By Cameron Van Til
Herald Writer
The Arlington boys basketball team hosted members of the Stillaguamish Tribe for the Eagles’ Wesco 3A game against Everett last Wednesday as part of Native American Cultural Night.
“They’re the forefathers (of this area) and the ones who settled here, so we wanted to invite them in and kind of build a bridge,” Arlington coach Nick Brown said. “I’ve had a couple of Stillaguamish kids in my classroom before, and I just have a great respect for them as a people.”
Prior to the game, a tribal member shared “words of wisdom and inspiration” with the Arlington team, Brown said. The tribal member also performed a song for the players that’s been passed down from the famous Chief Joseph, a former Nez Perce leader.
“That was a special honor for us,” Brown said.
Tribal members danced and performed three songs for the fans during halftime, including a giveaway song during which they shared gifts with people in the stands.
“We wanted to bring awareness to the Stillaguamish Tribe by inviting them out to share their balance of strength, kindness and spirit to our basketball program and our fans,” said Brown’s wife, Caryn, who helped organize the event.
Added Nick Brown: “It was really just a cool night. It was really a cool evening for all of us.”
WIAA honors Shorecrest wrestler
Shorecrest girls wrestler Aislinn O’Connell was named an Athlete of the Week by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association for the week of Jan. 6-12.
O’Connell, a senior, was the 155-pound champion of the Arlington Girls Rumble on Jan. 12 and was victorious in the same weight class during a Jan. 9 scramble at Mount Vernon.
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