Rezball

Rezball, short for "reservation ball," is a special way of playing basketball that is linked to Native Americans. It is most popular in high schools in the Southwestern United States, where many Indian reservations are located.

Over time, rezball has grown a lot. It has become important for the people living on these reservations. The sport can bring both good and hard times for these communities. It helps bring people together but can also show some of the challenges they face, like feeling pressure to fit in when they leave their homes.

Description

Rezball is a fast-paced style of basketball that focuses on quick movement and aggressive play. Teams try to score rapidly and defend strongly to create turnovers. Many Native Americans learned basketball while attending special schools run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. They added their own flair by running quickly, passing fast, and scoring swiftly, which helped create rezball. This style of basketball not only creates competition but also brings communities together and helps them support each other on reservation lands.

Origins of Rezball

Native Americans played games similar to basketball long ago. They were officially introduced to basketball when they were placed in boarding schools by the BIA. This introduction happened in the late 18th century and early 19th century.

Importance of Rezball Within the Native Indigenous Community

Rezball is very important in Native American culture. It is a sport that families pass down through generations, which means current players often feel pressure to do well because of the hopes of their relatives. For most Native Americans, playing basketball in high school is the highest level they can compete at as amateurs, and many do not continue playing after they finish school. For those who do continue, they face challenges such as adjusting to life beyond the reservation and dealing with social difficulties.

Schools and Regions Known for Playing Rezball

The Apache, Pueblo and Navajo tribes in northeastern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico have many high schools where basketball is very popular. In Arizona, some of the biggest crowds at boys' basketball games happen at rezball games, with one game between Apache and Navajo schools having the highest attendance ever.

Arizona has some huge arenas for basketball, like The Nash Center in Kayenta, which seats 3,800 people, and the Bee Hółdzil Fighting Scouts Events Center in Fort Defiance, seating about 6,532. These big arenas attract many fans from around the Navajo Reservation. In February 2013, more than 12,000 people attended a tournament at the Wildcat Den in Chinle over two days.

New Mexico also has many top high school basketball teams, especially in girls' basketball. Schools like Kirtland Central and Shiprock have won many state championships and have big gyms to hold their fans. The state finals are held at The Pit on the University of New Mexico campus, which often sells out.

Rezball is not just in the Four Corners region. For example, in 2017, the girls' team from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians reached the state tournament final and drew about 5,000 fans to Jackson for the game.

High schools

Arizona

Cibecue High School, Cibecue, Arizona
Shonto Preparatory Technology High School, Shonto, Arizona
St. Michael High School, St. Michaels, Arizona
Salt River High School, Scottsdale, Arizona
Rough Rock High School, Rough Rock, Arizona
Baboquivari High School, Sells, Arizona
Red Mesa High School, Teec Nos Pos, Arizona
San Carlos High School, San Carlos, Arizona
Piñon High School, Piñon, Arizona
Valley High School, Sanders, Arizona
Greyhills Academy High School, Tuba City, Arizona
Hopi Junior/Senior High School, Keams Canyon, Arizona
Many Farms High School, Many Farms, Arizona
Alchesay High School, Whiteriver, Arizona
Ganado High School, Ganado, Arizona
Holbrook High School, Holbrook, Arizona
Winslow High School, Winslow, Arizona
Window Rock High School, Fort Defiance, Arizona
River Valley High School, Mohave Valley, Arizona
Tuba City High School, Tuba City, Arizona
Monument Valley High School, Kayenta, Arizona
Chinle High School, Chinle, Arizona
Page High School, Page, Arizona
Rock Point High School, Rock Point, Arizona
Fort Thomas High School, Fort Thomas, Arizona

New Mexico

Laguna-Acoma High School, Laguna, New Mexico
Santa Fe Indian High School, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Magdalena High School, Magdalena, New Mexico
Tsé Yí Gai High School, Smith Lake, New Mexico
Jemez Valley High School, Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico
Pine Hill High School, Pinehill, New Mexico
Navajo Pine High School, Navajo, New Mexico
Navajo Prep High School. Farmington, New Mexico
Dulce High School, Dulce, New Mexico
Ramah High School, Ramah, New Mexico
Newcomb High School, Newcomb, New Mexico
Crownpoint High School, Crownpoint, New Mexico
Zuni High School, Zuni, New Mexico
Wingate High School, Fort Wingate, New Mexico
Rehoboth High School, Rehoboth, New Mexico
Tohatchi High School, Tohatchi, New Mexico
Thoreau High School, Thoreau, New Mexico
Bloomfield High School, Bloomfield, New Mexico
Shiprock Northwest High School, Shiprock, New Mexico
Shiprock High School, Shiprock, New Mexico
Kirtland Central High School, Kirtland, New Mexico
Miyamura High School, Gallup, New Mexico
Gallup High School, Gallup, New Mexico
Piedra Vista High School, Farmington, New Mexico
Farmington High School, Farmington, New Mexico
Aztec High School, Aztec, New Mexico
Native American Community Academy, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Elsewhere

Cherokee High School, Cherokee, North Carolina.
Sherman Indian High School, Riverside, California
Wyoming Indian High School, Ethete, Wyoming
Whitehorse High School, Montezuma Creek, Utah
Ignacio High School, Ignacio, Colorado
Monument Valley High School, Monument Valley, Utah
Navajo Mountain High School, Navajo Mountain, Utah
Uintah River High School, Duchesne, Utah

Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI)

The Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI) was started in 2003 by Mark West, a former Phoenix Suns player, the late Scott Podleski from the Arizona Rattlers, and GinaMarie Scarpa, who used to lead the AC Green Youth Foundation. Every year, the NABI Foundation holds this special basketball tournament in Arizona just for Native American teams. Big names like Nike N7, many Native American tribes, the Phoenix Suns, and the Phoenix Mercury help make it happen.

Now in its 17th year, NABI is known as the top tournament for Native American youth players worldwide. In 2007, it made history by becoming the first tournament for only Native teams to get approval from the NCAA. This happened because GinaMarie Scarpa, the leader of the NABI Foundation, asked the NCAA to honor Tribal Sovereignty and not follow their "same state rule." The tournament brings together over 128 teams from the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand. It’s a great chance for players to show their skills to college recruiters who usually wouldn’t visit the remote reservation towns.