Native academy teaches the finer points to young volleyball players

(Times photo - Paul Natonabah)

Instructor Jaymie Swift, right, shows a young camper the proper technique to serve during the Native American Volleyball Academy camp at Navajo Prep in Farmington.

Nanabah Allison-Brewer, camp coordinator and founder of the Native American Volleyball Academy, said the camp was exhausting but well worth it.

Allison-Brewer and several Native American college volleyball coaches were pleased with the turnout for the second annual camp, which was held at Navajo Preparatory School.

Allison-Brewer, recently named the head volleyball coach for South Dakota State University, said the camp provided instruction on hitting, digging and learning real-life game situations.

Melissa Peterson, head volleyball coach at Haskell Indian Nations University, said the addition of other coaches this year provided more one-to-one instruction.

"It's good to have them back," she said. "They're learning a lot. I think there's more energy this year.

"The girls are really good to work with. They are really listening," Peterson continued. "Its nice to work with them. They are understanding what I'm teaching and they're are getting to know more about Haskell."__

Peterson said she is looking for players to recruit when they finish high school. __For the next two weeks, she'll be attending camps in Colorado.

Peterson played at Ganado High School, then played four years at Division I Virginia Commonwealth University where she helped the team to its first-ever Colonial Athletic Association championship.

This year, Peterson was a recipient of the 2008 American Volleyball Coaches Association minority scholarship award.

_Another mentor at the camp was Jaymie Swift, a former assistant coach at Dartmouth. She said several San Carlos high school students made the trip to Farmington for the camp.

"It gives San Carlos some exposure to the volleyball camp," Swift said. "I gave out the camp information to my former high school coach. I encouraged them to come out.

"It's really exciting. Nana is my inspiration," Swift said.

Swift played two years at Yavapai College then transferred to the University of Texas-El Paso to play Division I volleyball in the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

Chon Clayton of Washington State was also on hand to assist with the camp. Clayton is the head volleyball coach at Nieahbay High School, where he led his team to its first-ever state tournament.

Clayton, a 10-year coaching veteran, said that the camp is to help the players to learn not only volleyball skills, but also understand everyday life.__

"They (coaches) are Native American role models. Something for them to look up to," Clayton said, who is a member of the Makah people of the Cape tribe. "It's also for skills for everyday life. So they can deal with situation on their own and to aspire and to excel. I'm hoping they would go to college after their high school."

_Krystal Platero, of Fort Defiance, attended the camp for the first time. Platero, who will be a junior this fall at Window Rock High, said she was glad to attend the camp.

"I want to be a better player in volleyball this year," Platero said. "This is my first year here. It's fun and I made new friends.

"I never heard of the camp before," she said. "I heard it through my cousin, who attended last year. She introduced it to me and encourage me to attend."

Platero said the coaches were "really good."

"I learned a lot from the coaches," she said.

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