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- By Native StoryLab
What happens when a Nike legend and a national sports camp leader team up for Indian Country? You get a powerful movement to bring more Native youth into sports and keep them there.
This week on Native Bidaské, Levi Rickert sits down with Sam McCracken, founder of Nike’s N7 initiative, and Ian Hamilton from U.S. Sports Camps. Together, they’re building momentum through sports camps that are more than just games. They’re about identity, opportunity, and health.
Sam, who’s been with Nike for 28 years, shares how his work has raised millions for Native youth scholarships and how the iconic Nike Air Native N7 shoe was specifically designed for Native athletes, including those with neuropathy. Ian brings in the power of U.S. Sports Camps' 50-year legacy, highlighting major successes like a 2023 Super Bowl weekend event in Phoenix with 200 Native kids, and a Fort Peck youth summit that drew 80 young people eager to play and grow.
Let’s talk sports. Let’s talk Native youth. Let’s talk future.
TUNE IN:
Date: Friday, August 8th, 2025
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 a.m. CT / 10:00 a.m. MT / 9:00 a.m. PT
Streaming on: Facebook, YouTube, and the Native News Online website
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Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher