Muckleshoot Sport Court Adds Latest ‘Opportunity’

Dyna Khuy didn’t hesitate when asked what the latest sport courts installed by the Kraken’s One Roof Foundation philanthropic arm means for her community.

She watched last Saturday as her son, Elias, 4, used a newly acquired ball hockey stick on one of two courts installed at the Southwind Park behind the Muckleshoot community center while her daughter, Elena, 9, jogged around a freshly minted running track. Khuy described the importance of getting children outdoors and together on days such as this one, when sunny weather and fresh air will draw them out if given an opportunity.

“I think it’s super important to have facilities like this because then the kids have time to really play and get out there instead of being at home,” Khuy said. “A lot of kids are iPad kids. So, it’s really hard to get them to do extracurricular activities or even to get them to go outside. You really have to force them to be out now.”

Improving access to play and all-around youth health through greater activity are main tenets of the sport courts developed by the One Roof Foundation (ORF) along with community partners. The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Sport Court officially opened Saturday, just one week after a South Park Sport Court launch, while the Verlo Sport Court became operational last May in Tacoma and a different one at Skyway Park in Bryn Mawr-Skyway three years ago. Later this summer, an additional sport court opening is expected to take place in the Northgate district near Kraken Community Iceplex.

The two Muckleshoot courts both have permanent surrounding boards and will be used for ball hockey, basketball, futsal – akin to indoor soccer but played outside – and pickleball.

In addition, the facilities feature an outdoor track, where members of Brooks Running’s Seattle-based professional track team, the Brooks Beasts, were on hand Saturday to give away 135 pairs of shoes and lead local youth in running drills. Brooks is the off-ice performance partner of the Kraken, and the organizations team up throughout the year on Power Play clinics to provide access to youth hockey and youth running in Seatte.

“When we look at our youth and tribal young people, that’s our number one kind of natural resource,” said Donny Stevenson, chairman of the Muckleshoot Tribal Council. “And so, anything we can dedicate to them, into their well-being, to their health, to be able to sort of develop a positive identity, we’re going to do everything we can to reinforce that.”

Along those lines, Stevenson said the groundbreaking, multi-year partnership making Muckleshoot the Kraken’s official jersey patch partner has already spawned similar pride among the tribe’s youth. They are the first ever Tribe to have their crest represented on an NHL jersey.

“Representation is such an important element, especially for our Native American children,” Stevenson said of being so visibly affiliated with a pro sports franchise. “We represent less than 2% of the population nationally. And so, it’s not real often our kids tune into things like TV shows, the movies and the media and see themselves represented in a very realistic way.

“So, anything we can do to build on pride in that identity -- recognizing who they are and whose they are – that’s everything for us as tribal leaders. That’s really what it’s all about. It’s bridging our traditions and our history, our ancestors and the teachings, with our future and next. Where we’re going.

“And I think when you put parks like this, courts like this, sort of on your homeland, it allows your children to know that investment is tangible. It’s real. And that they matter. That they’re important.”

Kraken chief commercial officer Jeff Webster spoke at Saturday’s opening, as did ORF board chair The Honorable Richard A. Jones, a U.S. District Court judge.

“These aren’t just kids playing, this is our future,” Jones told the crowd of community leaders and members. These are future leaders. They may come with basketballs and hockey sticks and whatever else that they’re going to play with. But I guarantee you these kids, incredibly bright as they are, can transform their skills into sports. But it will be far beyond sports.

“You may see elected officials. You may see people who can change the world.”

Kraken radio play-by-play announcer Everett Fitzhugh served as master of ceremonies for the event, where children ages 6-14 were rotated through three different sports stations on the new facilities. They partook in a street hockey scrimmage, a street hockey skills clinic for passing, stickhandling and shooting, and a Brooks running clinic while Kraken team mascot Buoy mingled with the crowd.

Kraken Hockey Network analyst JT Brown participated in the hockey clinics. Some 200 sticks were handed out for free to participants on site. Brooks Beast athletes Brannon Kidder, Max Davies and Chloe Scrimgeour led kids through warmup drills and relays on the new track.

Community member Khuy said her daughter runs in weekly track races and was excited about getting out to train with pro Brooks runners. Likewise, her family also attends multiple Kraken games every season and seeing her 4-year-old out holding a hockey stick on the court was an extension of that.

“I love the engagement and the Kraken being interacted with the kids in the hockey games,” she said. “Because then it gives them a lot of motivation and things to look forward to and have goals set in place. All kids need that. And now, they’ve been given that opportunity.”