Ba’ban Secures Second Placed at Senior Chair Volleyball Championship

Jeston Morris

Gila River Indian News

Thirty-two teams gather in Scottsdale for the annual Ske:gHimdag tournament, celebrating elder athleticism and community.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — 32 teams competed in the Ske:g Himdag Senior Chair Volleyball Tournament at Salt River Community Building on May 1. Among the competitors were three Gila River teams: Ba’ban, JuJudum, and Gila River O’odham. —played in the two-day tournament. Ba’ban hailing from Blackwater, advanced to the championship round.

In the championship bracket, Ba’ban defeated Pala Turtles 1 in the midday playoff. Although the Turtles 1 moved to the loser’s bracket, they fought their way back to the final game. In the end, the Turtles 1 successfully defended their title for the fourth time, leaving Ba’ban with a second-place finish. Soboba 1 took third place in the double elimination tournament, which was held on the ancestral homeland of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

The event drew teams from across the region. The Boston Ballers and Bosses traveled from the State of Washington, while California was represented by three Paula Turtles teams, two Soboba teams, two Morango Go Gettings teams, and Rincon Roadrunners. Participating teams from western Arizona included Fort Yuma Heat, CRIT United, and Mixed Blood.

The team captains, players, and staff reflected on the tournament.

“We work hard. We lost to team [Ba’ban] with the golden-yellow jersey earlier. We had to regroup and overcome our deficits,” said Richard Lavado, team captain for Pala Turtles 1. “There’s a lot of competition here. We enjoyed it.”

Joyce Eddie, team captain for Ba’ban, expressed pride in her team’s performance. “It was a good tournament. We beat Turtles 1 earlier today, and we end up playing them again for the championship game, and they beat us,” Eddie said. “We did our best and came in second. Shout-out to my team; they did a wonderful job. We’re looking forward to the Gila River tournament in July.”

Participants also highlighted the health benefits of the sport. “We ran out of gas in the latter end of the tournament, but we had a lot of fun,” said Joyce Placencia, a player for Soboba 1. “I like the fact that all the elders are playing. They are being active. You must stay active; otherwise you get sedentary. You don’t want that.”

Dennis Coohyouma, captain of the Gila River O’odham, noted the high interest in the event, mentioning that online registration filled up quickly. His team, composed of eight players from District 3, won both of their morning games.

Perry Galvan, captain of  JuJudum from Gila River - District 5, shared a similar sentiment of perseverance. “We lost this morning. We won our last game, so we’re still in the tournament,” Galvan said, noting his six-players roster was prepared for their next match against the Maverick.

Ske:g Himdag Senior Chair Volleyball Tournament results:

First place — Pala Turtles I (Pala Band of Mission Indians, Pala, Calif.)

Second place — Ba’ban (Gila River Indian Community, District 1, Blackwater)

Third place — Soboba I (Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, San Jacinto, Calif.)