Eight boys and eight girls will be selected from the Madness In March Tournament to represent 4 Love of the Game in the AMERIND All-West Classic and Native American Basketball Invitational. Player selection is not only based on athletic abilities, but more importantly, on character, respect, discipline and hard work displayed both on and off the court.

The 24th Annual Native American Youth Weekend featuring the Amerind All-West Native American Basketball Classic is set for April 3-5, 2009, and is being held at the Gold Crown Field House in Lakewood, Colorado, just west of downtown Denver.Founded as a way to combat a rash of suicides across reservations nationwide, the All-West Classic has grown steadily throughout the years with teams traveling predominantly from reservations across the United States. On some reservations, such as Cheyenne River, where more than 99 percent of the tribe’s 11,000 members live in poverty, the trip represents an opportunity the kids wouldn’t otherwise have.

The All-West Classic is a great opportunity for our organization to show our Native American youth that their hard work, dedication and sacrifice doesn’t go unnoticed, nor without reward. Generally speaking, anyone can put a ball in the hoop, or throw a fastball or catch a touchdown pass, but to do it with character, discipline, integrity and sportsmanship is something totally different. Team members are chosen based on those qualities. Qualities that will serve them the rest of their lives.

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