daughter of Janet and Ron Kassanavoid. Youngest of 6 siblings, she grew up with three all NCAA Division I athletes. Born and raised in Lawson, MO and graduated from Lawson High School. A multi-sport athlete, lettering in softball, volleyball, basketball, and track & field. In 2013, Janee’ attended Johnson County Community College on a Track & Field scholarship for one season. She became an Indoor NJCAA Runner-up in the weight throw and an Outdoor NJCAA Champion in the hammer throw. In 2014, she attended Kansas State University on a Track & Field scholarship, becoming a 3x Big 12 Champion and a 4x All-American during collegiate career. She is the current K-State weight throw 21.81m (71.60 feet) and hammer throw 68.21m (223.09 feet) school record holder. In 2018, Janee’ graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics. She is currently a professional Nike Track and Field athlete, representing Team USA and as a Nike N7 ambassador she is representing culture and sharing the journey to gold as a Native Athlete. A history making moment was becoming the first Indigenous woman to medal at the World Athletics Track and Field Championships by claiming the bronze medal. Her personal best throw with the hammer was 78.00m (255.91 feet) becoming the third best in the USA All-Time and the sixth best in the World All-Time. This throw in May was named the USATF Athlete of the Week honors. Janee’ was the 2022 Indoor National weight throw Champion and the 2022 Outdoor National runner-up in the hammer throw. Closing out the 2022 season, claiming the GOLD medal as the NACAC Champion in the hammer throw. As an elite athlete competing on the biggest stages; the main goal is to inspire and empower the next generation of athletes. She is continuing to break barriers, to be a leader and pave the way for youth, women, and fellow natives both on and off the field and to create spaces where we never thought were possible before. Photos: 2022 World Athletics Track and Field Championship Hammer Throw Bronze Medalist First Indigenous Woman to medal at the World Athletics Track & Field Championships; Photographer: Getty Images <Back

Rick Baker <Back Hopi Induction Category: Year Inducted Coach 2024 Rick Baker arrived at Hopi High School in Arizona in 1987. He has coached the boys program since 1987 and the girls program since 2017. Baker’s coaching honors include: 2022 National Federation of High School Athletics Cross Country Coach of the Year 2020 National Federation High School Athletics Hall of Fame 2015 National Federation High School Cross Country Coach of the Year National Federation High School-Cross Country Region-8 Coach of the Year two times Coached Hopi Boys’ Cross Country to 27 consecutive State Championships between 1990-2017; to 24 North Regional XC Championships between 1990-2014; and to two state runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019 Coached Hopi Girls Cross Country to two State Runner-Up Championships during the 2018 and 2019 seasons Coached nine Individual State Champions Coached Arizona’s only perfect score (15 pts.) at the 1999 State Meet Baker was also a national class runner. He was the 1977 Individual Arizona State Mile Champion (4:20.6), a team member of the National Junior College Athletic Association All-American-Indoor Distance Medley Relay, a team member of the NAIA All-American-Indoor and National Champion Distance Medley Relay, and honored as the Tony Coffin Award/Outstanding Athlete Award-Haskell Indian Junior College, 1978. Baker’s wife of 37 years is Deborah Secakuku Baker and sons are Chad Andrew Baker and Steven Secakuku Baker.

Gewas Schindler Category Athlete Tribe Oneida Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 3/28/1976 Gewas Schindler is a Haudenosaunee Oneida Nation citizen and a member of the Turtle Clan. He grew up playing multiple sports under the tutelage of his grandfather, Chief Paul Waterman, on the Onondaga Nation. Gewas played the Creator’s game, this game has world-renowned origins within the Haudenosaunee culture known as Dehontsigwiseh - "bumping hips" is called lacrosse, currently played collegiately, internationally, and at pre-Olympic levels today. Gewas worked for the National Hockey League Phoenix Coyotes and the National Lacrosse League Arizona Sting in marketing, the professional Rochester Nighthawks Lacrosse organization as Governor and he served five years on the National Lacrosse League Board of Governors along with serving on their Marketing Committee, Player Relations Committee, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement Unit. In 2012 Gewas Schindler received the NCAIED (The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development) 40 Under 40 National Business Award, and the Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce Award in 2010. Gewas Schindler attended Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland, concentrating in Communications and Marketing. As a student-athlete at Loyola, he earned lacrosse accolades earning 3X Division 1 All American Attackman awards. He was a 3X Iroquois Nationals World Team Captain who worked as a professional athlete in the National Lacrosse League and the Major Lacrosse League for eight years. Gewas Schindler competed in seven more World Lacrosse Championships and made eight Iroquois National World Team Rosters. In 2021, as General Manager, the Haudenosaunee U-15 Team won a Gold Medal in the IIJL World Championship, and the Haudenosaunee U-17 Team followed with a Gold Medal. Gewas’ role as an organization builder for youth lacrosse led him to serve as a Lacrosse Ambassador traveling to numerous countries such as Australia, Japan, Thailand, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, England, Mexico, Switzerland, Haudenosaunee, Indigenous Territories, Canada, and the United States to support, advise, and to leave a sport the indigenous people gave to the world community of lacrosse. Gewas’ family includes his wife Tia, and four children, Lawson, Madex, Kohen, and Kimaura. Home About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Matt Roberson Wichita/Keechi Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2023 <Back Matt Roberson is the Executive Director for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Department of Athletic Regulation. Matt also serves as the Executive Officer and Region 6 Director for the North American Indigenous Games Council, as well as, serving as a Management Representative for Quivera Enterprises, Wichita Tribal Enterprises, Wichita Government Solutions and Iscani Industries. Matt is an enrolled member of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Keechi) and is originally from Anadarko, Oklahoma. Previously, Matt was elected to the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes Executive Committee and served as Southern Plains Regional Vice-President Alternate for the National Congress of American Indians. Matt was elected to two terms as President of The Association of Combative Sports Commissions. While under his leadership, The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Department of Athletic Regulation was recognized as the 2017 Organization of The Year by the Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame. The Department of Athletic Regulation, also organized and hosted the First Annual “Meeting of The Clans” an All-Indigenous Amateur Boxing World Championship in 2022. In 2017, Matt received The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s prestigious “40 under 40 Award." In 2018, Matt was selected as an American Express NGEN Fellow and in 2022 completed Converge Social Justice Leadership fellowship through the American Express Leadership Academy.

Dano Thorne Category Coach Tribe ​ Coast Salish Cowichan and Nez Perce Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 12/18/1961 A First Nations life-long advocate for sport, recreation, youth, and sport from grassroots to international level. A national level coach and coach instructor and founding member national aboriginal coaching modules the first master coach in this program, instructor in national coaching certification program, life skills coach mentor, suicide prevention mentor, physical literacy and multi-sport mentor, technical advisor to national and provincial sports groups and technical advisor and interim board member of world games movement. A lifetime professional commitment to create and develop sports and recreation for youth across North America. As an athlete, Indigenous Team Canada Indoor Soccer 1989-1998, Pro Soccer 1986-1988, Premier League Men’s Soccer 1979-1999, Duncan United Indigenous Men Provincial Champions and numerous MVP honors, and British Columbia (BC) Champions in 1990 and 1991. As a head coach, men’s teams won BC Champions 3 times in 1990, 1991, and 2001 and women in 1992. Men national runner-up 2001, women world champions 2015, 2017, Cuba U20 2019 and women North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) champions in 1993 and 1995. As an advocate and leader including being a board member, NAIG Council, Aboriginal Sport Circle, Team BC chef de mission, Special Olympics North America, National Indigenous Physical Activity Cultural Circle, founder NIFA Soccer Society, member of national sports committee appointed by sport minister and numerous other committees. Awards and honors include five-time BC Coaching Awards, three-time National Coach Awards, first ever Indigenous National Coach of the Year 1999. Graduate National Coaching Institute 1995 and presently completing the Canada Sport Institute Master Coaching Diploma. A two time athlete of the year as Cowichan Tribes Athlete in 1976 and 1979. With his 2015 team world champions he was inducted into the BC Soccer Hall of Fame in 2021. Dano has holistic approaches and remembers his cultural teachings of his family and elders. He is recognized for humility and integrity, respect of diversity and working for all people of indigenous ancestry and beyond. Believe who you are and live your dreams to all youth. Dano has been walking the red road for 33 years and enjoys his life daily. Has a strong spiritual belief with the Creator. Home About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Neal Powless Category Athlete Tribe Onondaga Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 10/27/1974 Neal Powless played for the Iroquois Nationals in 6 World Lacrosse Championships and made the tournament’s ALL-World Team as an Attackman in 2002 and won a Silver Medal in 2003. Mr. Powless is a Professional (1), NCAA (1) and Canadian (3) National Champion. He was a 3x All-American at Nazareth College and held the Single Season goals (57 in 15 games) record for 18 years, which is still second all-time even though the seasons are now 18 games. Neal played professionally for 7 seasons amassing 53 goals and 39 assists in 41 games. Neal is the current Head Coach of the Men’s Dutch National Box Lacrosse Team that is ranked #8 in the World. He began coaching the Netherlands in 2014-16, where they finished #17 in the World and #7 in Europe in Field lacrosse. In 2017 he transitioned to box lacrosse where they progressed from #17 in Europe to their current World rank. Neal was inducted into the Nazareth College Sports Hall of Fame in 2009 and the US Lacrosse, CNY Chapter Hall of Fame in 2017, one of the most prestigious chapters in the USA. He also produced the Major Motion Picture Crooked Arrows, which featured lacrosse. Home About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Jeff Shattler Category Athlete Tribe Ojibwa Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 12/26/1984 Jeff Shattler, a Toronto raised Native from the Ojibwa tribe, has played in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) for 15 years. Shattler spent his rookie year with the Buffalo Bandits, but spent the majority of his career with the Calgary Roughnecks. Jeff is currently in his 16th season, with the Saskatchewan Rush where he was most recently named playoff MVP during the 2018 season, and where he helped win the team the championship that year. In addition to two NLL championships during his career, Jeff has also won two Mann Cup championships and participated in nine all star games. Prior to his latest achievements with the Saskatchewan Rush, Shattler had several other career highlights with the Calgary Roughnecks. In 2011 he was awarded with both the ‘Transition Player of the Year’ and the ‘League MVP. Shattler also represents Team Iroquois on an international level where he helped secure three world championships: one bronze medal in field lacrosse, and two silver medals in box lacrosse. At present, Shattler is the all time leading scorer amongst aboriginals in box lacrosse, and number 16 in the NLL. Currently, Shattler and his family are residing in Regina, Saskatchewan where he has founded, The Shattler Lacrosse Academy, an outlet he uses to spread his knowledge and passion for the sport to individuals all across North America. Home About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Steve McDonald ​ ​ ​ Steve McDonald Prairie Band Potawatomi Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Steve McDonald is a Life Member of the Professional Golf Association (PGA). He was a two-year, four-sport letterman at Haskell Indian Junior College in football, basketball, baseball and golf. McDonald played golf at Washburn University, where he won five college tournaments. As a golf professional he has won over 35 sanctioned PGA Midwest and South Florida Section tournaments, including the 1988 Midwest Section Match Play Championship. He was named seven times to the Midwest Section PGA Cup Team. He was also named four times as a member of the Midwest Section PGA District VII Cup Team and a two-time member of the South Florida Section Chapter Cup Team. McDonald won eight times on the First Nations Golf Associations Professional Golf Tour. He was twice named the First Nations Golf Association Player of the Year. He is a founding Board Member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (PBPN) Boys and Girls Club and The First Tee of Shawnee County. He was a Board of Trustee Member to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. In 2006 he served as Chef de’Mission for Team Kansas at the North American Indigenous Games held in Denver, CO and was also the Commissioner of Golf. He has visited over 25 Native American Reservations teaching youth golf. He was the Head Golf Professional at Addison Reserve, Delray Beach, FL, the General Manager of The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes, Lake Mary, FL, the Director of Golf Instruction at Lake Shawnee Golf Course, Topeka, KS, and the Vice President of Golf at Jacks Bay, a Tiger Woods designed golf course. McDonald is a two-time cancer survivor and the 2022 South Florida Section PGA of America Deacon Palmer Award winner. He is semi-retired but still playing and teaching, and to date he has given over 20,000 lifetime golf lessons. <Back

Denise TsadeyohdiWaterman Category Builder Tribe Oneida Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 6/9/1953 Denise Tsadeyohdi Waterman is a Haudenosaunee Oneida Nation citizen and Turtle clan family member. Ms. Waterman has served as a teacher and Mathematics Specialist for nearly forty years at the Onondaga Nation School. In 2016 the NIEA-NYS awarded Teacher of the Year, and The NIEA awarded her the National Community Service Teacher of the Year in 2014. Ms. Waterman co-founded the Onondaga Nation Education organization, the Onondaga Nation Minor Athletics, & the Onondaga Nation OLA Junior Lacrosse, Advisory Board member for Ohngwe sports, and is a Founding Board member (1983) of the Iroquois National Lacrosse of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Denise Waterman said, “I enjoy applying Haudenosaunee ideology manifesting itself through the Haudenosaunee lacrosse, which allows the entire world to see, learn, and feel the pride of indigenous peoples and lacrosse enthusiasts from every corner of the world.” During her tenure as Executive Director of the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse 2010-2015, she wrote, established, and negotiated the 2011 FIL merger initiative for the Haudenosaunee regarding the full nation membership for all our people within the world lacrosse organization. She also is widely noted for winning the bid to host the international 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships on Native Lands; under her auspices as Executive Director. The World Lacrosse. Inc., an international sporting organization, has awarded Ms. Waterman the International Spirit of Lacrosse Award in 1998, 2007, 2011, and 2016. Her colleagues say, “The sustainability and future of indigenous sports are protected, thanks to the vigilance and character and truth of Denise Waterman that is the energy, the positive leadership that is the inner wisdom that provides us a view beyond ourselves; at no expense to others.” Denise Waterman’s educational background includes a B.S., SUCO New York in Education, Master’s Syracuse University, CAS in Education Leadership, and Ed.D Executive Leadership candidate at LeMoyne College. Denise’s family members are Lawson, Madex, Kohen, Kimaura, Tia, and Gewas. Done:toh. Home About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Joe Hipp ​ ​ ​ Joe Hipp Blackfeet Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Joe Hipp aka Joe "The Boss" Hipp was born on the Blackfeet reservation in Browning, Montana and raised in Yakima Washington. At eight years old he became an amateur boxer and by the end of his amateur career his record was 119-9. At his first bout as a professional in the ring his wife nicknamed him “the boss”. By the end of his professional career his record was 43-7 with 29 knockouts. In 2009 he was inducted into the American Indian Hall of Fame. In 1999 he won the World Boxing Federation (WBF) Heavyweight Championship making him the first Native American Heavyweight Champion of the World. In 1996 he won the Western U.S. Heavyweight Championship, in 1994 the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title, and in 1991 the WBF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship. He was married 40 years to his late wife Barbara and they have four kids between them including Christina, Zack and twins Vanessa and Sophia along with 11 grandchildren, and one great grandson. When he retired from boxing he created the All Nations Foundation to encourage Native American youth to strive for achievement and excellence in academics as well as physical and mental health. He also speaks on suicide prevention and awareness. His and his daughters do motivational speaking at schools, youth centers and conventions about their experiences with suicide in their community. They created a scholarship called "Keeping the Dream Alive" in memory of his first granddaughter Alexandria Cole who was the 2012 Chief Leshi’s Daffodil Princess. <Back