Byron-Bergen Junior/Senior High School sophomore Siomara Caballero travelled to Toronto in July to compete with more than 5,000 other young athletes from across the United States and Canada at the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).
As part of Team New York, a group of girls and boys representing the state’s Haudensaunee Confederacy, Caballero won bronze medals in the 1,200 meter, 2,000 meter and the 3K cross-country races in her age group. She took the silver medal in the 800 meter race. Her team collected a total of 13 medals throughout the games.
The NAIG is the largest sporting and cultural gathering of indigenous peoples in North America. It hosts 14 sport competitions, including track and field, lacrosse, archery, baseball, basketball and soccer in a variety of world-class venues during the week. It is also a celebration of a rich cultural heritage, featuring indigenous artists, music, foods and history.
“It felt good to be a part of a movement that is trying to increase awareness for indigenous youth in sports,” Caballero said. “I felt that I learned more about my family’s history and culture. I enjoyed getting to know the other kids on my team, and representing the Haudensaunee people.” (Haudensaunee tribes include the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca).
Caballero is an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians, Wolf Clan. She became interested in NAIG in 2014 and qualified for the team in 2016.
At Byron-Bergen, she runs varsity cross country in the fall, plays JV basketball in the winter, and participates in varsity track and field in the spring. She has been a Genesee Region All-Star in cross country and track and field for the past two years.
She looks forward to a busy year at Byron-Bergen, with athletics and a full academic schedule. She is taking classes at Genesee Community College as part of the STEM accelerated degree program and is in several clubs, including PageTurners, Spanish Club and Math League.
“After I graduate from high school, I would like to major in math or science in college,” said Caballero. I want to be a role model for my younger sister and brother, so they can know that anything is possible with hard work.” She hopes that her sister will join her at the next NAIG in 2020.
Participating teams at the Toronto 2017 NAIG represented all 13 provinces and territories of Canada, along with 13 regions from the U.S. The 14 core sports are represented by three age group categories: under 14, under 16 and under 19. For more information, visit www.naigcouncil.com/.
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