All-Star keynote: Student-athletes have all the tools to succeed in life

By Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi
Special to the Times

FRUITLAND

Kaori Robertson always wondered what it felt like to stand among the best of the best Navajo high school athletes.

When she thumbed through the pages of the Navajo Times, she’d think about that shining moment when she’d grace the pages of the paper, pictured at the All-Star award ceremony. On Monday, she finally got to see what it feels like as Robertson was named to the Navajo Times All-Star list for volleyball and stood among the best area athletes.

Robertson said it’s every Navajo female athlete’s dream come true.

“I was ecstatic, I was so happy, I was just in complete awe,” she said. “I always remember looking at the Navajo Times from my grandma and my grandpa’s newspapers and being like, ‘Wow, I want to be in that’ and just that feeling of me being in it, it was like ‘Wow, I did it.’”

Robertson, who is a junior at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix, was one of dozens of area athletes named to the Navajo Times All-Star list for Fall 2019.

A libero for the volleyball team, Robertson grew up in Tucson but has family in Window Rock. She said though she grew up in The Valley, she takes pride in where she comes from, even on the court, so she was honored to be recognized in the ceremony.

“It’s very special. I am very close to my heritage and being Native is one thing that’s really big in my life,” Robertson said. “And being able to contribute to this community and being able to represent my culture out there … It’s really important to me and means a lot.”

The ceremony, which took place in Shiprock at the Phil Thomas Performing Arts Center, was attended by many sports fans, parents, community members, and student-athletes from throughout and beyond the Four Corners.

The ceremony began with the traditional photograph session followed by a few words from keynote speaker Donovan Jackson. Jackson, who is from Gallup, was a cross-country runner and basketball player for the Bengals. He was a part of two state championships cross-country teams and later ran for Western New Mexico University in Silver City. He is now a teacher of biology and anatomy and physiology at Fort Wingate High School, where he finished his second year as head coach for the cross-country team.

Jackson had many messages for the awardees in attendance, all of which had to do with their potential to be successful thanks to what they’ve learned as student-athletes.

He began by discussing his goals as a member of the Native community and student-athlete who found his true passion in life thanks to sports being a pathway into college.

“I wanted to put myself in a position where I could work with young Native Americans,” he said. “At this moment, I’m standing in front of an auditorium full of Native American students that have bright and promising futures, and so, without a doubt, this is one of the single greatest moments of my life this far.”

He then offered some realities about Native students in college, realities he knew much about —he earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree.

“As Native Americans it’s going to be harder for you,” Jackson said. “You are going to face trials and obstacles that many people will never understand, but what I want you guys to understand is that all of you can overcome these challenges.”

Speaking directly to the student-athletes in attendance, Jackson said the very reason they were all in attendance was because they already know how to be successful.

“You already have the tools necessary to be successful in life. As athletes you have already shown that you already have the habits and traits that are especially necessary to accomplishing any goal that you will have,” he said. “These sports have prepared you both mentally and emotionally for life. Apply the mental preparation, work ethic to education.”

While most of those in attendance have put in the work to be successful, a select few have put in a tad bit more. Those included the named players/runners and coaches of the year.

One such runner was Piedra Vista senior Triston Charles.

Charles won the state title in class 5A in an almost unheard-of manner. He caught the frontrunner, Clovis’ Jerrick Maldonado, at the finish line, but was named the runner up. Not long after the race, Maldonado saw a replay of the race and said Charles won fair and square, so he coughed up the award, which was then given to Charles. Charles defeated Maldonado in a time of 16:07.6, and Maldonado’s official time was 16:07.65.

Charles said keeping this in mind made the news of his receiving the honor even more special.

“It felt really good. I didn’t think in just two years that it would all come up to me being named runner of the year,” he said.

Charles said the award and his state title have created a new way of thinking that he’ll carry with him long after he graduates high school.

Having played soccer most of his young life, Charles picked up distance running just two years ago and thrived at it. He still considered himself a soccer player but has since changed his mind.

“It helped me learn that I’m definitely better at one sport than I thought I was with another,” Charles said. “Maybe I’m more of a runner than a soccer player and playing soccer was helping me with my running.”

When Bloomfield head football coach Bob Allcorn reflected on being named one of the football coaches of the year, he couldn’t help but think of all of those who made it possible.

Allcorn was named coach of the year for the second season in a row after coaching the team to a second-straight runner-up state finish.

He said he couldn’t do that alone, just as he couldn’t earn the award alone.

“I guess my first thought is that it just takes a lot of hard work and dedication among the young men on the team, the coaching staff, it was just kind of a group effort,” Allcorn said. “It’s a great feeling to get acknowledged in any job, in any walk of life, and to get on a big stage like that, it’s pretty special.”

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