‘Never give up my children, never give up’
Navajo Times | Paul Natonabah The recipients for the 2016 Navajo Times Coach/Player/Runner of the Year pose for a picture. They include FRONT ROW, from left to right: Monument Valley football coach Bryan Begay, Window Rock’s Chamique DuBoise, Santa Fe Indian’s Michael Tenorio, Tuba City’s Sophia Honahni, Rehoboth’s Sierra Tahe, and Navajo Prep cross-country coach Stephanie Zahne. SECOND ROW: Kirtland Central cross-country coach Lenny Esson, Chinle’s Santiago Hardy, Pinon’s Wesley Cook, Red Mesa’s Sherwin Benally and Navajo Prep girls soccer coach Stacy Irwin. THIRD ROW: Monument Valley’s Cauy Nelson, Alamo Navajo Raul Ganadonegro, Shiprock’s Chance Harvey, Winslow’s Ahli Foster, Farmington’s Kody Becenti and Shiprock coach Eric Stovall.
NN Vice President Nez offers words of encouragement to All-Stars
SHIPROCK
Navajo Times | Paul Natonabah
Navajo Nation Vice President Jonathan Nez delivered the keynote address at the 2016 Navajo Times Fall Sports All-Star ceremony on Monday in Shiprock.
Top area student-athletes took to the stage and were recognized at the Navajo Times 2016 Fall Sports All-Area All-Star ceremony.
Nearly 200 student-athletes showed up with their families, friends, and coaches at the Phil L. Thomas Performing Arts Center to be recognized for their accomplishments in their respective sports.
It was one of the largest groups of all-stars selected by the Navajo Times sports staff and one that received a high number of nominations.
Per tradition, the event started with photos sessions of student-athletes within each sport as well as photos of the coaches and players of the year who were in attendance.
Navajo Nation Vice President Jonathan Nez served as the guest speaker for the event.
Navajo Times | Paul Natonabah
The recipients for the 2016 Navajo Times Coach/Player/Runner of the Year pose for a picture. They include FRONT ROW, from left to right: Monument Valley football coach Bryan Begay, Window Rock’s Chamique DuBoise, Santa Fe Indian’s Michael Tenorio, Tuba City’s Sophia Honahni, Rehoboth’s Sierra Tahe, and Navajo Prep cross-country coach Stephanie Zahne. SECOND ROW: Kirtland Central cross-country coach Lenny Esson, Chinle’s Santiago Hardy, Pinon’s Wesley Cook, Red Mesa’s Sherwin Benally and Navajo Prep girls soccer coach Stacy Irwin. THIRD ROW: Monument Valley’s Cauy Nelson, Alamo Navajo Raul Ganadonegro, Shiprock’s Chance Harvey, Winslow’s Ahli Foster, Farmington’s Kody Becenti and Shiprock coach Eric Stovall.
Nez addressed the crowd as a whole and offered words of encouragement to the student-athletes.
He offered a testimony to the crowd about self reflection and how he lost weight through running after weighing over 300 pounds at one point in his life.
Nez said he recalled giving motivational speeches encouraging community members to stay active and make healthy choices, all while he weighed over 300 pounds. He said while at a speaking engagement a brave listener in the crowd asked him why he was preaching about healthy habits when he himself was overweight.
Nez told the crowd it was a moment of realization and reflection.
“I gained over 300 pounds, believe it or not, I weighed 300 pounds and I was a student-athlete too, in high school and I was in sports as well. Then when I got out of school, high school, life begins to kick in, meaning we have to watch what we eat, continue to stay active as well, and if you don’t do that you may blossom (gain weight as he did),” he said.
“It’s been over 10 years I’ve been talking to young people and community members, telling people to eat right, exercise and take care of yourself…but you know what, it doesn’t make sense to hear these words come out of a 300-pound person and so we have to walk the talk.”
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow