Kick Off Klassic 2015

Every year Scammon Bay hosts the Kick Off Klassic. It's an invitational double elimination basketball tournament at the beginning of the season. Here in Alaska, basketball season starts on January 5th. Ten teams flew into Scammon on Wednesday and stayed until Sunday. The coaches, chaperones and teams lodged in our classrooms. They used sleeping bags and blow up mattresses to sleep on the classroom floor. By 8:30 am they were all up and out of the rooms so we could have school during the day. Some of the ballgames were played during the day. So, you can guess what my classes were doing! Our lunchroom staff fed them 3 meals a day plus snacks. It's quite an operation, I must say!  

Residents of Scammon Bay take their hospitality and their basketball very seriously.

Almost everyone in the village turns out for the tournament. Also, several visitors from other villages came over too.

Below are pics of Tournament parking. All those snow-goes and 4-wheelers are parked between the school and teacher housing!  It was like walking through a maze in order to get from home to work!

 

There's lots of school spirit here. Students and staff made signs welcoming the other teams and cheering everyone on. We even have mascots that entertain and throw memorabalia into the crowd

 

Ready for some Basketball?!!

Here are of few of my students in action on the basketball court...

Tip Off!

Jerry taking the 3-pointer.

Audi

Jadon

Kiah going for the 3-pointer

Samantha and Naomi

Leo at the line.

The games were exciting and best of all......

both of our teams won  first place in the Kick Off Klassic of 2015.

Congratulations to Scammon Bay boys and girls basketball teams! 

What a great way to start the season!

Girls MVP and 3-point contest winner--Kiah

Boys MVP---Angel (the tall guy under the basket)

In addition to the games, we had a fabulous hospitality room for coaches, chaperones and other guests. I worked with several of the local ladies and I wanted to share with you the feast that was put on display and eaten by many a grateful visitor. 

We worked hard, had fun, lots of laughs and great food!

Marie preparing Fry Bread dough.                             Wanda preparing Yupik Salad.

Alice making her famous Agutaq--Eskimo Ice Cream. Every family has their own secret recipe for Agutaq. Generally, it has Crisco, sugar, berries, and fish in it. 

Several ladies came up and made big bowls of agutaq.  It was the most popular treat in the room! 

This is Leota making her special recipe.

Some call it Fry Bread. Some call it Oil Bread.  I call it Yum!

Fry Bread is like funnel cake without the sugar.

Below is a pic of very traditional Yupik food: The larger plate is herring eggs on kelp with a bottle of seal oil for dipping. and whale meat is in the smaller plate. (I had no idea that seal oil would be yellow)

Dried fish strips

And last but not least......a bit of Arkansas.....Betty Cook's delectable chocolate sauce!

Yes, eating rich, buttery chocolate sauce together builds bridges across many cultural barriers.

Thanks, Mom. (and to my sisters for giving me the recipe over the phone!)